Auberge la Campagne

The breakfast starting at 8:30 was the one real drawback. I was going to play golf, and the only tee times I could book were after 10:00. Starting breakfast at 7:00 would be much better. I came back after about 20 years, mainly for the French dinner. It was delicious, and the low price for that meal is the place's biggest selling point.

The only thing that bothered me was the mixer tap in the open-air bath. It was hard to set the temperature, swinging between too hot and too cold. The interior has been renovated and looks lovely, and the food was delicious.

We booked a private time for the open-air bath when we checked in, which meant we could enjoy it at our own pace. Breakfast was tasty too, with fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, bacon, and egg dishes. The room had a comfortable warmth from the wood, and the bathroom and its fixtures looked recently updated and very clean. The air conditioning felt just right. Dinner was French food made with local ingredients, and the dishes brought out their flavors nicely. There were ten desserts to choose from at the buffet, which made for a very satisfying meal. We had a wonderful stay in quiet Nasu-Shiobara and would gladly return.

The room was a triple, so the bedroom felt a bit cramped, but having a cypress bath I could use anytime was a lovely surprise. I hadn't expected much from a hotel-room bath. I also enjoyed soaking in the forest-surrounded outdoor bath, which was open 24 hours, and stepping out for a little fresh air. I did get bitten on the face by mosquitoes, though! (laughs) The food was the highlight. I booked through Ikyu, and the dinner course came with foie gras that I devoured. The pumpkin soup, steak, and sweets were all excellent. The dessert buffet had fruit punch made with fresh grapes and Shine Muscat grapes, red-wine stewed plums, and lychee and strawberry gelato. The plums were sweet and tart, so I went back for more. The punch wasn't the usual canned kind, and the gelato tasted genuinely authentic. I'm usually not impressed by hotel desserts, but these were so good I'd recommend trying them. At breakfast I chose an omelet, served with delicious thick-cut bacon. The bread was especially good, particularly the milk bread. I expected a pension-like place with luxurious meals after reading the reviews, and the food certainly delivered. The reception service felt a little clumsy, and I wondered if everything was all right. They seemed busy preparing meals and such. One practical thing to know: the final bill had to be paid in cash, as they didn't accept credit cards.