Kinugawa Plaza Hotel

The room was spacious enough for three, and the river view was incredible. We were lucky to face the uphill side, where we could see the train and the nearby bridge. Breakfast was good too, with lots of Japanese choices, decent Western options, and really nice bread. I was nervous about staying here after reading recent reviews, but I’m glad we did. The service was nice, and the bathroom and shower were good. They only provided shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in sachets, which surprised me. I couldn’t make it to the onsen because the timing didn’t work out, though it looked nice from the people going there. The main downside was the futon. It was so thin that sleeping on it hurt, almost like being on the floor.

The room was clean, with a lovely river and mountain view, and the food was better than I expected. It’s about a 15-minute walk from the station, and the private onsen is in a separate building around five minutes away on foot. There’s no Wi-Fi in the room. The stay went well until our last day. I’d reserved the hotel bus to the station, but staff told me to wait in the wrong spot. I watched the bus drive past without the driver even looking toward the hotel. I had to carry my luggage and walk to the station despite booking at the front desk. What was the point of the reservation? I felt betrayed once I was no longer a customer.

The room was clean and in good condition, even though it had an older style. The staff were very nice and gave good service. The location and view are also good. A couple of practical drawbacks: there’s no Wi-Fi in the room, and it only works in parts of the lobby, not even throughout the whole lobby. Drivers should also know there’s no parking at the hotel itself. They have three lots some distance away, with a shuttle to them, but getting there is still a bit inconvenient.

We had a great time in our clean, pleasant room on the fifth floor, and both dinner and breakfast were really enjoyable. Everyone we met was lovely, from the front desk and restaurant staff to the driver who took us to Akebi Onsen. I’d definitely recommend the place. Our package included dinner, breakfast, and an hour at the private hot bath at Akebi Onsen. It’s about a five-minute drive away, and the hotel runs a private shuttle. You pick your time when you check in. I only realized two days after getting home that I’d left my old phone behind. They sent it back to me. Only in Japan.