Romantic Hotels in Gifu Prefecture, Japan

I had a really pleasant stay at Hotel and Spa Gift Takayama. The highlight was definitely the onsen — it’s clean, relaxing, and has both indoor and outdoor baths. After a long day of exploring Takayama, it was the perfect way to unwind. The free ice cream and relaxation area after the bath were a nice touch. The room was modern, comfortable, and very clean. It’s not very large (typical Japan size), but well-designed so it didn’t feel cramped. The bed was also very comfortable, and I slept well. I like the morning view especially. I also want to give a special mention to one of the staff members — I only remember his name starting with “M” (wearing glasses)— who was exceptionally kind and helpful during our stay. He made the experience feel much more welcoming and went out of their way to assist, which I really appreciated. Location-wise, it’s not right next to the main station, but still within walking distance to most attractions, so it was convenient enough. The area is quiet, which I appreciated. One downside was that we, 7pax of us weren’t able to enjoy the hot pot dinner as planned. We had made a reservation, but it didn’t seem to be properly handled, and we were unfortunately turned away. It was a bit disappointing, especially since we were looking forward to that experience. Breakfast was decent, good enough to start the day. Overall, I think this hotel offers great value for money, especially if you want a comfortable stay with a good onsen experience without paying luxury ryokan prices. I would still consider staying here again, but would recommend double-confirming any dining reservations in advance.

One of the most unforgettable stays we’ve ever had. From the moment my family stepped through the door, we were wrapped in a warm, cosy ambience that instantly made us feel at ease. The room was impeccably clean and wonderfully comfortable, offering the perfect space to relax and unwind. Both dinner and breakfast were nothing short of exceptional—each meal thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delightful. The onsen, overlooking a serene river view, was the true highlight, creating a tranquil and almost dreamlike experience. Every moment spent there felt precious and completely worthwhile.

The hotel room is pretty big by Japan standards, and the feeling of the hotel is really grand! Lots of locals were staying there, but the rooms are a little bit dated. The toilet lights were quite dim and the bathrooms could use an update. However, everything worked perfectly and the stay was still extremely enjoyable! The hotel is situated right next to a bus stop so that makes things super convenient! There’s also a family mart behind the hotel (shortcut! go out of the main door, turn right, walk down the ramp, immediately turn right and right again into the small path, go up the stairs past the hotel park, then turn left and cross the small roads, and you’ll find the konbini) The hotel also rents out bicycles to hotel guests FOC, so you can take the bike literally anywhere! We rode to the supermarket (~10 mins away) and also down by the river (10/10 recommended!) and just explored lots around! Gifu is a lovely quiet town and we would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to experience a side of Japan that isn’t just Tokyo or Osaka.

The hotel room was spacious and clean. They offered complimentary drinks upon arrival in the afternoon, including free beer! After a relaxing hot spring bath, there were free cold drinks available. The surrounding area is lovely, and it's just a short walk to the attractions. Getting to Takayama Station was also super convenient.

Two biggest advantages are location a few minutes from the JR station and breakfast. Although a bit pricey, the breakfast features a stunning choice of local products and even crab (maybe depending on the season). We also liked Shirakawa black tea, desserts (even donuts were delicious), croquets and so on. The view was also amazing, with Gifu castle and the mountain range.

Every year at the end of the year, I visit Takayama, mainly to see the snow scenery in Shirakawa-go, and this hotel has pretty much become my go-to choice. What I love most is the service; the staff are all incredibly warm and attentive, making for a very comfortable stay. Plus, you can book a private onsen, which is wonderfully quiet and relaxing – a real highlight of the trip. Last year, the room I stayed in had a beautiful Japanese tatami area, which really added to the traditional Japanese ambiance. It's a shame I couldn't book that room type this time; it seems they no longer have it, which is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, the overall experience was still excellent, and I'll likely choose to stay here again next time I'm in Takayama.

The location is the best value adding item to this hotel, they only offered limited room cleaning so it may take a while to adjust if you are international travellers. Having the microwave and washing machine in the room is another key advantage of this hotel, overall I will say this is one of the best options in Takayama. Oh they also have free water machines every floor so you can save up buying bottles from convenient stores.

Great stay overall, but the check-in experience wasn’t pleasant. The female staff was rude when informing me that parking is only available from 2pm and that I couldn’t park earlier, or even drop off my luggage. I have to park somewhere else instead.

The room is clean, convenient to travel, next to the train station, the price is not too expensive.

The private hot spring with a snowy view was beautiful, and we could soak for half an hour. The room was quite spacious. However, all the windows in the room could only be opened a crack, so the steam from the private hot spring fogged up the glass, making it impossible to see outside. Also, getting around the hotel involved a lot of up and down, which was a bit tiring, but the privacy was excellent, and it was very quiet. The service was great, very Japanese in that they'd meet any reasonable request you had.