Yukai Resort Katayamatsuonsen Yataya Shotoen Kaiseki

The staff were good, though some seemed inexperienced at dinner and breakfast, which made things a bit awkward. The younger staff were still developing their language skills, but it was acceptable. For the price, the room was spacious and clean. The food was disappointing, though. I think a buffet would have worked better. The dining room felt like a banquet hall, with tables laid out in a way that wasn't relaxing, and the atmosphere wasn't great. A semi-private room might help with barking. The food was so-so, but this is a good-value, long-established inn that welcomes dogs. Not bad, though I wish they'd try a little harder. The amenities were sparse and inconvenient. The room only had a toothbrush and towel, along with hand soap and shampoo. There were no razors or shower caps, and the women's public bath didn't have either. Perhaps the men's bath had razors. There were only tea bags in the room, so bringing drip coffee might be a good idea. The drink bar is in the lobby, which is far away, and it has set hours, so it was a hassle to keep going for drinks. There were no welcome sweets. I stayed in a 20-tatami Japanese-style room and appreciated the big refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator was empty, so bring your own bottled water. Having only an indoor dog run was inconvenient, though less difficult than I'd expected. There are trees along the streets around the inn where dogs can relieve themselves, but that could be tough in colder weather. My dog gets upset and refuses to wear diapers, preferring to pee outside. I expected I'd have to use a cart to get around the inn, but they were surprisingly relaxed about it and let him walk on a leash without a diaper. That may not suit dogs who mark, but diapers weren't mandatory. Dog diapers or dog wear were available for free in the lobby.

The hot spring water was excellent, nearly straight from the source, and as salty as the water at Wakura Onsen. The in-room open-air bath was warm too, and my room had an amazing view. I booked a special deal at Oedo Onsen Monogatari for a room with an open-air bath because I wanted to stay near Katayamazu Onsen during snowy season. Mine was in a detached building, reached by stairs, so I had to carry my luggage up piece by piece. A ramp would have made it easier to bring things from the rental car. I had to wait in the lobby for the 3:00 PM check-in, but there was a free drink corner with beer, juice, coffee, and more, and I tried a few drinks while waiting. Alcohol was available as much as you liked from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, so I had several after my bath. The Kaga plum wine was especially good with soda. There wasn't alcohol available in the morning, actually after 6:30 AM. Dinner was less satisfying than I'd expected, but breakfast was plentiful and tasty. The red miso soup at dinner was a bit too salty. The inn has an old Showa-era feel. Modern inns are nice too, but it was enjoyable to experience the Showa era for a change. I'd like to come back in winter.

The room was lovely and roomy, with 10 tatami mats and a 2-tatami entrance area. A big window gave us a wide lake view, and the entrance had space for both a stroller and dog cart. We stayed with my mother, my baby, who was 0 years old, and our family dog. I was concerned because the dog sometimes barks at people and other dogs, but the staff were kind, and other guests had dogs too, so we could relax. 😊🐕️ At the Hachifukujin dining hall, we had delicious fish-centered meals in a private room. The staff were lovely with both the baby and our dog. They also have food for dogs, so we ordered a fancy dish made with Noto beef, which our dog was very happy about. 🐮✨️ The lobby was spacious, with unlimited soft drinks and alcohol until late at night and again until 10am the next day. They provided water for the dog, and our dog was delighted with a welcome treat. The large public bath has one indoor and one outdoor bath, with a calm atmosphere that made it easy to unwind. There were large buckets, perhaps for babies, chairs for people who have trouble sitting low and for small children, and a water dispenser, drinking water, hairdryer, cosmetics, comb, and valuables locker.

The hot spring was salty and warmed us right through, and we'd be glad to return. We stayed with our two dogs and had to carry our own luggage at check-in, a first for us despite having traveled many times. We picked out yukatas and relaxed on the sofa in our spacious room. Dinner was in the large hall, where my husband enjoyed a sake tasting. The food was satisfying too.