Pension Nishi No Sato

The owner was wonderful, and I hope they keep the guesthouse going for a while yet. It was clean and relaxing, and I'll definitely stay again.

We chose this hotel as a base for our trip to Nasu Animal Kingdom. Prices on the south side of Nasu were rising quickly and didn't work for us, and we booked in a rush in early August after the sixth wave of 2022 had subsided. This place was what we landed on after ruling out the other options. There are no convenience stores nearby, so it's a good idea to stock up at the supermarket at the foot of the mountain before heading over. Wi-Fi is available. The bath and toilet are shared, but the bath was roomy enough for our family of five and was a nice place to unwind. The place looks like it has operated as a pension for a long time, judging by the colored paper decorations on the walls, but it seems to have been renovated and is very neat. Its location could work well as a base for summer hiking or winter skiing. We were focused on using the hotel as a place to stay and didn't look into sightseeing in Saigo Village, which is a shame. Next time, we'd like to make time for the walking trails and other attractions. Someone mentioned that the place has a strong political tone. The owner's husband never brings up politics, and I thought it was within my tolerance as a regional thing. Still, some people find it physically repulsive, so it's something to keep in mind.

It's easy to get to Tonohetsuri and Ouchi-juku, and even Aizu-Wakamatsu if you go farther. Life here moves at a quiet, unhurried pace. There's no TV, which actually gives you more time to yourself.

The waiting room on the first floor had a TV, and there was Wi-Fi too. You could definitely hear the sound outside the room, but the owner's thoughtfulness and the clean facilities still made the stay really pleasant. There were rumors they'd be closing around 2021…