Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan Hotel

Getting a ride to the station in the wonderful classic Toyota was a lovely way to end our stay. The room with a bath was a special treat, too. The hotel is in a very nice, central location, and the staff were attentive and helpful, especially with booking local restaurants.

The staff wouldn't cancel one dinner, even though I contacted them a week before we arrived. There were seven of us, but we were charged for eight dinners. The dinner price wasn't fixed or clear, and it was too high, even more expensive than a Michelin-star restaurant. If dinner is charged separately, the hotel should tell guests the price in advance. My friend was charged more for dinner separately than we were.

The staff were very dishonest! They charged 56,000 yen for one adult dinner, which is crazy. We paid for seven people and were served only seven dinners, yet they still charged for one extra.

The stay was excellent overall, though the personal attention could feel overwhelming. When we arrived, a staff member stopped us in the street to ask our names. We were rushed inside, then at least five more people came running from different corners, all talking and shouting at once. We got to our room very quickly, in less than a minute, I think, and our luggage was already there. Within the next three minutes we had tea and sweets, forms to sign, questions about dinner and breakfast times and breakfast type, explanations, and questions about departure arrangements, along with many other things. It was a lot to take in. The hotel offers a great way to experience Japanese traditions and hospitality. Rooms have tatami mats, and there's Japanese-style breakfast and dinner. There's an on-site onsen, or you can cross the road in your yukata to a sister property for its rooftop onsen. The service is astonishingly high, and the food was otherwise superb. My one complaint was how quickly the food came during meals. At our nine-course dinner, most dishes arrived before we'd finished the previous one, or even started it, followed by a long wait near the end. Breakfast had the same problem. The hot dishes were cooked in front of us just after we arrived, so by the time we'd finished salads, delicious raw juice, and cold dishes, the grilled fish, grilled koji miso paste, and hot porridge were nearly cold.