Morinoyu

Simple, but a really good onsen hotel. Good food and service!

I was in Yamagata for work, not sightseeing, and this inn in Akayu Onsen fitted my budget. It has the feel of a grand hot spring ryokan. You take your shoes off as soon as you enter, and every room has its own private dining space. My booking was breakfast-only, so I went to a nearby izakaya for dinner. With dinner included, you could have a relaxed meal in your own room. The semi-open-air bath looks out onto the garden. There isn't a full open-air bath, but I enjoyed soaking there. The spring water felt smooth and had a faint sulfur smell that woke me up. It was a little hot and warmed me quickly, washing away my fatigue. Breakfast included delicious Tsuyahime rice, which really hit the spot. The staff were pleasant, too.

We enjoyed a private dining room, with food that made good use of local ingredients and food traditions. Check-out at 11:00 AM gave us time to take it easy. The inn is spacious and single-storey, with barrier-free access that made it easy to get around in a wheelchair. The semi-detached rooms seem to all have baths with hot spring water. There are two public baths, an indoor one and a semi-open-air one. The indoor water was a bit hotter than the outdoor bath. Neither was especially large, but both were clean and relaxing.

Breakfast was served in a private room, with Tsuyahime rice and taro stew. There was more than I could finish, but it tasted so good that I ate plenty. The attentive service made a strong impression on me. I stayed Monday night on a breakfast plan. The indoor and outdoor baths aren't very big, but I was almost alone when I went in and could warm up comfortably. It was around 0 degrees that January day, and the outdoor bath has just one washing spot, so it felt cold before I got into the water. The hot water itself was fantastic.