Onsen Hotel Nakahara Bessou

The staff have been so friendly and helpful that the language barrier hasn’t been a problem at all. We’re staying here now, and the location makes it easy to get around on foot. The onsen is the big plus for us, a lovely place to relax before a busy day and again when we get back.

The room was old, but clean, and our three nights in the tatami room were satisfying. We didn’t use its shower room since we went to the hot spring on the first floor instead. Staff cleaned and checked that bath every hour. Breakfast was served in the first-floor restaurant and the second-floor banquet room. It was nicely organized, with a range of foods that changed a little each day. The front desk staff helped us in English and were very polite.

The hotel’s strongest point is its location. It’s next to the Tenmonkan Shopping District, with plenty of places to eat and a tram stop nearby. Our favorite Doutor coffee shop was a five-minute walk away, and the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal was less than 10 minutes away by car. The building is quite old, and the onsen is just one indoor hot bath, with no outdoor bath, which these days feels standard. So don’t expect too much from the name. There are Japanese- and Western-style rooms. We chose Western, though in hindsight I wish we’d picked Japanese for the experience. Still, the room was comfortable.

The room was spacious and the breakfast was delicious. There’s a large onsen with healing water, and the hotel is right by the arcade, with lots of restaurants to choose from. It’s a bit dated, but good value and well located. The nearby shrine is two blocks away. From there, it’s a 20-minute hike up the hill to the views at the Shiroyama Park Observation Deck.