Hot Spring Hotels in Kobe

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!

Food was great and Eri-san was very friendly and helpful. The room was really clean and love the private onsen with amazing view. I love how attentive Eri-san was as well, the timing in which the next meal came was impeccable, allowing me to enjoy the food thoroughly. Other ryokans I have stayed before (despite being more expensive), the breaks between the food served was very short and it felt like I was rushing to eat. The outdoor hotspring bath was great and perfect for people who cannot stand too high temperatures. Unfortunately, when we wanted to dip in Gekkoen's more traditional and older outdoor hotspring, it was being cleaned. Would love to try dipping in it the next time we visit again.

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.

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...

Environment: Arima Onsen has a nice environment. Since it's primarily a carbonated spring, there's no rotten egg smell like sulfur. The town is easy to explore and well-developed commercially. Cleanliness: Although we booked a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), we requested a twin room. The room was quite large, very clean and tidy, and we didn't have to worry about not being able to unpack our luggage or having limited space to walk around. Service: The service was truly exceptional. They provided shuttle service throughout our stay and even delivered our luggage. When we needed to take the cable car to the top of Rokko Mountain, they also provided transportation. They were very helpful in answering our questions about attractions. Facilities: Kotori is a very small onsen ryokan with only 8 rooms. So, although the rooms aren't small overall, there's no bathroom or toilet in the rooms. We knew beforehand that there wouldn't be a toilet in the rooms, but after checking in, we definitely felt the inconvenience. Breakfast was eaten in the ryokan lounge, and dinner was at a sister ryokan, a 3-minute walk away, where the facilities were much more luxurious.

I booked this place at the last minute as we wanted to extend our stay in Arima Onsen by one night and most hotels were fully-booked. I searched on *********** but couldn't find any suitable accomodation so thought to try Trip.com. This hotel came up only on this site and I was delighted to find it. At first I was concerned by the lack of reviews, but all the reviews were good and the room looked ideal for a family of four; 2 western beds and 2 tatami beds, with spacious living area and separate bathroom and toilet. It was really great value for money. The size of the room was very generous, and the facilities were great. We made use of the Onsen baths and the table tennis room during our stay. None of the staff spoke english but this wasn't an issue as they were all adept at using google translate. The location is also fine - it is situated between the town and the ropeway, so it is easy walking distance to each, which was very useful since they dont offer any shuttle service. All in all I would reccomend it for a short stay in Arima onsen as it is really good value for money.

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.

Since I arrived close to 10 PM, I didn't have time to explore the surroundings. The public bath was almost empty. The next day, I booked the shuttle bus to the station to head back to Sannomiya. If you're looking for a resort-like experience, this might not be the best fit. The hotel also doesn't offer breakfast, and they charge a bathing fee when you check out.