Hotel Todoroki

The onsen was great, and the location was perfect.

The baths were a lovely temperature, and I could soak up to my shoulders without getting cold afterward. By the time I got back to my room, my skin felt so soft and moist that I didn’t need to put anything on. The water is rich in metasilicic acid, almost like facial toner. There’s a large public bath on the first floor and an open-air one on the eighth, both using the wonderful free-flowing, silvery-white hot spring water. This is a historic, long-established hotel in Ikaho Onsen, with traces of the good old Showa era all around. The rooms were spotless and well maintained, and the staff were very kind. I heard it was once a filming location for the drama "Our Journey." I’ve stayed at Ikaho Grand Hotel before, and I recommend Todoroki too. Stay for more than one night!

The buffet had plenty of variety and I enjoyed the food, though the popular tasty dishes ran out quickly and took a while to be replenished. Dinner and breakfast both left me full. Drinks, including alcohol, are all-you-can-drink in the evening and there’s juice in the morning, so for the price it’s a good deal. I’ve stayed at around three Itoen Hotel Group properties, and this one had the cleanest room. It was spotless and well kept, even if some wear is inevitable. The water felt more like tap water than a hot spring compared with the Golden Hot Springs at Ikaho Onsen, but at this price that’s probably fine. There are two baths, and I was glad to start with the large public bath. The eighth-floor open-air bath has no washing area, so it’s just for the view of the night sky or sunrise. It was cold when I went around 9 p.m. in midwinter. The sunrise draws a crowd, so the large bath is a more relaxing choice in the morning. Itoen has a range of choices, which may make it a good hot spring for women. At Todoroki, guests have to clear their own empty plates and cups at the buffet. At other Itoen Hotels, staff cleared them, which I appreciated, but not here on this visit. The parking is quite far away, so we followed the shuttle after speaking with a staff member by the front desk. The shuttle is very welcome, though you may want to be careful about car security. If you’re okay with the distant parking and clearing your own dishes, it seems good value. The location is handy, with a convenience store right outside and Ikaho Onsen’s stone steps nearby.

Lawson is right across the road, and the stone steps are close by, so the location is excellent. Parking is far away, but you can take a shuttle from the entrance. For multiple nights, the second night is half price, bringing the cost to just over 6,000 yen per night. You get meals and hot springs for about what a business hotel room costs, which is great value. The bath area is spacious, with three kinds of outdoor stalls. The room is also roomy and clean enough if you just need a place to sleep. It is a bit old, and the food wasn’t as good as I expected, but at room-only prices I have no complaints.