Aso District Hot Springs Hotels

This place is simply gorgeous. The hotel is beautifully designed to give a real zen feeling. The room was spacious enough for a family, the bed was plush (they also had tatami for those interested) and they even offered Kose skincare products in the room. It had big sliding doors that offered its own Japanese garden and quality tea set to brew your own tea in the room. The breakfast was simple but wholesome (not a single fried food in sight) and offering fresh ingredients. The only drawbacks for me was 1) there were no shower in the room, so you had to use the public bathing area and 2) this ryokan is a fair bit away from Kurokawa Onsen so it is an inconvenient if you’re looking to do some onsen-hopping. Having your own car would be ideal. If you have the time, I would highly recommend staying at the Hanashoan to experience some relaxing time.

Really nice place to stay in, exclusive experience, you don’t really need to do any onsen hoping if you stay here, one private onsen booking per day which means 2 booking for one night stay and you have got guest only public onsen which alternate each day. They were kind enough to accommodate our vegetarian diet even though they weren’t too happy about that because they had to change their whole menu, so I would suggest checking with them before making the booking. Overall, definitely worth it.

A round trip from Tenjin by bus costs 8000 yen and takes three hours! Remember to book your tickets in advance as there aren't many services. The old street in Kurokawa Onsen is very quaint and full of character! Most of the onsen ryokans are built along the creek. The ryokans are simple and clean! In the open-air onsen, you can listen to the gentle flow of the stream and feel that sense of tranquility. In the evening, during the illumination season, walking around in a yukata and geta (wooden clogs) is truly delightful! The kaiseki dinner featured exquisite and unique dishes, including local horse meat and wagyu beef! It was very filling, even for a woman! Please note that the restaurant intentionally doesn't have Wi-Fi; the owner hopes guests can quietly enjoy their meal without disturbance! I absolutely applaud this! The ryokan also offers a shuttle service to Kurokawa Onsen Station, which is a 5-minute drive away. Next time, I plan to stay in Kurokawa Onsen for two days to fully enjoy the peace and quiet!

I love the interior of this resort. The staff members are really friendly and helpful. I had little knowledge in selecting local onsen resort, so my initial expectation was not high. Much to my surprise, I love everything this hotel has had. Facility wise everything looks brand new. The room is spacious and comfy. The public bath and indoor onsen are big and clean. As for the meals, the presentations were good and they were delicious. I have no complaint about it. Keep up with the good work. Look forward to staying there again.

The photos I saw when I booked this hot spring ryokan online seemed like nothing, but when I came here it was two completely different views. The hot spring in the room is very comfortable, the room is very clean, the environment is very quiet. This time it was one stay and two meals, the food was delicious, you can see the attentiveness of this hot spring inn, each food is small and tastes good. The staff who checked us in was very attentive and explained very clearly, the service was very good. The attitude of the restaurant's staff is also 10% satisfactory. I want this hostel from Aso Volcano, definitely a good choice. 

Is this spa hotel well equipped? The room facilities are very thoughtful and in place, there is a private hot spring in the room, which is very comfortable. The staff is cordial and hospitable. They took the initiative to introduce the surrounding environment, and there was a row of people relaxing and feeding the ducks for free, which was really interesting. The breakfast was delicious and rich. The staff was very considerate and knew that my grandma didn't eat fish, so they replaced her breakfast with fried chicken. I will stay in this hot spring hotel next time.

I love almost everything about this ryokan - the facility, the room( it’s a massive suite with living room, Bedroom, private onsen and private bathroom etc. very spacious) the outdoor onsen, the private onsen… The highlight is the food! Absolutely amazing! It’s seasonal and high quality with horse sashimi,tuna toro, even the starter is delicate and delicious; and two types of local wagyu beef - melt in your mouth. We have been to many ryokans over the years, with some charging double the price than we paid here, and I would say this is one of our favourite. Our waiter was a lovely young man who can speak good Chinese and tell us about his recent trip to HK. We adore him. I used the massage chair a lot every time after the onsen bath. It’s heavenly. We went to another ryokan (深山山莊）afterwards in the same area and it can’t compare to this level of comfort or food quality. The only one slight con is that our room has no view as it’s surrounded by the walk path and buildings, and we have to keep it shut the whole time. Maybe because I booked last minute and can only have the last room. But the public outdoor onsen is looking into the stream, it’s beautiful. Another highlight is the massage chair in the suite.

It’s a good private house. But I’m won’t recommend if weather is cold or raining, or if you’re traveling with young kids. I travelled with my family with two toddlers. The bath and onsen are outdoors, not quite well lit and not well covered. The hot water water pressure is low, and the water is either very hot or very cold. It was a cold, raining and windy that night. It was a horrible experience for us because of the above, and the kids had a lot of trouble taking a bath. And we were worried they might catch a cold. And strangely the door lock of the bath is locked from the outside and not from the inside. Also remember to buy food before entering. We bought ours and cooked our own dinner. Otherwise, it’s a good private house, probably best for adults.

I stayed at Yumerindo Hanadomari from the 15th to the 16th, and I had a double room in the annex Hanadomari. After booking, I emailed my questions, and the hotel staff answered each and every one of them with utmost sincerity. Above all, the staff were incredibly friendly. Everyone at the hotel explained everything in detail and went out of their way to provide convenience for Korean tourists. The food was delicious, and I loved both the private hot spring bath in my Hanadomari room and the open-air hot spring bath. I would definitely return, and I'd love to visit the Aso region of Japan again, if only to stay at this hotel.

My luggage was too heavy, so I asked the hotel shuttle to take me to the station. The Chinese-speaking woman at the front desk was very unhelpful. She kept saying it was very close and I could walk, and then that there was no driver. She made me wait, only to tell me again that it was too close and they wouldn't take me. Haha, so I was dragging two suitcases out the door myself when a Japanese staff member ran out and said they could take me after all. Really left a bad impression, especially that Chinese-speaking woman at the front desk. Avoid this place.