Hotel Shiroyama

We ate dinner in our room, and the food was tasty and ready on time. Room 208 had clearly been remodeled recently, with a wide entrance, tatami flooring, a large bathroom with a sit-in shower, and a separate toilet behind a closed door. There was also a decent-sized area with a table and two chairs, plus a door connecting to the adjacent room. The hotel has a private outdoor bath that you need to reserve ahead; there may be a fee. It’s a nice option for families or couples who want privacy. The public baths stay open until midnight and reopen at 6am, and there’s a cooler onsen. The hotel is well managed and very close to Yugawara Station, about a five-minute walk. At check-in, the reception staff member greeted us cheerfully and professionally, then explained where the onsens were and the dinner and breakfast times in detail. That much explanation may be difficult for tourists who don’t speak Japanese.

The indoor onsen was great, and you can book private outdoor onsens separately, though they seemed a bit pricey compared with other onsens. The hotel rooms have a traditional style but weren't in the best condition. The public areas looked much better maintained and more recently renovated than the guest rooms. For the price, that felt understandable.

The onsen has just been renovated and looks fresh and nice. Other parts of the hotel look old, though they seem well maintained. The air conditioning was too weak, so we felt hot during our stay.

I really enjoyed the hotel’s onsen, and the view of Sukurajima Mount was so beautiful…