Takinoya Bekkan Tamanoyu

At the end of August, every place is fully booked, partly because it is a weekend stay. Since I came to the best hot spring resort in Hokkaido, I applied with meals. It's a big Inn, bathing and eating with a horde of people. Reservation at a small hotel. I didn't expect much because I was able to sign up relatively cheaply than other hotels with food, but what? The food is very good. The rooms and front desk are beautiful, and there are about 6 baths, but there is also an open-air bath with 20 m2 of fresh water. The water quality is milky white sulfur spring. The staff service and guidance are very satisfactory. Wi-Fi was pretty weak and I couldn't open it at night. We finally connected at dawn, but when we still connected two, one of them stopped. If there is only one improvement here, it will be perfect!

We wanted a more private ryokan experience with dinner served privately rather than a buffet so we chose this ryokan. It was a great experience although it cost a lot, I think the price is a bit steep for services or food provided. The good: the location is central, on the shopping street itself and very walkable to the Hell Valley. We arrived by car and there is free parking just across the ryokan. The ryokan is smallish so more personal. We were served dinner in a private room, very cozy and intimate compared to buffet with lots of other tourists in bigger hotels. There was no non smoking room but I was pleasantly surprised by the very clean air. The onsen is small one outdoor one indoor but we were the only people using it - just me and my three daughters and my husband next door in the man side - fantastic since it was our first onsen experience and we were worried about being in our birth suit. The shampoos etc was very good in the onsen. The not so good: It was quite hard to locate as the sign is not in English. It took us a while. The main course of the dinner was a disappointment, the grilled mackerel was dried and not piping hot. The same dish served at Onsen Ichiba just up the road was so much better. The other main course choice was pork which was average. The sashimi was a standout but for my hubby who doesn’t eat raw food the dinner was very mediocre despite the high price. Overall it was a great first onsen and ryokan experience.

Very warm and attentive welcome. I loved the food and the thermal onsen. All in all a good experience, with nothing to complain. In my opinion, a little bit overpriced. Maybe it has to do that it's in the vicinity of touristic Noboribetsu and that it was a Ryokan. Though I paid less in other Ryokans. The rooms were a bit old but very clean.