Auberge Meson

My parents were already asking when we could come back as soon as we got home. We stayed as a family of three for their birthday, and the staff helped make the celebration lovely, including with the birthday-cake plan we chose. They were very happy. We took a relaxed walk around the area, borrowed CDs and books from the library, then read in our room with jazz playing. Dinner and breakfast in the room were leisurely too, and the whole stay felt luxurious and restful. We'd love to return together in another season. Thank you so much.

The food was even better than we expected, and the beautiful tableware made it more enjoyable still. We stayed two nights in the annex of the main building, a family of three with our two small dogs. The room was clean and comfortable, and we all relaxed well. We usually sleep in beds, but found the futons even more comfortable. It was our first Auberge Maison experience, and the three days felt blissful. The staff were so pleasant and kind, and you could feel how much they care about the place in the food and ingredients, the room cleanliness, and their service. They mentioned a lovely nearby tableware shop, though we unfortunately didn't get to visit. We brought our own toilets and dishes for the dogs. That wasn't a burden, and I actually preferred it, since I didn't have to wonder which things the hotel provided and which it didn't. We'll stay here again when we visit Shiga Prefecture. Thanks to all the staff for such a wonderful meal and stay.

I personally came away disappointed, and I don't feel the service justified the price. I was especially looking forward to the food because this is an auberge, but the taste and portions seemed like what I'd expect from a 7,000-8,000 yen course at a local Italian restaurant. I also couldn't make sense of the care given to the ingredients or the thinking behind the pairings. There were no welcome drinks or complimentary drinks in the lounge. After dinner, we couldn't use the main building, so we went back to our room, which was just a somewhat larger log cabin without anything special about it. The property is in an unfamiliar villa area, and on a short walk I only saw a run-down putting green. For me, it didn't feel like the kind of place where you can enjoy the luxury of doing nothing.

Work keeps me busy, so when I travel I just want to unwind and have good food. I got to do both here, and even watched the stars from the balcony at night. The meals were especially delicious, and you could tell everything had been prepared with care. I'd like to come back. Thank you very much.