Ryugon

You pay a premium here for the staff service and updated stay, though it feels more like a 3.5-4 star traditional resort than a full four-star one. The rooms are large and have plenty of amenities, and the staff were excellent, polite, and very helpful. It is a refurbished contemporary take on a traditional Ryokan. Breakfast was average at best. Dinner needs a rethink: the fine dining mix of Western and Japanese food didn't pair well. It would also be nice to have some outdoor features for winter, like walkways or more places to sit.

We loved the view and having a private onsen in the room, and the building itself is a beautiful old traditional Japanese place that's been converted. But the beds and pretty much any sitting area felt hard and uncomfortable, and there was a lot of mold in the shower room. We enjoyed the visit, but the price and discomfort sleeping mean I wouldn't return.

The dinner was another disappointment. We paid around 10,000 yen per person at the in-house restaurant, but the portions were so small we left hungry, and the food was mediocre at best for that price. For a premium ryokan, the value just isn't there. The rooms felt dirty and neglected, with old, worn fixtures and no proper indoor heating. They only provided a heater, and it barely warmed the room in the cold. The lobby looks somewhat modern after renovation, but the rest of the rooms feel ancient. The bathroom was tiny, the fixtures were dated, and the weak water pressure made showering a chore. Huge bugs kept flying into our room during the middle two days of the trip, which was gross and unsettling. The onsen-style bath area was the worst part of the design. The shower and bathing spots are open to the elements, and in freezing winter weather I felt like I was freezing to death every time I tried to use it. I recently stayed at Ryugon, supposedly a traditional ryokan in Japan, and found the whole experience hugely disappointing. It's overpriced and doesn't deliver basic comfort. I wouldn't recommend Ryugon. Save your money and look for somewhere with modern amenities and better value. 1/5 stars.

The staff were kind, attentive, and welcoming, and both dinner and breakfast were lovely. Our room was lovely too. The open air Onsen looking over the lake and snow was amazing.