Gast house DOUGOYADO

Douro-yado is a cozy little holiday home in traditional Japanese style, with the everyday basics covered: bathroom, toilet, kitchen, living space, and bedroom. Tsuyoshi was a lovely, helpful host who was ready to answer questions and sort out problems. The location worked well too, with Matsuyama Castle about 1.8 km away, mimegin hall 500 m away, and Dogo Onsen just a few minutes away. Any visitor to Matsuyama should make time for the onsen. I'd happily stay here again.

We were seven people and had the whole B&B for two nights, with two upstairs rooms for two each and a larger downstairs room for three. It was handy to shop nearby and make our own dinner and breakfast. The host also gave us useful maps and detailed tips on nearby shops. Getting around was easy: supermarkets, convenience stores, and the Dogo Park tram stop are close, and Dogo Onsen and the Matsuyama Castle cable car station are walkable. The kitchen has pots, oil, basic seasonings, and dishes, plus there's a washing machine and a big upstairs balcony for drying clothes. We liked being able to adjust the brightness of the remote-controlled lights. A few things were awkward for our group. The kitchen is cramped with the dining table in it, and seven people couldn't comfortably eat there. There wasn't enough tableware either. The room and kitchen felt somewhat cluttered. There's only one bathroom and one toilet, with the toilet downstairs, but since we went to the hot springs, that worked out fine. A coffee maker and filter paper are provided, though boiling water isn't convenient. If you prefer not to use tap water, buy some at the supermarket.

There are a supermarket and a convenience store right by the inn, and the baths and toilets were clean and well equipped. Our room was clean too, and the futon was very comfortable. It's within walking distance of Dogo Onsen and can sleep up to nine, so it felt like good value for our group trip. The staff replied quickly to emails, were friendly, and suggested places to eat and hot springs. We had a really enjoyable stay.

The location is fantastic: the tram goes straight to the train station, and Dogo Onsen is close enough to almost walk to. We had the whole house to ourselves, which made for an interesting stay and gave us a feel for everyday life in Japan. It isn't ultra-modern, but that didn't matter to us.