Hotele z: bar w Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

This hotel is about 1.5 km from Tsuruoka JR Station. The nearest bus stop is 'Science Park.' There's a direct bus from Yamagata Airport, but other bus connections are unavailable, making transportation a bit inconvenient; it's more suitable for those traveling by car. The hotel itself is newly renovated, surrounded by rice paddies, offering a beautiful and clean environment. Breakfast is a Japanese-style buffet featuring locally sourced ingredients. Dinner requires a reservation, as dining options nearby are limited to a convenience store. There are three dinner set menus, which I found a bit pricey, but the food was delicious, especially the bread and desserts. Service was, as always, attentive, and the hot spring facilities were excellent. The only downside is its relative distance from famous Tsuruoka attractions like the Dewa Sanzan mountains and Kamo Aquarium. It's also a bit far from the S-mall bus terminal and the JR station.

This ryokan-style hotel boasts a beautiful location on a snow-covered mountain, right next to a stunning ski resort. The accommodations are very convenient, featuring separate shower and toilet facilities within the room. There's also a private onsen available for a small fee, offering a wonderfully private outdoor bathing experience. The hotel provides excellent shuttle services to various destinations; you can easily request a ride to the Zao Ropeway to see the Snow Monsters, as well as to restaurants, the bus station, and more.

The hotel is quite old but very well-maintained. The onsen facilities are a bit lacking, but the quality of the hot spring water is genuinely good. I booked the Rian Sansui room with an open-air bath, but the staff informed me that it was just regular hot water and that I had to fill it myself. It felt like such a waste to have booked that room. Plus, the room was on the top floor, so I had to climb a lot of stairs, and then take off my shoes on the last floor before entering – it was quite exhausting. After checking out, the hotel dropped us off at the bus station. I didn't see the proprietress, only a welcome note.

After arriving at the bus stop, I found out that there are no taxis in the Zao Onsen area in the summer. I was in a pinch, so I called the inn and they arranged a free shuttle, which was very helpful! As soon as I got off the bus, a staff member greeted me with a smile and quickly carried my luggage into the inn. Once I arrived, all the staff were very polite and pleasant, leaving a very good impression! The man at the front desk was especially kind and warm, and his soft Yamagata accent was very soothing. The hot spring water temperature and quality were excellent, and the open-air bath allowed me to relax and unwind while feeling the nature. It was also very convenient to be able to watch YouTube and Netflix on the TV in my room. There was an event going on, so the menu was different from usual, but the food was excellent. Everything was delicious, and I was especially impressed by the large selection of fresh vegetables and the many options available, including one that catered to vegetarians and vegans! Overall, it was a wonderful inn, but there were some disappointments. Even though the room was renovated and comfortable, the unit bath was quite old and dated. Also, while soaking in the smaller of the two large (small) baths, the bath was so small that body soap and shampoo from people washing their bodies and hair kept getting into the hot spring, which was very unpleasant. It's a real shame to have such a wonderful hot spring bath only to be soaked in dirty water and soaps constantly seeping in. 😢 I really wish this smaller bath would be a private bath where only those who have thoroughly washed themselves in the larger large bath could enjoy a leisurely soak, eliminating the body soap and shampoo.

The room was a bit small, but it had all the necessary facilities and amenities. The staff were generally friendly and helpful. While the breakfast didn't offer a huge variety, the taste was quite agreeable. My only real complaint about breakfast was how crowded it got; I felt quite squeezed in with other guests, which made conversations awkward and a bit uncomfortable. Another minor issue was the strict check-in time. You couldn't get into your room until 3 PM, and checking in earlier required an additional fee.

They offer different wines throughout the day, which is a great choice for anyone who enjoys drinking. The private onsen is also highly recommended and worth experiencing. The entire hotel has a strong artistic vibe. The only downside to the public bath is that there's a building in the view, which feels a bit strange.

After getting off at Zao Onsen bus stop, turn right over the bridge and walk straight for about 6-7 minutes. It's really easy to find, right opposite the ropeway station, and just past the convenience store. Pictures 1 and 2 show the hotel exterior. It's a chain hotel, and both the food and service were excellent, very satisfying! 👍 The hot spring bath was absolutely fantastic. Even though the facilities are a bit dated, soaking in the old springs is so relaxing. It's perfectly suited for those coming to ski or hike.

Facilities: Average, not very new, but not bad. Hygiene: The sanitation is pretty good Environment: The town is very quiet, the snowy scenery is beautiful, and every household has a persimmon tree Service: The service needs to be improved. The guy at the front desk can hardly speak English and is not very enthusiastic, which is different from many Japanese hostels Dining: Dinner is not bad, quite rich, and the tableware is also beautiful Special praise for the free snacks and coffee in the lobby☕️

Right in front of the Sakata station  Our room is comfortable with very good panoramic Mountain View. While we staying, a space connected to the lobby there was an event selling local products such as sake, fresh produces, craft etc.  Very good breakfast Highly recommended. If you have time, Ken Domon museum of photography(just outside the city of Sakata) is a  must.

Driving is convenient, and while the hotel offered a shuttle service, we were greeted by a ********* person who spoke Mandarin. However, this service stopped in the evening, which wasn't a problem. Why did we only realize the communication issues later that evening? Because before going to sleep, we found a long-standing menstrual blood stain on the sheets 🙂↕️. Calling the front desk went unanswered, so we had to go downstairs to find them. The front desk staff looked exhausted and busy, but they eventually managed to get someone to come to our room to clean it up. There's a large public bath and private baths. A 45-minute reservation for a private bath seems to cost several thousand yen, but I wouldn't recommend booking one. The hairdryers and shower facilities are old-fashioned, and there's only one shower stall (though it's stated to be for a family of four). Long-haired women take longer to dry their hair, so it's useless for families with more than three people. We tried to book an extra 45 minutes, but it was fully booked. Everyone should go to the large public bath; you can see the outdoor scenery (there's an outdoor hot spring) even when it rains. The breakfast was super delicious. Would I come again? I'll think about it!