Hotel Keisen

We got two regional coupons with Go To, which helped bring the room-only stay for two to about 4,000 yen. At that price, the missing extras weren't a problem: there were no amenities apart from yukatas, no TV, and we had to lay out our own futons, though there was a refrigerator. The building is worn in spots, but clean and looked after. The room had an electronic lock with a code, which is unusual for a ryokan. It was a quiet Saturday night with few other guests, so we had the indoor bath, billiards, and table tennis almost to ourselves. The bath was pleasant, with all-natural hot spring water at a comfortable temperature. I was hoping to use the open-air bath, but it had been canceled due to typhoon damage. It seems they're currently only taking room-only stays. I felt a little sad when more guests began to arrive. I'll come back, keep it up!

For a family of four, the room-only price was a great deal and I was very happy with the value. You'll need to find a place to eat or order takeout, but that was manageable. The front desk staff were very helpful at check-in. There didn't seem to be many guests, perhaps because the place is small, and with so few women staying, the large bath was nearly always ours alone. The billiards and table tennis areas were busy with younger groups. The facility is spacious, and keyless entry was convenient for a bigger group. They say to bring your own amenities, though they had the basics like toothbrushes, cups, towels, bath towels, body soap, shampoo, and razors. I'd stay again when I visit Mie.

The location and lobby are lovely, but I definitely won't be back a third time. On my second visit, the quality had clearly dropped. The staff seemed short-handed and were rushing around. There was old trash left in both the room and dining area, the ceiling corners were peeling, and the sliding door handle was only lightly attached with double-sided tape, so it fell off whenever we opened it. The food seemed cheaper and less fresh than before. For context, four of us paid about 80,000 yen for a Saturday night on that second stay.

The room looked old, though it had been nicely renovated. The lobby was attractive, and dinner was okay, but the rice was so mushy that the grains had practically disappeared. The indoor jet bath was broken, with bubbles coming out of only one side in each of the three baths. Outside, the bath wasn't lit, making it dark and dangerous. I couldn't judge the depth, felt around with my feet, and caught one in a gap between the rocks. It hurt.