Hotel Tamanoyu

A nice place to stay, with delicious food and great onsen facilities. There’s a large public onsen without an outdoor view, plus four private onsens that are free to use. Mr Aso San speaks excellent English and was very helpful.

We wanted to stay longer because the hotel felt like a second home. At checkout, the staff even stood outside in the cold to wave us off after we had waited for our bus. They were kind throughout our stay, including bringing meals to our room when someone in the family was sick and finding us cheaper bus coupons. The food was delicious, with traditional Japanese and tasty Western breakfast choices and several dinner options. The onsen was relaxing and well kept, with places to leave your belongings, and they even offered us a private top-floor room for free. Our room was clean, comfortable, and roomy enough for all five of us, with two separate toilet rooms and one shower room with two sinks. It’s a bus ride from Matsumoto station. We were worried about space, but it worked out well. The staff were always friendly and welcoming.

Having a Lawson right next door was handy for snacks, drinks, or anything we had forgotten. The hotel has a quiet, restful feel, and Tamanoyu Hotel suits anyone looking for a peaceful onsen stay. The private onsen in each room was the best part, with plenty of privacy and no need to feel rushed or crowded. One thing to know is that rooms generally don’t have their own showers. You use the shared facilities in the onsen area, which is common at Japanese onsen ryokans, and they were well equipped. If you want a quiet private onsen and a nearby convenience store, this could be a good fit.

Getting around was easy for us. We rented bicycles in the city for free and used the city bus too, with no transportation problems. Taxis are another option, and the hotel staff were happy to go out of their way to help us feel comfortable with whichever way we wanted to travel. At night there was live music at the hotel, and breakfast was a delicious traditional Japanese meal, with Western options also available. On arrival, we were served tea and traditional Japanese desserts before being shown to our beautiful room. We’d booked a room with its own private natural hot spring bath, and it exceeded our expectations. The tea sets and green tea in the room were lovely to have after spending time outside in the bath. The staff were incredibly helpful. We couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing weekend.