Poppy Springs Resort & Spa

The food alone would bring me back. The vegetables were amazing, especially the carrot slices, sweet and crisp without the usual bitterness, and the sweet potatoes were exceptional. The steamed filefish and mushrooms were excellent too, with the two kinds of shimeji wonderfully fragrant. The beef tongue stew was exquisite, though the pieces were large and the portion perhaps a little too much. I may have eaten too much from the half-buffet as well. I skipped alcohol and had grape juice from the winery. Both red and white were delicious, but I’d personally pick the red. Its grape-skin astringency added a nice touch and left a clean finish. The food felt first-class. The table setting and attentive servers did too. The restaurant and hotel are a pleasing size, neither too big nor too small. It was probably busy in the past, but I found the quiet refreshing and want to come back. I highly recommend the accommodation, dining and hot springs. I drove here from Kyoto in a rental car, about two and a half hours, for a Sunday morning visit to Tsuyama the next day. It’s close to the Chugoku Expressway interchange, and the well-kept building and rooms made me comfortable. The name and atmosphere felt more like the bubble economy era than Showa retro. It seems to have once been a thriving hot spring town, but now feels rather desolate. It was a shame that the hot springs were in a separate building. The lack of foreigners was a refreshing change. I booked one night with two meals and ate dinner in the restaurant. The head chef clearly cares about vegetables, and it was the first time I’d felt that kind of energy from them.

The thoughtful, warm service has stayed with me. On my first visit, staff called to share bus times from Okayama Station and let me know the aromatherapy and meal schedules. This time, when I got off at Hayashino Station from Tsuyama, they came to pick me up right away, even though it wasn’t the scheduled time. That kind of care, tailored to me, really touched me. It was my second stay, and I spent two nights, so I could enjoy breakfast and dinner at an easy pace. Starting the day with fresh local vegetables and homemade dressings was lovely. The bread was just the right size, and trying different kinds with homemade jam was fun. The mousse-like yogurt had a taste I’ve never found anywhere else. I’m usually a bread person in the morning, but the brown rice from Tora-chan Rice Paddy, Momiji eggs from Woody Life Acorn Farm, and yellow chive soy sauce from Tora Soy Sauce made a magical egg-on-rice dish. I was incredibly happy. I love the distinctive interior and even the poppy cups. Thanks to all the staff for being so welcoming, to therapist Yamashita-san, and to the chefs for the delicious food. I’ll be back soon. Until then, take care, and I’m looking forward to the next stay.

The service was excellent, and I’d like to stay here again. We went for the weekend with four adults and three children under three. The resort-style building and stylish rooms didn’t feel like a traditional hot spring resort. We had connecting twin rooms 315 and 316, with internal access and co-sleeping. The beds were high, and our restless children fell off. The room amenities were excellent. We had a private bath in the room, and could also use the hot springs at the annex spa and main building. The jet and reclining baths were very relaxing. We ate at Sonoma on the first floor. Dinner was creative French cuisine, and everything was delicious. The seasonal vegetables at the appetizer buffet stood out. Breakfast was a buffet too, and the recommended soup and rice had a mild flavor. I ate too much!

Poppy Springs Resort Hotel is the annex and Yugo Grand Hotel is the main building. The baths are in the annex across a narrow alley. We had heavy snowfall on the day we stayed, and our outdoor sandals were cold. Robes were provided, though, so we stayed warm after bathing. I gave up on the open-air bath that day, but tried it the next morning at Yugo Grand Hotel. Access to those baths makes this resort great value. I’d recommend trying both ☺️ Dinner was a delicious New Year’s menu 👍🏼 Breakfast was a buffet with Japanese and Western options, and I ended up eating three bowls of egg rice. I forgot to take a photo, but guests can use the free space called Santa Barbara on the fourth floor. It has toys, coffee, tea and green tea, plus crackers and jam to take back to your room. I got stuck on the puzzle there (lol). There’s also the Retro Toy Museum, the Candy Museum and a mechanical clock a little farther away, so kids can have fun too.