5-Star Hotels in Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Everything was great, good location, excellent value for money. It's located across from the river where Ukai (cormorant fishing) takes place, about a 15-minute walk from the boarding point. The breakfast was delicious.

The environment here is great, and the shuttle bus service is very convenient. The hot spring area has several indoor and outdoor pools of varying sizes, so even when it's crowded, people can spread out. However, there's a lot of room for improvement in the service. The shuttle bus driver on our return trip didn't help with luggage, and when there was an issue with our pre-booked meal, the restaurant staff's attitude was quite stiff. Thankfully, the Trip.com customer service was quick to respond, which somewhat alleviated the unpleasantness caused by these issues.

Wow my friend and I told ourselves that this was gonna be a little treat for us when we booked, knowing how steep the price was. But it was way more enjoyable than I had expected! We had not planned how to travel back from the hotel to Nagoya, so we just asked the front desk when we arrived. And the staff was so kind to share with us the timetable and modes of transportation available. (I conversed with her in Japanese). We went late at night for the onsen, around 11pm, and basically had to whole place to ourselves! There are 2 indoor pools and 3 outdoor pools, and the outdoor pools are must-tries!! Whole body was so relaxed after soaking in the onsen, and it relieved our weariness and sore from hiking. Buffet dinner and breakfast were awesome too! My friend is vegetarian and initially she worried that she might not have much options, but her worry was uncalled for, as they had a wide variety of food, all super delicious. We also loved the view from our room and also from the lobby… perfect onsen hotel experience for us.

This was my son's first experience in a Japanese traditional ryokan. According to him, the experience of just one night there was wonderful. As for me, I would like to be provided more service such as yukata for free, however, I was surprised that I had to pay an additional 700 yen for the yukata despite of the ryokan's high score. The hotel itself is quite large, there are an old main building and a new one connected to each other. There are two onsens in there. I particularly enjoyed the one named ”Fuga” (Tenryo no yu) located on the lowest floor. Everything was quite accurate, elegant and perfectly clean there. For dinner, we had a barbecue with local Hida beef. I tasted 3 kinds of local sake, premium quality, that was very nice. But most of all we enjoyed Hida beef sushi there. My son was very impressed by its softness, that quite literally melted on the tongue.

I highly recommend this onsen hotel! The environment, service, and food are all excellent. They have two outdoor private onsens and two indoor private onsens, all free of charge. The public outdoor onsen is also very large, and some rooms even come with their own onsen baths. After your bath, you can enjoy complimentary milk and cold drinks, and in the morning, Yakult. There's a sake happy hour in the evening, and free ramen for a late-night snack! I've stayed at over 20 onsen hotels, and this is the first time I've seen such generosity, haha. The hotel pays great attention to every detail, which is fantastic. For dinner, we chose the Hida beef kaiseki meal, which was also quite good. They offer a free shuttle service. I'll definitely stay here again next time I visit!

Many other reviews have already covered the good points: the drum-beating welcome at check-in offers a wonderful sense of ceremony, and they even helped me carry my luggage to the bus stop steps when I left. There are so many instances of truly authentic Japanese service that I struggled with my rating, honestly giving them a higher score than I initially intended (this sentence is a bit awkward). Now for the things I wasn't happy with: 1. One of the main reasons I booked this place was for the natural hot springs, but the bathing area lacked privacy compared to Dormy Inn hotels. It felt more like a family guesthouse I've stayed in, where the bathing and showering areas are all open and visible. 2. On two separate evenings, I encountered staff cleaning the public bath. I've stayed at various hot spring hotels, big and small, and usually, this kind of work is done when there are no guests around, right? The next day, I even saw an employee using the small towels provided for guests to wipe down the sinks... I was speechless. Even if it's standard practice, they should at least do it discreetly, away from guests! 3. This is the most frustrating point: At check-in, I had already indicated that I didn't need room cleaning or entry into my room. Yet, on the second evening, they knocked on the door and, without waiting for me to open it, directly unlocked my room with a key. I had already explained that the futon was set up yesterday and wasn't needed today, but they still rushed into the room to check... The environment, location, front desk staff, and driver were all excellent. I just hope the hotel's overall management can improve.

November 25, 2025 This was the most expensive and luxurious hotel I've ever stayed at. I was assigned to a 'Jing Suite' in the 'Kou Chu Jing' series. Although these suites aren't as newly renovated as the 'Heki Suites,' they come with a jacuzzi! I didn't even bother with the hotel's onsen because of it. My first jacuzzi experience was absolutely amazing. You pull down the blinds, lie back, and watch the small TV in the opposite bathroom, while powerful jets massage your feet. The toiletries were all Sekkisei or POLA (for use in the hotel only, not to be taken). All the drinks in the mini-fridge were complimentary and could be taken with you. Plus, there was a capsule coffee machine in the room with four free capsule coffee flavors. The view from the living room was fantastic. The toilet and bathroom were two separate rooms; the bathroom was closer to the bedroom, while the toilet was next to the living room outside. It had a motion-sensing light, so if you sat there for too long, you'd have to move or the light would turn off by itself 🤣. I called the hotel three days in advance to pay for an upgrade to the highest-tier 'All Hida Beef Dinner.' All the ingredients were Hida beef, and the menu even listed the cow's name and origin. You could also order à la carte from the hotel's partner sushi restaurant; I added sashimi and vinegar crab, and I was absolutely stuffed. Since I contacted them in advance, they provided a complimentary shuttle service to and from Takayama Station. Upon arrival at 12:30 PM, it was a mini-bus, and the driver (a kind older gentleman) was easy to spot, holding a whiteboard with my name written on it. For departure at around 2:00 PM, it was a fancy black sedan, which looked super luxurious. The Nepalese staff member, dressed in a kimono, escorted me to the room and explained everything in detail. The restaurant also had private rooms. For breakfast, you could choose between Japanese or Western. After much deliberation, I opted for the safe and popular Western breakfast because some of the ingredients in the Japanese breakfast were a bit too healthy and exotic for my taste. The most memorable item was the hotel's dashi-rolled omelet, which was incredibly delicious. Milk, orange juice, and tea were all free and unlimited during breakfast. It truly showed that you get what you pay for!

The hotel is beautifully situated by the river. It was snowing heavily when we checked in, and from our room window, we enjoyed beautiful views of the snow-covered town and the temple rooftops across the river. Every staff member was incredibly polite, and the hot springs, with both indoor and outdoor options, were very relaxing. Each guest party dines in a private room, offering serene views of a charming courtyard. Overall, it was a very satisfying stay.

The hotel upgraded my room, and I got to see the Nagara River, which was absolutely wonderful. There was a lovely old lady who spoke Chinese and helped us with charming guidance and service. On the first floor, they offer free coffee and tea, and before 5 PM, there's even complimentary white wine. The hotel also provides a twice-daily, half-hour Japanese guided tour of the old town, which is quite interesting. We pre-booked the cormorant fishing (Ukai) event organized by the hotel, and it was very traditional and distinctive. We walked from a special Ukai pathway down to the river and boarded the two exclusive hotel boats. We were incredibly lucky that evening; there weren't many boats, so the performance boat could come right up to ours for a close-up view. Before the main performance, there was a song and dance boat show, followed by three fireworks displays announcing the start of the Ukai show.

Amazing service and glamping experience. Highligh recommended. Peaceful and relaxing. Dinner table is set and entrees prepared fresh, main course is cooked ourselves on the prepared BBQ!