Hotel New Ikaho

Breakfast was delicious, and the parking lot was pretty small 💦. I guess the price was lower than other places to stay, so maybe that’s to be expected. The outdoor bath had fallen leaves and spider webs in it. The water felt hot near the top, but cold around my feet, like it hadn’t been stirred. Thinking about what it might be like at night, I decided to skip a morning soak, even though this was meant to be a special hot spring trip. The shower in the large public bath was the worst part. Its pressure was either painfully strong or almost nonexistent, and there was no way to adjust it. It worked by pressing a button for a timed burst of hot water. I slipped on the bubbles and let go of the shower head, which swung around and bothered the other guests. The room had cups, snacks, and a tea set with a teapot and leaves, but no teacups. I told reception, and they brought one right away. It was nice of them to leave it outside the room, but it was only a box from the set, and I didn’t feel comfortable leaving it on the floor where people walk in shoes. They also brought a kettle of hot water shortly after I checked in. I wish they’d mentioned it first, since the doorbell ringing when I wasn’t expecting anyone was a bit startling. The call I made to change my check-in time wasn’t very pleasant either.

The staff service seemed average, and the room had a nice retro feel. The bathroom may come down to personal preference, but it’s old and some showers didn’t work properly. The hot water was lukewarm, which some people may not like, though it suited me. Dinner and breakfast were included, but I think the meal price could be a little lower. The parking was the biggest disappointment. The spaces in front of the hotel are reserved first for elderly and disabled guests, so other people have to use a separate lot quite far away. It was good that a shuttle ran from there, but it seemed that some guests had to walk back because their car couldn’t fit. That distance is a drawback. Without the parking problem, I think this would be a very nice hotel, but it’s something to consider when staying here. I left an item behind and contacted the hotel afterward. They said they would mail it to me, but three months have passed and it still hasn’t arrived. This is a very bad review.

The retro Showa-era atmosphere is there, but the rooms don’t have kettles. After a bath, I wanted some water. There was a water server, but the bottles were empty and there were no paper cups. The biggest drawback is that the free Wi-Fi doesn’t reach the rooms and only works around the front desk.

The location is perfect, but I was worn out from walking around the stone steps, so the problems at the hotel were especially frustrating. I left my key and went out, then returned at 7 p.m. to find no one at the front desk. After waiting 15 minutes, I walked around the hotel and eventually found a staff member in the dining hall to explain what had happened. Dinner was coming up, and I didn’t know what to do. I knew the hotel was incredibly old and was prepared for that, but it also seemed poorly maintained. There was no fire extinguisher where one should have been, which made me wonder about fire safety. The washlet only put out cold water. My dinner tempura arrived cold and after the rice and miso soup. Why? There weren’t enough pillows, and there were no face towels in my room, so I had to get some at the front desk. Apparently another room had run out of slippers and glasses too.