Kobe Hot Springs Hotels

The room was quite spacious, and the massage chair was a pleasant surprise – very comfortable to use. The room introduction was quite detailed, and it was my first time experiencing a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan. The tatami mats were interesting, and I slept well. The entire hotel felt like a museum; despite its age, it had a lot of character. I felt like I got a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, which I really appreciated. The service, apart from being led to our room with traditional Japanese bows and the room introduction, was mostly self-service. However, this was my first time staying at a 'one night, two meals' ryokan, so I'm not sure if all onsens are like this. We also didn't have large luggage, just our bags, so maybe that's why we didn't notice any issues with luggage service. On a positive note, the front desk immediately knew which pair of shoes were ours when we checked out, which was good service. On the downside, the room's air conditioning unit was so well hidden that it took ages to find, and I was cold for quite a while. The phone either didn't work or I couldn't figure out how to use it. Also, we booked the private onsen from 8 PM to 9:30 PM. After relaxing for a bit, it was already close to 11 or 12. The public onsen closed from 12 AM to 1 AM, so we couldn't use it. We needed about 8 or 9 hours of sleep, and breakfast was scheduled for 9 AM. After breakfast, from 9:30 AM to 11 AM, the public onsen was closed. When we asked, the front desk informed us that check-out was strictly at 11 AM and we couldn't use the public onsen after checking out. So, we missed out on the public onsen, which was a real shame and couldn't be negotiated. In any five-star hotel in any country I've traveled to, it's usually possible to discuss using facilities after check-out. But it seems traditional onsen ryokans are all this rigid. While that might be how Japanese people are, for a hotel of this price, and for clearly inexperienced foreigners (we were even reminded we wore our kimonos the wrong way), when asking about meal times, couldn't they have kindly informed us that we needed to plan our breakfast, dinner, and onsen times accordingly? The food was light and flavorful. I don't eat seafood, and they were able to adjust the meals to my preferences. Communication two months prior was very responsive. However, for us, it was a bit too plain; Japanese people would probably love it. This was my first trip with my husband after giving birth, and I had been looking forward to the onsen part for a long time. I was very happy on the check-in day, but not being able to use the public onsen on the second day was still a big regret.

This was the kids' favorite hotel during our 15-day trip to Japan. The mountain scenery is beautiful, it's very quiet, and the air is fresh. We had a lot of fun making a fire, cooking, and having a BBQ together. The house is well-maintained, clean, refreshing, and warm enough. The staff are all very friendly and always provide timely assistance. The hotel's paid shuttle service can take you to some nearby attractions, which is also very convenient.

The hotel offers private hot springs, and guests can book a time slot after check-in. There are both indoor and outdoor options, with four types each, ensuring excellent privacy. This is a great alternative for those who might feel uncomfortable using public hot spring pools. Some rooms also have their own private hot springs, but these are all ”silver springs”; if you wish to experience a ”golden spring,” you need to make a reservation. The hot spring environment is clean and hygienic, and the facilities are comprehensive. The shower rooms are spotless. The front desk staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. The hotel also provides a dedicated shuttle service; simply inform the front desk where you'd like to go, and you can also call them to pick you up and bring you back to the hotel after you're done exploring. Highly recommended!

I highly recommend the Gekkoukan (Moonlight Pavilion) after a two-day stay. It's divided into the main building, Kōmōkan, and an annex. There are three hot springs in total, but the water quality is pretty much the same across all of them. I'd suggest sticking to the main building's baths as they are more spacious and convenient. The only downside was that transfers need to be booked in advance, and there isn't a scheduled shuttle bus. Plus, it's quite a hike uphill to get there, which was a real struggle in the summer heat while lugging suitcases.

Pros: - Special golden onsen that melts all fatigue away. For us we had a large private onsen so even better - pickup service available, although we prefered to walk. - free drink bar with coffee and fruit soda - large room with massage chair - friendly, helpful staffs - good food Cons: - a bit pricey - although we booked a western style room with beds, we actually wanted to sleep in futons but that was the only room left so we had no choice. When we asked the staff if we could sleep in futons she said it'd be 3300yen per person. So sad 🥲

We stayed at Negiya Ryofukaku in Arima Onsen during the maple leaf season, opting for the West Wing's deluxe Japanese-Western mixed room with a mountain view. The hotel staff were incredibly attentive and thoughtful, making us feel truly comfortable. Looking out the window, the mountain was ablaze with vibrant red maple leaves, like a flowing oil painting—the scenery far exceeded our expectations. Upon check-out, the hotel even thoughtfully arranged a car to take us to Arima Station, which was incredibly convenient.

:) Thankful for the hotel shuttle service as the hotel is located after a really steep slope. Both onsen in hotel and the next building are good and clean. :( Amenities didn't include facial cleanser and milk lotion. The pillows are too hard for me. The dinner plate arrangement setting appears to be dated - some of the food containers are old/ worn out with visible scratches on the surface. The menu is in Japanese wordings - will be good to provide English version.

Extremely disappointed. The onsen (hot spring) was tiny, and the steps inside were uncomfortably high. They also offered very few amenities. For dinner, as a small woman, I only felt about 80% full, and there were very few extra items available to order. Apart from the front desk staff, most employees only spoke Japanese, which made communication a bit difficult, but everyone was very friendly. The pillows and blankets were incredibly uncomfortable. I tried all three in the closet, and they were still bad; I even woke up with a stiff neck. The blanket was incredibly thick, and I woke up in a sweat in the middle of the night. The most ridiculous thing was that construction started outside at 8:30 AM... I can't believe a resort onsen hotel can't escape the noise. The hotel seems to be the furthest one in the area. I walked there, and thankfully the weather was good and the scenery along the way was nice. The shuttle bus is too small; after checking out at 10 AM, I had to wait until the 10:40 AM service. But it's too far to walk, so I had to take it anyway...

In addition to free drinks, juice and coffee, red wine and white wine are provided every afternoon, allowing guests to soak in the hot spring bath to relax their body, mind and soul and enjoy a leisurely and carefree travel experience.

The hotel is located in a somewhat remote area on a mountain, but they offer a shuttle service. We called the hotel from the visitor center, and a car arrived within minutes. Since we had stayed at another onsen hotel the previous night with luggage storage, we asked the driver if he could take us to collect our luggage before checking into Arima Princess Hotel. He readily agreed. The service was excellent. The hotel has indoor red bath (lighter) and silver bath, but unfortunately, there's no open-air bath. They also took us to the station when we left.