Oga Seiko Grand Hotel

The hotel is old, and the website pictures look very different from the real place. It needs renovation.

Okay.

The rooms, dining room, changing rooms, and general atmosphere all felt much better than on my stay a few years ago. At the entrance there were free drinks, a coffee server, and complimentary sake in sake cups. The hot spring area had ReFa hair dryers, a shampoo bar, numbered tags to avoid mix-ups, plus ice pops and cold water right after the bath. Maybe the sauna has been renovated too? At meals, you can eat without worrying about other people. About 70% of the dishes are already prepared, so you can take your time eating and drinking. There’s also a stone-grill event if you want it, though it may be saltier than before. The sea bream rice was excellent, and the sea bream and young shoot shabu-shabu was delicious. Rice and agave liquor like Hanakaze were priced close to retail. Breakfast had an all-you-can-eat salad bar with fruit and yogurt, grilled food, and unlimited rice, bread, and porridge. I stayed in a Relax Twin Western-style room with a hot stone grill. The guest room was new and clean. Oga City was running its first lodging subsidy campaign since the COVID-19 outbreak, so I got a great deal. The event just before the Sedo Festival at Gofu was great! One problem: all the linens in my room smelled like old men. I used about half of the Lysol and linen spray I’d brought along. The beef arrived partway through dinner, but it was cold. I’d recommend the place and would go again. Thank you. I wish the linen company could do something about the smell.

The hot spring left my skin feeling moisturized and warm, and there were free popsicles after the bath, which was a fun touch. The facilities are a bit old, but they have the feel of a traditional hot spring inn. Since it’s in Oga, there were Namahage paintings on display that were worth a look. Discount tickets for the Folk Museum are available at the counter. The food was delicious and really filling. The sashimi was fresh, and I especially liked the hearty main dishes: Kiritanpo hotpot, sea bass meunière, and roast beef. The smooth sesame pudding was delicious too.