3-Star 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.

We were two people staying 3 nights. We had breakfast and we were very happy with it (6:30-10:00, L.O 9:30). It didn’t change much during the stay, but it had a lot of options and it tasted good. The room was small. If you have suitcase it will be hard to open it up. We didn’t have suitcases, so for us it was no problem. The bed and pillows were comfortable. They have a manga library and coffe machine (15:00-22:00), and space with tables and chairs where you can e.g eat. They have laundry as well (10:00-22:00). It was cheep (washing 400 yen 30 min, dryer 100 yen 10 min). It was a standing washing machine (which I don’t really like) and we had a lot of laundry, so we went to another coin laundry 1 min walk from the hotel, which was good (washing 15 kg 30 min 800 yen, drying 10 min 100 yen). We didn’t use room cleaning, but every day we got a bag of towels on our door knob. It is around 10-15 min walk to the station. But it’s close to shopping streets and Iwaki park. It has a lot of restaurants close by. If you like all-you-can-drink there’s a lot of options close by as well. After check out we left our baggage for a couple of hours. It was no problem. The people at the hotel were very nice and polite. Overall we had a very nice stay at this hotel.

This Toyoko Inn is a bit far from JR Morioka Station, requiring a walk through an underpass, so it's not the most convenient. Unlike other Toyoko Inns, there are no welcome drinks or ramen offered in the evenings. Breakfast is also very standard, and the rooms are quite small. Overall, it's an average experience.

This hotel is really out-of-the-way; I'd recommend driving. It's mainly a place to go if you want to ski, as it's by a ski resort. I found the area to be very quiet. The hotel food was excellent, though you'll need some level of Japanese proficiency to effectively communicate with the staff. You can enjoy a bath in your room, or the hot springs downstairs. Overall quite nice, the rooms have a cottage feel.

The hotel was fantastic! Staff were all very friendly. Check in process was hassle free and easy. Housekeeping even hangs fresh towels and toiletries outside my room as I’ve indicated no cleaning required and that’s really nice of them. Location was marvellous! Located just right opposite the Morioka Shinkansen Station. Use the underpass to get across the streets. Elevators to the underpass is located near the bus station. So do not worry if you have bulky luggage. The room I stayed in is spacious even for 2 pax with big luggage. Water pressure and heater works well. There are plenty of food options in the areas and a McDonald at B1 of the small Mall across the street. Convenient store is just along the main road.

Would definitely stay again! Location: Right next to the station, and the bus stop for Kagura Ski Resort is right outside the door. Environment: Clean and the bed was comfortable. Amenities: They have a large public bath, and self-service luggage storage after check-out. Value: Great value for money, no complaints so far!

I had a very pleasant stay at Hotel Route‑Inn. The hotel is very convenient, located only about 5 minutes from the airport. The hotel and the room were clean and well maintained. The room size is compact but comfortable. One of the things I really liked was the large window in the room, which allowed me to relax and watch the snow falling outside — it was very beautiful and romantic. The breakfast was delicious with a good variety of food to choose from. There are also convenience stores, including a 7-Eleven, within about a 10-minute walk from the hotel, which makes everything very convenient. Overall, it was a comfortable stay and I would definitely recommend this hotel.

The Four Points by Sheraton Morioka is conveniently located very close to the JR station. Just exit West Exit and walk straight, then you can take the pedestrian bridge on the 3rd floor directly to the hotel's sign, take the elevator down, and you're there. The hotel is quite new, and my single room was well-designed; I could fit a 28-inch suitcase at the foot of the bed. The window opens, and the bed was comfortable. It was very quiet during my stay, likely due to lower occupancy, making it perfect for solo travelers. The only downside is that it's a bit of a walk to the nearest convenience store.

Since I was staying in the therapeutic bathing section, I didn't have high expectations for the facilities, so the room and environment were about what I expected. The refrigerator was in the shared kitchen for therapeutic bathing. The gas was the type where you insert 10 yen to use it ^_^ it was my first time experiencing that. I had meals included, so there were no problems. The rice was delicious, and although there weren't as many dishes as in a typical hot spring inn, I was satisfied. I felt that the side dishes were just the accompaniments around the rice. I was very satisfied with the meals. Of the four baths, the other three were cleaned up nicely, so I was personally dissatisfied. It's generally acceptable, though. Only the Shirozaru no Yu is a wonderful hot spring with old-fashioned charm. It's a mixed bath, but there are women's hours, so I went in 5 times during my 2-day stay. It's a hot spring by the river. Shirozaru no Yu is definitely worth visiting.

The hotel's location isn't super convenient, but it wasn't an issue for us since we were driving. Dinner was a semi-buffet, and we paid extra for a children's meal. The presentation was exquisite, and the food tasted great. The lobby had a free coffee machine, drinks dispenser, and popsicles available until 9 PM. Coincidentally, there was a group performance that evening, so after dinner, we grabbed a free coffee and enjoyed the show comfortably from the sofa. Breakfast in the morning was a buffet with a decent variety of options. Overall, it was a comfortable stay.