Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha（ORIX HOTELS & RESORTS）

The only thing that kept this from being a full five stars was the weak Wi-Fi in our room. Otherwise, it’s a great ryokan, just around the corner from kurobe station. Our traditional tatami room was lovely, clean, and spacious, and the place is bilingual. There are amazing public and private baths, plus a kids’ area that can keep little ones entertained for hours. The buffet dinner and breakfast were both big and delicious.

The only thing I missed was a bar. For a hotel this big, it would be nice to have somewhere to relax with a drink before or after dinner, especially since there isn’t much open in town. We stayed for 3 days and loved it. The hotel is large and modern, with a big, well-appointed room. The staff were friendly and helpful. Both meals were excellent at the all-you-can-eat buffet, with lots of choices and empty trays refilled quickly. The sashimi was particularly good. Because we have tattoos, the only bath we could use was the private onsen, which cost 1650 yen for 50 minutes. That was disappointing, but we knew the rules beforehand.

We were able to walk easily from the hotel into Unazuki and to the station, and enjoyed the quiet, sheltered feel of the mountain town. There was even a mailbox at the hotel where you could send yourself a letter to be delivered a year later. It’ll be a lovely surprise and a chance to remember our stay. Thank you! We visited in mid-November, and the mountains outside our window looked stunning in their autumn colors. Our Japanese-style room was spacious and peaceful. We weren’t used to sleeping on tatami mats, so it took a little while to fall asleep, though they were laid out nicely. My husband loved the onsen and went four times in 24 hours. I relaxed in the pretty lobby with a drink from the coffee machine. The buffet was a good way to try Japanese dishes. It was crowded, but still easy to get whatever food you wanted. The staff were kind and patient with us.

The hotel has two public onsen with a good view, as well as a private onsen, but that costs extra. One of my rooms didn’t have amenities like a toothbrush. There’s a lot to pay for here: the hotel onsen costs an extra 150¥ per person, and table tennis, the karaoke room, and late checkout all cost extra too. Checkout is at 10 am. The location is nice, close to the station and restaurants, and breakfast was great with lots of variety. Free coffee, tea, chocolate, and corn soup are available in the lobby. Overall it’s good, but it feels too commercialized and short on free facilities.