Arima Hot Spring Ryokan Hanamusubi

I booked a plan with a room-sized hot spring bath in a sale email from a certain travel site. A few days later, I received another sale email with a price of almost half the price for an adult secret base without a bath. I understand that the standard price for Arima Onsen is about 100,000 yen for two people, so I was a little worried about the low price, but they only allowed two groups per day, so I thought it was a great deal. The room we were shown was small, like they had squeezed two people into a single room. The hot springs and food were the main attractions, so I didn't mind that. The digital pamphlet in the room said, "The food will be upgraded depending on the price of the room." I think the email said it was just about the small room, but... I imagine the food was twice as luxurious...? ? I think the secret base plan is probably overwhelmingly better value for money. It's described as a 4-star hotel, but I wonder if that's just the price. There was only a cold water dispenser after taking a bath, and the amenities were listed as available from here but there were only four types, so I thought why not just leave them in the room? There was also a pillow selection area, but there was no information about it. A business hotel? There was no coffee service in the lounge, and no Insta-coffee in the rooms. The staff were all young women, unusually for a hot spring resort with a shortage of staff, and I didn't see any technical trainees. Perhaps they were focusing on weekends, but there seemed to be too many for a weekday. Everyone was cheerful and energetic. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the hot spring was quite average. I had higher expectations than I would have expected from one of Japan's three most famous hot springs.

I went there by car. The parking lot is opposite the multi-storey car park and the inn. It may be a little narrow if you go with a large car. Parking is available after 10am on the day of the stay. Check-in was at 3pm, but I arrived early because it gets crowded on the days before holidays in Arima Onsen. After a walk, I returned to the inn at 2pm. They made me wait at the front desk for an hour. 10 minutes before check-in, a male staff member explained the facilities and emergency exits while saying the unnecessary words, "It's a little early." At this kind of inn, they would welcome you with tea and sweets, but they must be short-staffed. The room had an open-air bath. There was a massage chair, which I was satisfied with, but unlike the image I saw beforehand, there was a sheet on the mattress. It was so thin that I wondered if they forgot the futon. For dinner, they served me beef and sashimi that were almost scraps, perhaps because they were conscious of profit. The white rice was not washed properly and smelled like rice bran. The broth tasted like second-best broth, perhaps because they made a mistake. I was asleep early in the morning, and was woken up by the deafening sound of someone dropping a plate while preparing breakfast. The squid sashimi was all messed up, probably because the plate was dropped. When I checked out, they gave it to me without putting it in an envelope. Not even a single "thank you." The worst part was that even though there were three people at the entrance, they didn't help me carry my luggage. The family next door pretended not to see and helped me. The customer service skills of the older women were good, but the customer service skills of the younger women were terrible. I felt that this is how traditions are dying out. There are other good inns in Arima. Inns that cannot combine hot springs, food, and customer service are the worst. I was disappointed.

Acceptable distance (10 minutes walk) to bus station. Construction site outside but definitely not affected. Private onsen (金湯) in room available. Food of in-room dining is wonderful, so as the breakfast. Staff with limited English ability, can manage to understand our instruction. They are very helpful and care-taking. Recommended for couple or small family.