Kaneki Hotel

We picked Kaneki for its good value, walkable spot in Shibu Onsen, and the yukatas and keys for the nine public onsens included with the stay. The staff were welcoming, and the private and public baths were pleasant, though simple. Snow Monkey Park is an easy walk away. A simple, traditional ryokan that's a great choice if you want the full Shibu Onsen experience without paying too much.

The Japanese design, provided clothing, and two onsens made this a really enjoyable stay. One bath is private, so you can go in with your partner even if either of you has tattoos; the other is public and separated by gender. Both were pretty nice compared with the public onsens in Shibu Onsen. The room was cold in November, though, and we had the heater on almost constantly.

The price was right for a two-star hotel, though it wasn't the nicest place we saw around Shibu Onsen. The road right outside is very narrow, and getting our rental car through took some maneuvering. We did manage to reach a wider road a short block away, where the hotel has free parking. The hotel is close to the nine hot onsens, and they provide yukatas and footwear for visiting them. I went to four: two were fine, one had only about a foot of water, and another was too hot for us to get into. That's about those baths, not the hotel. We also found a lovely bar down the street to the left, with welcoming owners who spoke English and served good food and drinks. Inside, you leave your shoes on a shelf and use the slippers provided. They were random pairs left out, which might bother some people, but it was fine for us. The front desk person was polite and helpful, and showed us to our third-floor room. There's a very small elevator that was still useful for our luggage. The room was open and spacious, with floor mats to sleep on, but nothing especially impressive. The old sink and toilet did their job. The shower was elsewhere, and I didn't use it. We visited in summer, and the air conditioning kept the temperature comfortable. It's a two-star hotel, so keep expectations in check. Would my family and I stay again? Hard to say. Enjoy your travels!

We used the key the ryokan gave us to visit the public onsens at night, and would stay here again. After a day at the monkey park, we spent one night here. The ryokan is somewhat dated, but the welcome was warm. Our room was spacious, with double mats for sleeping. The bath at the property was also dated and not completely clean.