Hotel Sekitei

The public onsen was really good, though I only got to enjoy it once. There’s just one outdoor bath, and it switches between the men’s and women’s sides every other day. I came with my big family and our ten-month-old. The rooms were comfortable and otherwise very nice, but smelled of cigarettes. Breakfast was okay, though I expected a wider choice given the grand dining hall. I’ve had bigger buffets at smaller hotels. Fresh fruit and more vegan options would be nice 🙏🏻

We booked a non-smoking room through booking.com, but when we walked in, we were hit by stale smoke and alcohol. There was even an ashtray in the room. The reception initially said the hotel was “smoking friendly” and only acknowledged that our room was for smoking after we pointed that out. They said they couldn’t move us because the hotel was fully booked. They offered to spray some cheap air freshener, since the other rooms smelled the same. The air conditioner and heater were unusable too, as they would blow more nicotine smell around, and the air conditioner was already brown from previous guests. Nobody offered compensation or anything to make the stay more comfortable. If you want somewhere to smoke and drink until you can’t stand, this might suit you. Otherwise, avoid it. The smell was terrible.

The town itself didn’t give me much reason to stay, and if I went back I’d skip it. We came to see some of the wine region. The staff were nice enough, but the hotel felt very dated. My room absolutely stank of cigarettes, the beds were average, and as a Westerner I found the breakfast really poor. Maybe it was nice in 1970, but now it needs a complete refurbishment.

The futons were comfy, and I especially liked having tea in the room. For a better view of the misty mountains and town, try the bath in the morning 😊