Yunohana Tsukiya

Breakfast rice deserves special mention. At home we grow and cook Uonuma Koshihikari ourselves, and this rice was just as good. Dinner and breakfast both came with lovely dishes and tableware, and the seasoning was satisfying, as advertised for an inn with Kyoto cuisine and open-air baths. I stay dozens of nights a year at hot spring inns and hotels from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and despite some harsh reviews, this is among the top five places I’ve stayed. I’ll definitely return. The private baths are free, as are the alcoholic drinks, which were a welcome bonus for me as a drinker. A regular room is enough, and the semi-private dining area gives you a reasonable amount of privacy, so I didn’t need the room service plan.

There were 10 of us for a family trip to celebrate my father’s birthday, and the room arrangement matched our request exactly. The barrier-free room was comfortable and easy to use, with just the essentials provided. The food was delicious, and it was nice to see how hard the young staff worked. The inn is compact, so the public bath and dining area were easy to reach. We all headed home with happy, satisfied smiles.

We chose Yunohana Tsukiya for this trip to Yunohana Onsen. I’d looked up Keikaku, where we’d stayed before, but there was a chance a school trip group would be there at this time of year. I saw a school trip bus at the hotel I’d originally planned to book early the next morning, so I’m glad I changed plans, lol. We picked a room with a private open-air bath and checked in at 3 PM. My wife went straight to the public bath and said the open-air bath was especially wonderful. The guest room bath also has a separate shower area, so you can wash before getting into the tub. Dinner and breakfast were served in semi-private rooms on the first floor, and we didn’t feel we needed in-room dining. Both meals had lots of variety and were delicious. Even the grilled fish came on a warm plate, a thoughtful touch. The front desk staff and room attendants were polite and attentive, full marks for service. There was also a free drinks corner on the first floor with a great selection of alcohol and soft drinks, which we really appreciated. The value was excellent, and I’d like to book here again next time. Thank you for looking after us 😉👍🎶

The bath was a highlight for a simple, good-value stay. The water felt light and the temperature was comfortable, and you can reserve the private bath for 45 minutes. Getting there meant changing from indoor shoes to outdoor ones to cross the outside corridor. The small partition between the neighboring entrances didn’t offer much privacy, and there was no door lock, so it felt a bit unsafe if someone forgot to shut it. The room was plain, with a comfortable bed, a small wall-mounted TV, and a desk and chair. The fridge had water and homemade sweet potato daifuku. There was also a Kyoto-style sake brewery set and a cute set for children. The building itself looked black, square, and not very spacious from outside, with little view through the entrance. Inside, it was uncluttered, but apart from the small souvenir corner and first-floor drink bar, there wasn’t much space to sit, enjoy the garden or decorations, or walk around. You can borrow toys, including Blackbeard, to use in your room. At the bar, alcoholic and soft drinks were available until around 10 PM, and there were picture books for kids. We could bring drinks to our room, though not into the dining area. The cups were small and there was no tray, which made carrying drinks awkward while also holding my child and opening the car. We ran out twice, so I wish someone had checked and refilled them. The food tasted good, and they asked about allergies ahead of time and listened carefully about the children's meals. I may have expected more after seeing YouTube and reviews, though, and it didn’t impress me much. For the price, I was satisfied, and I especially liked the seaweed paste and egg yolk served with the sushi. My husband wasn’t as satisfied and ordered room service later. Service was the biggest letdown: they forgot my water, put the food down upside down, and described the dishes so quickly I couldn’t hear. Staff seemed expressionless and focused on following a manual, even when a simple “Please enjoy your stay” would have helped. We booked at the last minute for a family trip to relax. I’d say it works well if you mainly want a basic bath and a quiet room, but children and people who like exploring around an inn may find it a little disappointing.