Kirishima Momijidani Seiryuso

The 4.2 score seems far too low to me. This is one of the best onsen hotels I've stayed at. The rooms are large and clean, the hot springs are wonderful, and dinner was amazing, with rich, complex dishes that clearly took a lot of effort. Maybe the lower rating has something to do with the slightly remote location. If you're driving, though, it's easy to get to and there's free parking. I thought the experience was well worth the visit.

We've stayed at quite a few ryokan over the past 16 years, and this was the most satisfying one for my wife and me. It has just 13 rooms, and while the building isn't new, it's very well maintained and spotlessly clean. The staff were all warm and helpful, and spoke very good English. We loved talking with them, including the manager, Kajiki, the front desk staff member Dairu, and the waitresses. They felt like family. We tried all three onsens, private and public, and the water was very good. They drain and clean them daily. Both meals were traditional Japanese style, no bacon or pancakes, and we enjoyed them very much. The river's constant sound made the peaceful atmosphere so relaxing. We also liked the lobby coffee machine, especially for morning coffee outside by the river, and the green tea manju in our room. Such an incredible hidden gem. We hope to return soon and as often as we can.

The staff were so nice and attentive, and the setting was super relaxing. We even got massages in our room. The onsens were pretty good, too. Dinner was a real treat: fugu, wagyu, delicious seafood broths, sashimi, and a vanilla pudding that blew my mind. 10/10!

We spent three nights at this wonderful inn, in a lovely room with comfortable beds and its own outdoor hot spring bath. The food was superb, and the staff at both Reception and the restaurant were amazing. We also booked a half-hour slot at the romantic private riverside onsen. Sitting in the piping hot water among the trees beside the tumbling river was magical. The inn is well placed for visits to beautiful Maruo Falls and mountain hikes. We strongly recommend it.