Romantic Hotels in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

The hotel's location is excellent, making it super convenient to get anywhere, and there are plenty of food options nearby. Right across the street from the hotel is a Don Quijote. The hotel itself offers free tea and coffee during the day, and even ice cream in the evening. Most importantly, the shower is a proper walk-in shower, which is much more comfortable than the typical shower-over-bathtub setup you find in most Japanese hotels.

Cleanliness: The room had bugs; I killed 3 on the first night. Service: The service was very thoughtful. They helped carry luggage into the room and even set up the tatami. At check-out, they proactively helped take luggage to the front desk. Facilities: It's a very old wooden house. You can't make loud noises at night, as it genuinely disturbs others. Environment: It's very close to Arima Onsen Station, about a 5-minute walk, right in the center of the hot spring town. Overall, it's very convenient.

Compared to Kyoto, the Monterey in Kobe offers much better service. Sona is quite small, and lately, there's been too much of a Korean presence there. Although the hotel is a short walk from the station, it's still easy to find. There is indeed a red-light district nearby, making it a bit noisy and messy (though understandable). The room layout is reasonable, the TV supports screen mirroring, and the toiletries are generously provided, with the DHC lotion being particularly good. Don Quijote is just a short walk away, and it's very convenient to get to Sannomiya Station and Kitano Ijinkan (home to the famous 'Life Toast' and the 70-year-old coffee shop), all within walking distance. The breakfast selection is rich and delicious, with the bread being a pleasant surprise. On a side note, you should definitely avoid the Monterey in Kyoto. Their unfriendliness towards Chinese guests is blatant, especially from the middle-aged Japanese female receptionist! She denied us available rooms unless we insisted and argued on the spot. She also reneged on a promised room type change, even rolling her eyes when a colleague confirmed it with her.🙄

The hotel is nestled in Meriken Park, offering truly stunning views; the hotel itself is a scenic spot. The room size and facilities met expectations. I had researched beforehand and booked an East-facing room. I made a mistake when booking and ended up with a non-refundable special offer room, which was slightly smaller. However, the bed faced the balcony, so if you're an early riser, you can actually catch the sunrise from this room. The only downside is that the hotel might have been open for a while and hasn't been maintained very well. The cleanliness wasn't ideal, especially for Japan. There was a lot of dust on the ceiling directly above the air conditioning vent, which looked a bit messy. I hope the hotel pays more attention to these details. I had read in guides that it's best to take the shuttle bus or a taxi to the hotel because it's uphill and inconvenient with luggage. However, there's an escalator to the left of the hotel, which is perfectly fine for carrying suitcases. Just be aware that it stops operating after a certain time at night, so keep that in mind when checking in. Due to a flight delay, we were supposed to arrive at 4 PM, but it got pushed to the evening. We landed quickly, took the airport bus to Sannomiya, and easily found the hotel shuttle pick-up point. We were lucky to catch the 10:30 PM hotel shuttle. Upon arrival, we also bought some food and drinks at the convenience store on the first floor of the hotel lobby. This is the only convenience store in the vicinity, and it closes at 11 PM. Overall, the highlight of this hotel is its scenery. You can take your time to fully appreciate the beauty of Kobe Port – it's an experience worth having. The drawback is that it's a bit far from Sannomiya's shopping centers, which can affect your subsequent plans.

The hotel was clean and spacious and it was good to stay.

I really like this private onsen hotel. It has both indoor and outdoor baths, featuring Arima's famous 'Golden Spring' and 'Silver Spring' waters. You can reserve them for private use, 45 minutes each time, and soak twice a day, morning and evening. I could only book the room through Ctrip, but I emailed the hotel directly to add breakfast and dinner, and the staff were all very enthusiastic and helpful. The hotel is halfway up a mountain, which was no problem since I was driving. They also offer a shuttle service to the station or city center, but you need to book it in advance.

The room is clean, parking is very convenient, the toilet is large, and the facilities are very new. However, the wifi is almost unavailable. The movie viewing is good. The hotel is only suitable for self-driving people. There is little public transportation nearby.

A heartwarming and thoughtful mountain hotel experience. This hotel stay completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment I arrived, I felt a deep sense of genuine hospitality – there was a dedicated shuttle service directly from the station to the hotel, saving me the hassle of dragging my luggage around. The next day, I planned to explore the hot spring town at the foot of the mountain. The hotel proactively offered to store my luggage and deliver it to the station at the bottom of the mountain at the agreed time, completely freeing up my hands. The food was surprisingly delicious, with fresh ingredients and thoughtful pairings. The room was clean and comfortable, meticulously cleaned daily, and the common areas were also spotless. The service throughout was attentive yet unobtrusive. From the shuttle arrangements to the luggage storage, everything was efficient and heartwarming. It's truly perfect for travelers planning a hot spring trip. I'll definitely choose this place again on my next visit.

Very satisfied with this hotel. I travelled alone but they treat me just as well as other travellers, plenty of instructions given to help us navigate the hotel and getting to the three onsens, stunning view to look at. However the hotel is a bit out of the way so you might want to check out their shuttle bus service.

An excellent, authentic ryokan. Friendly staff. Interesting kaiseki breakfasts and dinners. There are two private hot springs in the ocean—access to both is included in the room rate. You can also use the onsen at the nearby partner ryokan. The village of Arima Onsen itself is beautiful! Be sure to visit the park and ride the cable car up Mount Rokko.