Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel

The staff took care of parking our car each day and even arranged our meal times, which was great over our two-night stay. The room itself was nice, though I didn't like the pillows. On the first evening, the opening dinner course included conger eel, but it hadn't been prepared with the bone-cutting technique, so it was difficult to eat properly.

The valley and river view from our room was incredible, and the hotel itself is gorgeous. The service really stood out too. I left my wallet on the train, and Mr. Shibahara, the assistant general manager, drove for over an hour to collect it at the end of the line. I was amazed.

We spent our days walking along the river and exploring the area. Back at the hotel, the onsen had two sections that alternated between men and women, and we enjoyed both the Japanese and Western breakfast choices. Dinner was Japanese course meals, with teppanyaki also available, which I can definitely recommend. Our family of four, including two teenagers, felt warmly welcomed. The rooms keep a traditional style with some Western touches, and the service was impeccable. Knowing a little Japanese helps, though Google Translate is handy.

We only stayed one night, but the service was superb. My wife realized she'd forgotten her toothbrush, and the hotel brought one to us within two hours of our letting them know. The food was also exceptional compared with other hotels we'd stayed at in the same $500+ USD per night price range.