Ukiha Bekkan Shinshiyo

It was our first time at a ryokan, and we loved it. The private onsen in our room became the highlight of our whole Japan trip, and the food was delicious and a spectacle to look at. The staff were exceptionally friendly and accommodating, and made us feel welcome as foreigners and first-timers. The scenery is gorgeous, the experience is wonderfully peaceful, and the value is incredible. We came by train. They can take you to or from Amagase station, though you can also walk from there without luggage or get a taxi from there or Hita. Thank you!

We loved the Japanese-style room and its open-air hot bath, and the beds were huge. At night we could hear the river rushing past from the balcony and catch a little view of the stars. Dinner and breakfast were both amazing, served in a private dining room. You’ll want a car to get here, though they do pick you up at Amagase station. Parking is at road level, level 3 for the hotel. Our room was on level 1, so we took the lift down one level and then walked down another flight of stairs. The only thing I didn’t like was having to carry our luggage down from level 2 to level 1.

The people were the best part for me. Everyone was friendly, spoke good English, and served generous portions at meals. I’ve stayed at many onsen hotels, but we couldn’t finish the food here. The lobby decor is old, though the room itself was nice and clean. We booked two rooms. The one with an in-room onsen was small, and we struggled to open our suitcase, then had to carry it down a floor. The other room on the top floor was huge, with two beds and a tatami sitting room that could be turned into another sleeping area. I’d suggest booking that one. The hotel is on a hill, so you do need a car. We expected more from the outdoor onsen with the long walk, but it wasn’t what we’d imagined. There was a lot of algae on the bottom, no place to shower before getting in, and quite a walk downhill with lots of steps. I’d stick to the regular onsen.

For me, this was a health issue, and neither the hotel nor Booking seemed to care. I have a gluten allergy and contacted the hotel through Booking before reserving, then messaged three more times about the meals. They never replied. I paid for dinner and breakfast, expecting they might adapt the menu, but they said they couldn’t change any meals and hadn’t looked into gluten-free options. Eggs, rice, vegetables, and fruit would have been simple enough. Instead, they served me dinner as if I had no allergy, and I had to watch food I’d paid for go uneaten. I’d tried to sort this out in advance in case they couldn’t provide anything, but with no response I arrived without food. The hotel is far from any supermarket, so I couldn’t find anything to eat, and they didn’t seem to care. The room was old and the bathroom dirty when we checked in, which made everything worse. Nobody explained how to use the onsen or public bath, and we started to wonder if they didn’t want foreigners to enjoy the facilities. We came for the onsen and food, but had to leave after one night. We contacted Booking customer service, but the hotel didn’t reply to them either. They left our reservation unchanged and ignored my complaints and Booking’s for days. We lost the money we’d paid and had to spend more to leave for somewhere else because I couldn’t eat. To this day, they’ve refunded only 1/4 of what I paid, not even the service fee. I wouldn’t stay here. Booking hasn’t helped recover the money either, and still works with a property that won’t answer guests or Booking.