Hotel Utsukushi No Yu Onsen

For 720 yen, I expected a bit more. The onsen has a large area with two baths at different temperatures, plus a cold bath, sauna, and outdoor bath. Basic body soap, shampoo, and conditioner are provided, but there aren't other amenities.

The room was clean and spacious, and there’s a free public bath, though it’s old. The big issue was the Wi-Fi: either there was no signal or it connected without internet. I called the front desk a couple of times, but they never fixed it. The only usable connection was in the lobby, which didn’t feel like a good place to sit during the corona pandemic. Thankfully, I was only there for one night. I wouldn’t stay here again.

There’s a restaurant and a few different rooms where you can relax. It’s an interesting place, and it must have been something in its heyday.

Shopping was easy, with supermarkets on both sides of the hotel. I stayed two nights for work, and this was my second night. It’s about a minute from Shibetsu Kenbuchi Interchange, so getting there was easy. The staff were incredibly helpful. I’d booked a Japanese-style room with a toilet but no bath. At over 16 tatami mats, it felt much too spacious for one person, and it was spotlessly clean and comfortable. The large public bath was a good size, and the water temperature suited me just right. The in-room refrigerator was quite large for a hotel, so I enjoyed having drinks in the comfort of my room. Breakfast was a standard buffet, which was fine, and the curry was delicious. I’d like to stay here again.