Okumatsushima Lane Hotel

There are board games and other toys by the entrance that you can borrow for your room, which made things really fun. They also give out free ice cream. It’s a lively place that works well for families, and I thought it was good value for money. We came with three generations of our family. Dinner was luxurious and delicious, and the children’s menu was great too. Breakfast was tasty for the adults, but the kids disliked so many of the dishes that they didn’t eat any. The large public bath isn’t a natural hot spring, so it’s fairly basic if you’re expecting a hot spring experience. There’s no food in the shop and nothing nearby, so it’s a good idea to bring plenty of snacks and alcohol.

I slept soundly for the first time in ages, maybe from the travel fatigue or the bedding. The room’s toilet was cramped, so I’d suggest using the shared one on the first floor. Hot water also leaked excessively from the bathroom shower. The hotel is new and looks clean from the outside, but for the price the food was limited and didn’t compare well with traditional Japanese inns and guesthouses. Dinner is fixed at 6 PM, and while I was driving there, I got a call asking if I’d arrive on time. The dishes were brought out without warning, perhaps because they wanted to clear the table quickly. A staff member also tried to talk me into ordering extra dishes, which I’d never experienced before. I ordered raw seaweed, but it tasted ordinary. It could be a reasonable choice if you can book a room without meals at a fair price.

The bath water was a little cool, and the shower had weak pressure and didn’t get very warm. There’s no open-air bath either. The food was average, and there wasn’t much to do at the hotel or see nearby, so the area felt a bit boring. I stayed with my child at this small, attractive countryside hotel. There were tables and sofas in the shared area beside reception. The hotel has 25 rooms across the first and second floors; ours was Western-style with two beds and a unit bath with toilet. The Senseki Line runs right in front, and trains pass from time to time, including some decorated inside with anime characters.

I’ve visited many places for day-use baths over the past few years, and unfortunately this may be the worst one for me. Although day visits are advertised, it felt rather unwelcoming, perhaps because overnight guests are the main focus. It doesn’t seem like somewhere you can casually pop in for a quick bath. When I came for the first time last fall, I couldn’t find the large public bath and asked the front desk. The explanation was vague, and the staff spoke to me casually, saying, “Is it okay? Do you understand?” I also had trouble locating the shoe storage area. A locker wouldn’t open when I tried it, and I never worked out how to use it.