Watarase Onsen Hotel Sasayuri

It was 3rd day when my wife and I are hiking KUMANO KODO. After 6 and half hour hiking and 20 minutes bus, we arrived at Watarase Onsen Hotel Sasayuri around 5pm. At checking counter, we found that I booked wrong day - one day late….. However service person rearranged room and dinner for us within less than half hour. Their traditional Japanese service and food are amazing and forgettable. I will be for sure coming back when I revisit this area.

連續住兩天，旅館服務人員的態度非常好，英文可以溝通，無論什麼問題皆能很熱心且盡力幫你解決 1。每天有免費的接駁車到 發心門王子 和 本宮大社。另外，前台可免費安排接駁車，從酒店送至巴士站 2。可以請前台安排將大件行李寄送到下一個旅館 （距離太遠的旅館可能需要付款一點費用，距離很近的酒店免費） 3。可以請前台準備午餐盒 4。家庭的私湯，非常乾淨舒服，沒人的時候，可以要求一人一間 晚餐食物美味！非常推薦的一間旅館！

This is one of the onsen hotels of the same group in Watarase onsen - used to be one of three, now it’s one of two since they closed the third one. Sasayuri is the nicer one and it’s a classic onsen hotel with large rooms and the usual public bath amenities. You have to call the hotel in advance to book the free shuttle pick up (15 min away) from Hongu Taisha mae bus stop which is convenient for those walking the Kumano Kodo and/touring the Hongu Taisha. Excellent service from reception staff to restaurant staff to driver. We organised luggage shuttle delivery (another company called Torii) and the hotel reception were great in making sure our bag was rightly labelled. They also helped us with getting small change for our bus fare. Food was good - not outstanding if I’m being picky as compared to other onsen hotels; but plentiful and delicious. The only area of improvement for dinner serving staff to serve up the dishes in a better order - eg let us finish the sashimi first before serving the hot dishes. The hotel has a public indoor bath. For outdoor onsen baths you can use the ones in the neighbouring (same chain) hotel which is a short 5 min walk via a connecting suspension footbridge. Rooms are very spacious, slightly dated but that’s the vibe of most onsen hotels in Japan anyway. Free coffee in the lobby. WiFi was good. Overall great location to stay for those doing the Kumano Kodo hike. I would give this a 3.5 out of 5, but TripAdvisor doesn’t allow half points.