Nikko Hot Springs Hotels

One of the worst locations at Kinugawa Onsen area. Hidden in the mountain, no significantly beautiful view. Despite we need to pay for ”Hoshino Resort price”, unlike other cheaper hotels, we need to PAY for TAXI ourselves and getting a taxi during new year time is a terribly painful. Hotel staff lack of initiatives getting us cab instead we need to open different apps and such ... and on the way back the following day we ended up walking for 20 mins by ourselves .... Food is ok, onsen is ok, cleanliness ok, but nothing super ordinary. You can pay attention to details in decorations and inhouse services, but you can't pay attention to one of the most obvious services you HAVE TO provide to your guests, Hoshino ---- shuttle service .......

The hotel is actually closer to Kinugawa-Koen Station; it's a bit of a trek from Kinugawa-Onsen Station, and it's an uphill walk, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have luggage. Overall, the hotel is decent, typical for a one-night stay with two meals. Both meals were substantial, though they featured no high-end ingredients, more like refined, simple fare. The onsen (hot spring) had everything you'd expect, and the water quality was good. A unique feature is the hotel's collection of Western and Japanese dolls, which adds an artistic touch. However, for those who don't appreciate them, they might find them a bit creepy! The Kinugawa River flows right behind the hotel's garden, and the sound of the rushing water is indeed quite loud. Finally, it's not that the cleanliness was bad, but I caught four crickets in the room over one night. If they had been cockroaches, that would have been unacceptable. Perhaps it just means the local ecosystem is thriving?!

I read the mixed reviews and was concerned about my choice, particularly those which highlighted some concerns on the service, etc. Generally, it's an acceptable hotel. We met friendly and very helpful foreign staff who were sincere. I think mainly because all the staff has to multi-task from the front desk to meals etc, they may not appear very attentive. But we had a good experience with the foreign staff so far, particularly Adihadara. I am not sure if I spelt his name correctly. I call him ”Adi” in short. He was eager to help my husband with our luggage and took note of our preference for a table at the window for our meals. The property does appear aged and some apparent wear and tear but their effort to maintain it at this level of general acceptable look and feel is commendable. At the end of our two nights stay, we did have an enjoyable time to chill and relax at the hotel.

Hotel facilities and service attitude are OK, but the location is a bit off, there are not many places to eat around, a bit far from the center.

A rather unique hot spring hotel. The room I booked was a Japanese-style room (washitsu), purely tatami room, and there's no bathroom inside – please be aware of this. To bathe, you need to go to a separate, traditional Japanese hot spring bath, separated by gender, where you must be naked and thoroughly washed before entering. Opinions on the experience vary, but the Japanese seem to enjoy it, haha. The hotel includes breakfast and dinner, which were surprisingly high quality, and the menu changed daily, which was a pleasant surprise. The service was excellent, with the typical Japanese attentiveness, and the staff spoke decent English, so communication wasn't a problem. Overall, a very unique hotel, definitely worth experiencing.

I spent at Kaniyu 2 nights and absolutely loved it! Upon my arrival, there was an English-speaking staff member at the reception, Mr. Tamaki, who kindly upgraded my room for free - thank you so much for that! The room was spacious and clean. It was a bit cool inside, but the heating system worked really well and warmed up the room quickly; the controls were very simple and convenient to use. The futon was comfortable, the blanket was warm and cozy, and although the pillow was a bit too firm for me, I slept just fine without it. The room was equipped with everything needed: towels, yukata for changing, bathroom amenities, and more. Both breakfast and dinner were made from a variety of fresh ingredients — everything was delicious and filling. I tried many dishes for the first time and really enjoyed them! The stuff was very nice and friendly, a canteen lady who helped me to take a picture was very kind! The onsen was absolutely amazing. The hot, milky water was incredibly relaxing (not that smelly for my taste), and the cool outdoor air felt refreshing. I visited it after sunset as well, and it was an unforgettable experience: chilling in hot springs while watching night sky and listening to forest sounds. --- To sum it up, if you're looking for a peaceful retreat off the beaten path and for affordable price, then this place is absolute gem~ P.S. l was mesmerized by the road trip to the Kaniyu itself: mountains, rivers and lakes, a troop of monkeys on the side of the road, tunnels, a hairpin turns and so on.

Both breakfast and dinner are buffet style. They offer fresh tuna and squid sushi, and during the New Year, traditional Japanese New Year dishes. It's quite good value for money. However, the buffet is limited to 1.5 hours and requires a reservation, so you need to check in early to book your preferred time. From what I've seen on Japanese TV programs, the buffet at Mikazuki, which is within a few hundred meters, seems better. But if you don't know that, the service here is overwhelmingly superior compared to other regions.

The exterior of the hotel is pretty, but the interior of the hotel is dated and needs a bit of updating. There were parts of the hotel that were completely shut down (maybe there are saving up enough money to one day renovate). However the facilities and rooms are well maintained and the onsens are beautiful and peaceful. There are 2 main onsens, that are separated by men and women. Each day the onsens are switched, in the morning you will go to one, and in the evening before dinner you can experience the other onsen. Onsite there is a really nice restaurant and gift shop that featured local products at reasonable prices. There is a 24 hour coffee/tea station that is free to use. It's a short 10 minute walk from Kinugawa Onsen Station. When you arrive they provide you a yukata to wear while you are staying at the hotel. The rooms are spacious with options for a western bed or japanese style (sleeping on the floor). We opted for the western bed to be higher off the ground as we thought it would be colder to sleep on the ground. Although the rooms are very well heated and was a bit too warm, that we needed to open the window to cool the room down. The rooms have nice views of the countryside. They provide a pitcher of ice water in the room and you can go to the front desk to refill with ice if more is needed. The bathroom is quite large and has both a shower and toilet in a separate room of the bathroom; although we mostly bathed in the onsen. There is a 7-eleven nearby that was open 24 hours, but otherwise there isn't much else around the hotel. Also the town of Kinugawa Onsen closes quite early, around 8pm it's quite deserted. We were there at the end of November 2024, and it seemed that the hotel was mostly unoccupied, so we felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was a very nice one night stay.

I had a truly wonderful day at this hotel on March 2, 2026. The front desk staff, Ms. Qing, was incredibly professional and multilingual. She explained the hotel's policies and information clearly and politely, making me feel like I had stepped into a five-star hotel. I also enjoyed both dinner and breakfast; the food was delicious and perfectly suited my taste. Ms. Qing also handled the restaurant service, and I was amazed at how she could manage so many tasks simultaneously while providing such excellent service. She was very attentive not only to me but also to other guests, and I was extremely satisfied. The hotel was very quiet, and it was a memorable and lovely stay. I would definitely like to return when I have the time.

朝/夕食のバイキングは種類も多く、値段以上に豪華なステーキ、刺身、イクラ等は質が良いものが提供されており、とても良かった。 温泉の設備やホテルの設備はフロント以外がとても古く、温泉のシャワーは水圧が異常に弱い。 温泉の温度も入浴の時間帯によって、温水プールのような温度の時や、熱くて入れない程のこともある。 ただし、値段から考えると十分満足出来る内容であり、鬼怒川/日光エリアや、那須までのアクセスも良く、コストパフォーマンスを求めるならとても良いホテルかと思う。