Oyado Uraku

It was a nice stay, especially for the quiet setting and the enjoyable outdoor bath. Our room’s bath sat in a small garden, fit two comfortably, and had nice water. The inn is a little away from the main street, which was welcome in such a touristy town. The service varied by staff member. Some were friendly and lovely; others weren’t what I’d call excellent, though nobody was rude. The room was mostly clean, but for the price I expected more detailed cleaning. A few small surfaces were dusty, and there was mold in parts of the bathroom that should have been scrubbed off with chemicals.

They gave us a lovely welcome. Before we arrived, the staff emailed to say they didn’t speak English but would try their best. I thought that was adorable. They were relieved when I spoke a little Japanese, and were friendly and chatty, recommending places to visit. They even offered to take photos without being asked, and complimented the men in my group on having better manners than Japanese men. I felt very welcome and had a brilliant time. The food was outstanding, delicious and beautifully presented. Of the three onsen hotels we stayed in on this trip, this was the cheapest and by far the best experience. Oyado Uraku is about a 20-minute walk from the main shopping district, but close to Aeon, Daiso, and the train station.

Room 301 was the reason I chose this stay: it has a private outdoor hot spring bath. I also booked breakfast and dinner, and thought the price was very reasonable. Dinner came to the room around 6. The staff served the freshly prepared courses one by one, leaving us time between the appetizers and the second course. They did their best to explain each dish, and we enjoyed the meal in comfort. We arrived at 11am and left our luggage at the counter, then checked in around 4pm. The enthusiastic staff showed us to the room and explained everything in detail. Their English wasn’t great, but we managed to communicate through Google Translate. The next morning, they brought breakfast to the room and took photos of us at the entrance after checkout. It was a relaxing stay, and I’d recommend OYADO URAKU to my friends.

The staff were very kind and helped make our stay in Yufuin memorable. It felt like a true ryokan in a great location. The public bath could be bigger, and if you want the full private bathing experience, make sure your room has a tub. We heard some noise from upstairs while staying on the first floor. Also, staying on the first floor means carrying heavy luggage down when you check out.