Arima Onsen Gekkoen Korokan

The rooms look out over the river and forest, and the outdoor onsen is nice. Getting a room with its own onsen is worth considering too. Meals were fine, though both dinner and breakfast felt a little dull and not especially exciting.

The location is quite tucked away, and getting up the hill is a bit of a hike, so take the hotel bus if that's a concern. I stayed for two days and the attentive staff looked after me right through checkout. I chose a traditional Japanese room with an in-room bath and meals served there, and was glad I did. The food was lavish, served over roughly an hour and a half, and beautifully presented by a host dressed immaculately in a kimono. The shared baths were great, with plenty of options. I ran out of time before trying all the private baths, so I guess I'll have to visit again.

The building and interiors feel like they date from the late 1990s or early 2000s. Yukata are provided, and there are good private baths as well as shared pools with mineral water. Just be aware the private baths use hot water, not mineral water. Wi-Fi is free and reaches most areas, though not the wine bath. I had a couple of odd frustrations. At exactly 6 a.m., the TV switched itself on. I hadn't set an alarm or asked for a wake-up call. I wondered if it might be a disaster alert, but it turned out to be something about Le Bron James and Nike, all in Japanese. Not pleasant, so I unplugged the TV cables. Also, the restaurants have a narrow dinner window, between 6 and 8, and close at 9. I usually eat later, and the English facilities menu didn't list room service, which was a shame. Still, it was a great stay and I'd come back.

The bath in a room with its own tub is spectacular. There are several other baths to choose from, but check their hours since they aren't open around the clock. They also have private baths available for guests with tattoos. It's about a 45-minute drive from Kobe.