Moritaya

I was a bit disappointed with my ground-floor room. I’m not sure if I had booked the cheapest plan, but the toilet smelled, and the floor didn’t feel clean, with some stains visible. The only place to shower was outside beside the hotspring, and there was no shower head. Each time I bathed, I had to collect warm water in the wooden basin, and it was extremely windy and cold out there.

The staff did their best to explain everything and were very helpful. The food was great, and the private onsen made for one of the best nights I’ve had in Japan.

I ended up choosing Moritaya and the Suite Momiji open-air bath room after seeing the inn’s catchphrase about fine sake, seasonal kaiseki in rooms with open-air baths, and warm memories, along with the photos on its official site and Jalan and the note that reservations are hard to get. I had originally been considering Shikisai Ichiriki when I went to Bandai Atami. The inn wasn’t bad; really, it was good. But if you expect the attentive service and polish of a secluded inn, as I did, you may come away wishing you’d stayed at Ichiriki. It’s a homely place, and I think young couples and women looking for that kind of comfort may enjoy it. The building is old, with narrow, steep stairs, though it’s been renovated in a modern style. The bedroom and living room are separate, but the layout felt too small for a suite. Apparently the large public bath was removed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are several private family baths instead. Dinner tables are in separate private rooms, so you don’t see other guests, though louder diners can still be heard. This isn’t a high-end inn; think of it as a small family-style place, like a luxurious guesthouse.

It was my first ryokan stay, and the pleasant atmosphere outside and warm welcome made check-in comfortable. The room seemed clean. As others have mentioned, the stairs are a bit steep, and the ones to the open-air bath are narrow too. There may be various reasons for that, so I think it’s fine if you just take care. Kincho and stink bug spray were in the room, but bugs still seem to get in during summer, so early spring may be a better time. This season is nice too, though it’s really cold getting into the open-air bath. Once you’re in the tub, it feels great. Since it’s winter, I wish they’d provided a blanket. Dinner left me fairly satisfied, but breakfast was a little lacking and honestly disappointing. Still, I’d personally like to visit this ryokan again, maybe next spring.