Pension Raisin

The rooms and building are impressively clean for their age, and the bathhouse, supplied by the Bandai-ko hot spring source, feels spacious for the number of rooms. I could really enjoy the Kusatsu hot springs there. Dinner was excellent too, and the well-chosen wine went beautifully with the flavors of the ingredients. For under 20,000 yen on a Saturday night, including two meals, I thought the value was outstanding, especially with Yubatake a comfortable distance away. I came away extremely satisfied. A 4.0 rating seems far too low for this guesthouse, and I'd happily recommend it.

The room was clean and comfortable to relax in. I also had a course dinner, which was really satisfying, and the wine matched the dishes nicely. The hot spring was nearly empty, so it felt like I had it to myself. Its water was a little warmer than at other springs, which suited me. Those other baths can be way too hot!

I took a solo trip to Kusatsu Onsen to use up some annual leave, and would happily stay here again. It's about 10 minutes from Yubatake and 5 minutes from Jizo-no-Yu, so the location worked well. The meal was reasonably priced and satisfying. The owner is a sommelier with a broad wine selection. Since I was by myself, I ordered a half bottle, which was reasonably priced too. Though it's a pension, there's a bath with natural hot spring water, and the quality was just what you'd expect from Kusatsu.

The hot spring was so good that we could really unwind and sleep soundly. My husband and I had a short break and picked Raisin after looking for a pension with both hot springs and a set course meal. They selected a course and paired wine for us, and we enjoyed the meal at our own pace. We'd like to come back for sure.