Arima Grand Hotel

The breakfast was excellent, though the dining room felt chaotic and overcrowded in the morning. I also loved the hot spring bath on the 9th floor, and the stay overall felt luxurious and very enjoyable. Dinner was the letdown: the kaiseki service seemed impersonal, with dishes brought out and little explanation or interaction. There also weren't any private dining rooms, which made it harder to have privacy for a special occasion.

The nearby village is an easy walk, with lovely places to sit along the river and live performances in the evening. Getting to the hotel itself is harder on foot because it's up a hill, and I couldn't coordinate with staff about the shuttle to and from the bus station, so I had to walk. The lobby café closes around 6 PM, which can be inconvenient if you want to stay there later. There's a lot for families here: indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, plenty of comfortable seating, green spaces, “swing water” in several spots, and the Gold and Silver spas. Children have lots to do, though the crowds of kids can make it noisy, so it may not suit someone after real peace and quiet. Breakfast was a standout, served in a large dining hall. Rooms come in different sizes, but all are spacious and comfortable. They also offer small health devices for free, including a blood pressure monitor, bone density scanner, skin analyzer, and a body mass and muscle composition meter. It's a big hotel spread across several sections and floors, with a wide range of services.

The food and service were outstanding, and the gold onsen was especially wonderful. One of the best places I've ever stayed, and worth every penny.

I really love this onsen hotel. The rooms are clean, tidy and spacious, and the changing room is nice too. There are lots of baths to explore, with the one at the top being my favorite. You can also book the peaceful, beautiful private onsen for an extra fee. It feels like stepping into a world of relaxation. Breakfast has plenty of choices, with a lovely view of the garden and the big bright blue pool. There's also a shuttle linking the hotel to the town center. The shuttle is tough to use if you're visiting from abroad without a Japanese phone number. On my first stay in May 2024, I couldn't call, so I waited for a bus to drop people off and got on then. When I came back for a day onsen pass in the afternoon in June 2024, I waited at the pickup area for quite a while, but no hotel bus showed up. I couldn't call the Japanese number from my foreign phone, and my schedule was tight, so I had to miss the day spa. The timetable online didn't seem to match when the bus came. I hope they make the service easier for foreign visitors. The hotel is uphill, so walking up with luggage isn't great. I still hope to return.