Hotel Yoshino

We wished we could have stayed longer. The rooms were beautiful, the outdoor onsen is a must, and breakfast was so good we finished it before remembering to take a photo. It was delivered right to our door. They welcomed us at the entrance, had shoe racks with our names, and took care of our bags when we arrived early, bringing them to the room. Everyone was friendly. The language gap could be challenging, but that was part of the fun, and thank goodness for Google Translate. Ito is easy to get around from here, about a 10-minute walk from Ito station, and it feels central.

For what I paid, this was a great deal in the Ito area. I found it as the cheapest Japanese-style lodge with an onsen in Ito, and booked for about 6000 yen during the 2024 obon holiday. The tatami rooms were clean, the futons comfortable, and yukatas were provided. The facilities were clean too, with a lovely tatami bath and a relaxing outdoor bath facing a small Japanese garden. Those baths are only on either the men’s or women’s side, so ask which side they’re on when you check in. If the one you want isn’t on your side that night, remember to check it in the morning. They also serve a simple Japanese breakfast with very tasty white rice, side dishes, and smoked fish, or himono, a local food from the Izu peninsula.

We spent two nights here in a cute town, and the onsen was lovely, especially the open-air bath. Our traditional tatami room with futons was really cute and surprisingly comfortable even for a Westerner. The bathroom is a bit dated, but it wasn’t a big issue since we only used it for the toilet and washed in the onsen. The meals were the standout. Both dinner and breakfast were delicious and looked beautiful. If you’re not much of a fish person, I wouldn’t book meals here, since fish is clearly a staple because of the location. But if you do like fish, it’s amazing and well worth more than what we paid. The staff were all friendly and did their best to explain things despite the language barrier. I’d recommend it.

Everything felt clean and comfortable, and I really enjoyed staying here. I’ve rarely seen hotel cleaning done as thoroughly. One staff member was even kneeling down to wipe the door thresholds, and the toilet was spotless, so I felt comfortable using the bidet. The staff were thoughtful and nice, and breakfast was good. Thank you.