Staff were wonderful. They held my luggage as I was very early for check-in and communicated via a handheld translator. The room was very nice and spacious with an absolutely gorgeous view to the city and surrounding areas. The private hot spring tubby on the deck was also wonderful as you do get the scene to the city and providing a wonderful ambiance. The food provided was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. Now the caveat is the hotel is on a hill and unless you have transportation like a rental car or taxi, getting up there is a hike and more so with luggage. The staff also provided me with a shuttle to Itō station and some snacks to my next location. Oh and the wonderful picture they took and framed for me was also so thoughtful
Best for solo travelers who still want to experience high level Japanese hospitality as it has a reduced price for one. Kaiseki was really big and it is a challenge, I advise to be hungry. Onsens are amazing.
The hotel is located close to the Ito downtown, we were driving so it wasn't an issue. There are plenty of parking at the hotel. The ryokan is well maintained, it doesn't feel old, the onsen are properly modernized and clean. The room is HUGE which, with many functional areas, it was very pleasant room. There is also a private onsen as well for family or couples for a small fee. The private onsen has a good traditional style to it and it was open-air . There are also a chair for old people and toys for kids, so it's well thought out.
Many people seems to like to have their dinner at the private eating room on first floor, so we did the same. They had one service person per 2-3 rooms maybe so we were well serviced, and the guy was very nice. I remember meeting him for dinner, and he realized we can only speak English, so the next morning when we met him again for breakfast, it looks like he made note in his notebook so he can properly introduce the dishes to us in English. I could feel the dedication so thank you to the man.