Arima Onsen Taketoritei Maruyama

The outdoor private onsen was a highlight, with two tubs, plenty of room, clear booking instructions, and good privacy. The hotel also runs a dependable shuttle when you need it, and there’s a lobby vending machine for drinks around the clock, including coffee, juice, and soda. Our Japanese-style room had a Western bed, and staff also prepared a tatami-style bed for us. Set in quiet, hilly Arima, the hotel surpassed our expectations. The service and spacious room were very good, though it’s an expensive stay.

I paid ¥775,500 JPY for four nights, and the experience fell far short of what that price should deliver. The rigid schedules and procedures made the stay feel stressful instead of relaxing. I wouldn’t return or recommend it to anyone looking for comfort, flexibility, or value. The onsen arrangements were especially frustrating. You have to book each session in person at the front desk, and each one lasts just 45 minutes. There’s barely time to soak, no time to rest afterward, and you have to go back to your room and try to reserve another slot, depending on availability. I spent more time watching the clock and worrying about bookings than enjoying the baths. The in-room hot spring wasn’t much better: no window, just a fan for ventilation, and water that was almost too hot to tolerate. Basic comfort and care were missing elsewhere too. The duvet kept slipping out of its cover, and the mattress left me with back and waist pain. All four bathroom products, cleanser, shampoo, body wash, and conditioner, were half-used bottles, and there was an empty disinfectant bottle in the room. That raised real hygiene concerns. The room itself hadn’t been cleaned to an acceptable standard, and the cleaning process is awkward: you must go to reception, fill out a form, and choose a specific time with no flexibility. We were given a yukata but no bathrobe. The staff felt mechanical rather than warm. At arrival, they bowed but didn’t help with our bags or my elderly mother’s walking sticks, even though the three of us had heavy backpacks and the lobby has a long staircase. There was no luggage cart. I had told the hotel the day before that our bags should be put in the room, but they were left in the lobby. A message later claimed they’d been delivered, which wasn’t true; staff only brought them up after I checked. Dinner was the same menu every night, with no choices for guests staying several nights. Even the welcome felt formal and inattentive. It seemed like a place for managing rules and schedules, more like being at school than on holiday.

The staff were friendly and accommodating throughout, and the service was excellent. There’s ample parking out front, and the shuttle takes you to town and picks you up again. The hotel itself has a spacious, spotless lobby, though it lacks much charm. Our Deluxe King Room was huge, with a very comfortable bed and an indoor silver onsen that was great to use. We also booked two private baths to try the golden and outdoor varieties, and both were awesome. The kaiseki was topnotch; breakfast was a little less impressive, though still very good. We ate it in a private dining room, but that setting, like the room interiors, didn’t quite have the cozy, traditional ryokan feel we’d hoped for. There weren’t any remarkable views either.

I felt like everyone could enjoy the baths fairly and without stress because the system is so well organized. There are eight private hot springs, four open-air and four indoors. The indoor baths have large windows, and opening them makes the space feel almost open-air. We didn’t use the beautiful bathtub in our room even once since the onsen facilities were so good. The staff were warm and attentive, and helped us a lot during our stay. I’m especially grateful they went to the trouble of finding the bag we’d left in a taxi. Our room was comfortable and felt luxurious. The shuttle also made it easy to get out and explore Arima town. Soaking here left me thinking, “I’m so glad to be alive (「I'm so glad to be alive〜」).”