Hot Springs Hotels in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

The room is spacious and in traditional Japanese style. Was expecting a private onsen in the room but it was only a bathtub. The staff couldn’t communicate well in English which caused some misunderstanding during our stay but they’re friendly and responsible enough to solve the problem for us so it’s still a great experience overall. The breakfast was very traditional and got more and more abundant every day. We had a great 4nights stay in Hayamakan. The highlight has to be the nearby restaurants. The hotel will give you some recommendations nearby, please make sure you try some of them!

This hotel is excellent! I checked in a bit late, and a Filipino staff member was incredibly helpful, assisting with the check-in process and introducing all the facilities. On another note, I realized I had left something behind after checking out and called the hotel. It was the same staff member who answered and immediately helped arrange for my forgotten item to be mailed to my hotel in Sendai. I'm very grateful for the hotel's service and its warm-hearted staff. I also commend the hotel for its excellent staff training. The next time I return to Zao, I will definitely choose this hotel again. Not only that, but the hotel's facilities are also fantastic, especially the large public bath – soaking in the hot spring after a long day really helps to relieve fatigue!

The service was superb! I went to the wrong branch, and they arranged a car to take us to the correct one, saving me from walking in the heavy snow. They even helped me with my two large suitcases. The view from the window was stunning, and the hot springs were absolutely first-class. Both breakfast and dinner offered a wide variety of delicious options. The room was also very spacious.

Although the price of accommodation including one room and two meals is nearly NT$20,000, after personal experience, I really feel that this hotel is worth it... 1. When checking in, a dedicated person will deliver the luggage to the room. Guests can enjoy the beautiful Japanese garden in the lobby on the first floor while drinking coffee/green tea/matcha/drinks carefully prepared by the hotel. At this time, they can feel the hotel's care! 2. You can pre-select a dining time for dinner and breakfast the next day, and you can dine in a small private room with your roommate, and there is a dedicated person to serve you. The meals are exquisite and delicious, and the ingredients are all served in exquisite Japanese small utensils. After experiencing it, I feel that the money spent is worth it... Third, there are hot spring pools indoors and outdoors, and the hot springs are really flowing in them. The outdoor pools are very Japanese-style. It is a rare life enjoyment to be able to soak in the hot springs in the hot springs on snowy days! Fourth, there are only 22 rooms in the entire hotel, and the floors are all tatami. The beautiful scenery and good soup really make tourists relax and sigh, what more could they ask for in a husband!

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.

As it is a long-established luxury inn, there are no problems with the facilities or the service. However, one thing that bothered me was that I had to wait a long time for dinner when I went to the dining room at the designated time. There were no strings to fasten the sleeves of the yukata anymore. It may have been a coincidence, but it was a great disappointment for a luxury inn that I rarely go to.

A budget-friendly hotel, a bit old, but cozy. There's a welcome drink bar offering alcohol and tea. There's also a comic book area and a ping-pong table nearby. The public bath is great, with a large indoor pool and a small outdoor pool. Dinner was okay, not fancy, but thoughtfully prepared. It included beef, pork, sashimi, abalone, various vegetables, and desserts. I stayed there at the end of the year, so the price was relatively high, and the value for money was average. If you ignore the price, I was quite satisfied.

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.

Stay at Onochuan Hot Spring River Luzhuang for three days and two nights, great value to enjoy! Each person starts at about 30,000 yen, including the top Mize Niu room dinner and a rich breakfast, the meat is fresh and tender, and it is endless aftertaste. The source かけ flow し open air wind steaming, the beauty effect is first-class, and the bubble is completely warm. Private single-family and room quiet and comfortable, intimate service.

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.