Hot Springs Hotels in Iwate Prefecture, Japan

How do I describe this hotel? In one word: amazing. It was my first time experiencing a mixed-gender bath from over a century ago. I was truly impressed! The elderly gentlemen were just casually strolling around without a care in the world. Families, you absolutely must try the mixed-gender outdoor hot spring bath. It's located in the old wing of the hotel, a bit of a walk from the new wing, but once you're in the hotel, just grab a map and you'll find it. You can also take the opportunity to peek into the rooms and dining hall of this century-old ryokan. As for the room, it goes without saying that upon entering, you're greeted with a flood of green, which was quite a pleasant surprise. The only minor point is that the Hozawa River was a bit murky. I drove upstream along the river, and soon lost cell service, so it is quite remote, but definitely worth a visit. The two meals were decent, nothing spectacular but perfectly acceptable.

Highly recommended  Quicke check in, check out  Public hot springs bathhouse is a very big plus. This one is real hot springs water not just a big hot bathtub. Good location everything is in walking distance  Comfortable stay

The hotel boasts a beautiful environment and is conveniently located near another scenic spot, Yanmei Creek. The hotel's dinner, late-night snacks, and breakfast are all delicious. The hot spring facilities are also well-equipped, with frozen desserts provided for guests after their soak. Massage chairs are also thoughtfully provided next to the hot spring. However, the receptionist failed to inform guests that there are no towels in the hot spring; guests must use towels provided in their rooms.

The hotel is located deeper in the mountains than I expected. From Morioka, I took a bus at 7:30 PM, and after about an hour and a half, most people had gotten off within 20 minutes, leaving me on a secluded road with almost no lights. Eating out at night would be nearly impossible.

The check-in staff introduced the hotel attentively and cleaned the room attentively. The ski rental staff are very patient.  But the quality of the food in the restaurant is average, and all the shrimps in the seafood are rotten. And some of the waiters are not polite to the guests. 

A very cute cabin in the woods, about 3-5 minutes drive from the ski resort. If you drive, I recommend this hotel. It may not be very convenient if you don't have a car. The hotel has 2 private hot springs that can be reserved, so you can go there when no one is using them. It is a very special experience to soak in the hot springs in the snow.

Guide to the room and explanation were good. I booked a room on the second floor with a terrace, but I was sorry that there were a lot of insects and I couldn't use the terrace. When checking out, you will carry your suitcase yourself (from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor by stairs), so it is easier for travelers who stay consecutive nights or travel around to choose a room on the 1st floor. It was good to use a lot of ingredients for the dishes, but overall it was strong and heavy until the last dessert. You should think about balance a little more.

We had a pleasant stay in general. However, room ceaning service needs to be improved. Our group of people have a few bad experiences. 1) after returning to room after the day, there was a used mask left in the bathroom. There’s also a day without providing onsen towels and we had to bring over the mid size ones 2) the door of my friend’s room remained open after the cleaning service (a 3M sticker with なすし2 sticked on wall). Glad there’s no missing items 3) another room, there was blood and urine stint left on the toilet cover! I hope the hotel can take it seriously as it indeed ruins the brand of IHG and bad customer experience.

The main reason for staying at the Hongyeguan Hotel was its convenient location for cherry blossom viewing in the north. It's only a little over half an hour's drive to the exhibition center. The hotel includes two meals: a buffet breakfast and dinner. After cherry blossom viewing, guests can enjoy various delicacies such as king crab, soak in the hot springs, and there are even ethnic performances in the evening. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom on the day we checked in, and Hongyeguan was surrounded by them – it was beautiful!