Tsuetate Onsen Hotel Hizenya

I was lucky to be brought here by a local family, and I’m grateful for the experience. There’s a lovely riverside view and outdoor private bathing, and the service was excellent. The buffet dinner and breakfast were great, with all-you-can-eat options. It’s a hot spring facility tied to 1,800 years of Japanese history, and there’s also a bowling alley and arcade for kids. I hope I can return someday.

The view from our window was my favorite part: a whole wall of green hillside and trees, with birds of prey appearing now and then. It rained on the first day, and watching it from the window was mesmerizing. We also enjoyed the hot baths at the hotel and at the spot offsite, and both buffet meals were very good. I was initially a little concerned by how large the hotel was, but we had a wonderful stay. The staff were professional, friendly, and the service was very good.

We were already checked in and walking toward our room when the manager stopped us to ask if we wanted to cancel, then added that we’d still have to pay the full price. I found that incredibly disrespectful and was very offended. For a hotel of this stature, I expected staff to be more emotionally aware and mindful of what customers might want. The manager’s attitude and service were terrible. The hotel is remote, and its original website is difficult to navigate. Important details were either poorly translated or missing from the third party booking site. For example, there was no information that the bowling alley and game center are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The hot spring was enjoyable, though smaller than the website photos made it look. I thought the total cost was steep, especially for a last minute weekend booking. For two adults and two children with breakfast and dinner, I paid 82,580 yen. The meals didn’t have much variety, particularly dinner, and breakfast was mostly Japanese food. Next time I’d book without meals, since that would be about 30,000 yen cheaper. I’d read that Hizenya Tsuetate Kanko Hotel was old and was a bit worried. But I booked a renovated non-smoking standard Japanese/Western room facing the river, and it didn’t feel old or have any strange smell. The walkway did look aged and had an old smell, but that didn’t affect my stay as long as the room felt modern. The view was fantastic, and the comfortable bed and duvet let me sleep well. It’s a decent option, though I didn’t find the value for money very good. The rooms are good, but the walkways need updating and the meals could be better. If you’re after a modern hotel, this might not suit you. If an older hotel and paying a little more for the hot spring are okay, it may be worth considering.