Pension Laurel

We were satisfied with our two-night New Year stay, and the price seemed fair for four people with breakfast and dinner included. The owners, who I think are a couple, were friendly and struck a nice balance in how they interacted with guests. We chose the six-tatami Japanese-style room so our child wouldn't fall out of a bed. It wasn't especially spacious, but the kids' room beside the dining room made that less of an issue. It was a homey, relaxed place. The shared toilet is Western-style but has no washlet, which may not work for everyone, though it was fine for us. The kids' room was a good size for little ones and had plenty of toys. It might be small for elementary school kids. We sat by the window at the end of the year and felt cold, but the children seemed fine. There are two large family baths, both available for private use. Our six-year-old loved them. They can't be reserved and are used when free, and reaching them means walking along an outdoor corridor. Neither bath was occupied during our stay, even though there were four groups the first night and two the next. The changing areas and baths were chilly, especially out of the water, so families with children should dress for it. The meals were tasty, including the children's breakfasts and dinners. I was surprised the adults got a proper course dinner. Although the food is described as child-focused, they didn't seem especially particular about the eggs, the salad dressing was a bit strong, and there were quite a few processed meats like sausages.

I've visited twice, once in summer and once in fall, and would stay again. The baths are spacious and wonderfully relaxing, though you can only use them when free. It was a hassle walking to the entrance just to check whether one was available. On days with four or five families, I wish they would let guests reserve 30-minute slots ahead of time. Since the pension is for families, everyone understands that kids can be noisy, which makes the stay feel stress-free. There's a playroom beside the dining room where children can play after dinner while adults enjoy their meal. It has plenty of toys for small children, but not much for elementary-aged kids. I wish there were board games or something, unless they already have some and I missed them. The rooms are pretty bare-bones. The building is old, and there was a slightly moldy smell around the closets and other parts of the room that bothered me.

The biggest surprise in the morning was spotting around 10 wild monkeys by the car. They climbed onto it, which was a little frightening. Since everyone went to the dining room at set times for breakfast and dinner, how comfortable things felt depended quite a bit on the other guests. For a family of two adults and two preschoolers, the room setup worked better than anywhere else I’ve stayed. We left our shoes at the entrance and wore slippers inside, which I liked. It had the basics and Wi-Fi, and with so little around there wasn’t much for the kids to get into near the toilet. We spread out our own futons, so there was no need to put them away before dinner. There were only two showers in the bathroom, and not many outlets. Maybe I missed some, but we found just one on the wall, and I wished there’d been a scalloped outlet. The walls were a little thin, too, so hallway conversations carried into the room. We could hear a child crying at night, so I wouldn’t recommend it for kids who wake easily. The kids’ area was open for free play outside meal times as well, which gave parents a chance to tidy the room and set up the futons. At breakfast they brought my child, who doesn’t eat rice in his futon, a bowl of rice with seasonings and a piece of bread. The dining area also had pamphlets for different facilities in Nasu, handy since we were rushing around and hadn’t picked a place to visit the next day. The bath water was so hot that it seemed to cool down. Adding more water didn’t make it warmer. I was told it’s heated by a boiler, and a sign warned that if the temperature drops too much, it heats up and gets even hotter. I’d read that dinner was delicious and the portions generous, so I arrived hungry. It tasted really good, but the servings weren’t that big, and the steak was very thin.

The owners were kind and clearly fond of children. The steak tasted good, and the plain boiled vegetables on the side worked well for feeding babies. The building is showing its age, but for the price, that seems fair. Just keep in mind they take cash only. This guesthouse is set up for families with kids. There were bottle-washing supplies, utensils for baby food, wet wipes, and a microwave, so we could settle in and use things much as we would at home. The baby chair in the bathroom was a real help, and the play area in the dining room gave restless children somewhere to go during meals, which made looking after them easier. Most guests were families with children, so it was easy to get chatting with people whose kids were around the same age. A good fit for families who don’t mind the rooms being older.