Suizansou

What upset me most was how late they told us they couldn't provide a vegetarian breakfast. I'd replied right away when they asked about dietary needs and allergies, months after we'd booked, but heard nothing until two weeks before the stay. Then they simply said vegetarian breakfast wasn't available. Other hotels had served us delicious vegetarian Japanese breakfasts, and even rice, natto, and vegetables would have been fine. I wouldn't pay for food I can't eat, so we had to cancel. By then we were already traveling, and it was impossible to find another place in Kinosaki Onsen. If the hotel information had mentioned this, or they'd responded soon after my request, I wouldn't have booked or could have found another ryokan in time. Instead, I can't visit at all and have to change my whole travel plan. The issue isn't that they couldn't meet the request, but that they didn't tell us promptly.

Breakfast was delicious, and the staff were warm, even though they didn't speak much English. The ryokan is clean, with lovely morning views of greenery. Suizansou is tucked away about an eight-minute walk from the station, and guests get a pass for Kinosaki's seven public onsens.

We could visit the public hot springs at our own pace after dinner, since the meal ended early. But the fixed schedule was a drawback: dinner starts at 5:30 PM, and everyone begins breakfast together at one set time. The food was fine, though it felt rushed and we couldn't take our time. The room was spacious but quite bare. The hotel's location works well for visiting Kinosaki Onsen's hot springs. Parking is in a gravel lot across the street, but we had to ask how to use it, and parking there could be tricky depending on your car's size. The access road is narrow, so a smaller car would be easier.

We came with four generations of our family, and the meals were luxurious and really delicious. Dinner was at 5:30 PM, but that worked well after checking in and enjoying the outdoor hot springs. There's a free karaoke room on the lobby floor, and the basement bathhouse has a sauna.