Raconter Arima

I booked a stay that included kaiseki, and the price was reasonable. The room itself was beautifully crafted with high-quality wood, so pleasant to walk on barefoot. The room was magnificent, designed in a traditional Japanese style with tatami mats and shoji screens. We got to sleep on futons! The hotel offers two types of hot springs – a silver and a golden one – plus a free massage room, karaoke, and a separate swimming pool where you can actually swim. The staff were incredibly friendly and spoke English reasonably well, although the receptionist at check-out struggled a bit. Upon entering the hotel, you take off your shoes and don't need to worry about them until you leave. We were given yukatas and slippers to wear around the hotel, and the room also came with special pajamas for sleeping, which was a lovely touch. Dinner (kaiseki) was prepared for us in advance at a separate table, with dishes served in courses. Breakfast was a delicious buffet.

The service was absolutely abysmal and completely disproportionate to the price. I rarely write reviews, but this experience compels me to. We stayed here for a family trip. For a 60,000 yen stay for three people, when we arrived with a lot of luggage, no one offered to help; they just stood there and watched. Upon entering the room, there wasn't even water in the fridge. Even business hotels provide water for the number of guests. As for toiletries, there were only two toothbrushes in the room, making me wonder if they mistook our booking for two people. Furthermore, for three people in a twin-bedded room, I expected one person would sleep on a futon. However, when we entered the room, the futon wasn't laid out. I thought maybe they'd prepare it after dinner or after we bathed, but that wasn't the case. When I opened the drawer next to the bed, there was a suspicious-looking futon inside, and I had to prepare everything myself, right down to the bedsheets. I travel frequently and stay in many hotels, but this was the first time I've ever had to lay out my own futon at a hotel. I was truly shocked. Even after entering the hotel, there was only one person at the front desk, and I didn't see any staff outside of the restaurant area while walking around the premises. It's clear they've drastically cut down on staffing costs. If the accommodation fee had been cheap, I could understand, but for 20,000 yen per person, this service is worse than a business hotel. I will never come here again. I do not recommend it.

It's a great ryokan. I really liked the onsen – even though it's small, it feels cozy. Since there are only a few rooms, there's a good chance you'll end up in the onsen alone. The kaiseki dinner was beautiful and delicious; my dream of trying it came true :) Breakfast is a typical buffet, with Japanese and European dishes. You can also choose a yukata upon check-in; there's a wide selection, and the clothes are very cute. A big thank you to the staff for their help, especially the restaurant staff. They were very helpful (I have a broken finger, and it was difficult to use chopsticks and serve food) and were incredibly friendly.

The room was nice and clean, but there was no shower, so you had to use the shared bathroom. Also, the quality of the dinner was poor, that's all.

It was 35°C outside. Check-in was at 3:00 PM, check-out was at 11:00 AM. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived. How can you clean a room with no furniture and a bathroom that takes four hours? I asked for an early check-in – no. I asked to wait at the hotel – no. Not welcoming. The onsen is small. The breakfast is poor.