Kamenoi Hotel Itako

The room was dusty, and insects crawled out of the tatami. When the temperature suddenly dropped, there was no heater, so we were cold all night. The actual place also didn’t match what the website showed, which was very disappointing. We chose room and half board, but the food wasn’t onsen quality.

The charge is reasonable and the food is okay, though the building is a bit old. Even with a month’s notice, they couldn’t supply a birthday cake on the date we wanted.

It’s a nice place, but it feels outdated. Some areas, especially the windows, could use a cleaning, and the curtains could be newer.

I went to the large public bath on the fourth floor four times during my one-night stay. It has a panoramic view of Lake Kitaura, and the natural hot spring was truly relaxing. The immaculately cleaned room and the view through its large windows were relaxing too. I was visiting the three eastern shrines, Kashima Shrine, Katori Shrine, and Ikisu Shrine, and found the hotel convenient for that pilgrimage. Dinner was a kaiseki course, and breakfast was a buffet. The abalone and authentic beef stew in the "Land's Blessings Kaiseki" dinner were delicious. Drinks with dinner cost extra, but the limited-time "Yogappe Lounge" offered drinks and snacks from 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM. After checking in, I sat on a chair or sofa by the big window, enjoyed the view and some snacks with a light drink like sake, chuhai, or wine, and quickly felt relaxed. I stopped by again after dinner. They also served delicious dandan noodles for free at 9 p.m. It was a very satisfying trip.