Kamenoi Besso

Traditional luxurious ryokan located conveniently at the far end of the main Yufuin tourist strip. The famous pond is the backyard. The room layout is a small tatami Japanese house. Your own small garden with inside and outside private baths. Big public bath also nice — like an atrium. Food was served in-room. Outstanding Kaiseki. Service was very good. A 1935 gramaphone concert after dinner in a small library. Old 78 rpm classic music — nostalgic analog sound taking you back in time.

My friend, who broke his arm just before, provided me with a wheelchair and was very kind to me. I had booked a Japanese-style room, but there were comfortable chairs, so I had no problem at all and enjoyed the time. The food was also very good.

Visited Kamenoi Besso some twenty years ago the first time. It was a very good memory. So I did not look at alternatives when decided to visit Yufuin again this time. It was a mistake. The hotel was still good, the ground was still beautiful, and the hotel still has the up class vibe. But the food was a disaster. We were waited at the reception and led to our room for the registration. The room was nice facing a nicely manicured private garden. There was a separate Japanese style bedroom and a bathroom with indoor onsen but with the garden view. The room itself is big but after we placed our luggage in the bedroom we were surprised to feel a bit cramped. The first night dinner had an acceptable menu, but the second night was a disaster. After the appetizer and a fish, it came with a large bowl of congee. Then dessert and finished. We were left half-full, and I was thinking going out to a Seven-Eleven for some night snacks. I know the rooms are detached villas and it is difficult to carry the food to individual villa to serve, I highly appreciate the hard work carried out by the waitress. But the chef has the ultimate responsibility if designing the menu and providing a quality food menu to its guests. We were extremely disappointed about the menu. Frankly I have never received such a shameful menu from an onsen hotel, however pricey or budget. Having said that, the public bath is a very good onsen and with an outdoor pool. One of the best I have ever visited. The hotel also possess a very bog garden where you can walk around, a tea house which will turn into a bar in the night time, a souvenir shop and a restaurant. Service level is still very high.