Hodakaso Yamano Hotel

This hotel is a jem. We travelled with a 6 year old child and wanted a mix between a laid back atmosphere to accomodate him and traditional Japanese ryokan elements. This hotel delivered. 1. The onsen was outstanding. We were able to get a private everytime we wanted one for our family, but even the public were never very full. The view of the mountains in the snow was ideal. 2. The staff was amazing and helpful, even though we didn't speak japanese and they didn't speak english. They were patient with us using google translate. 3. Meals were traditional and fantastic. I may not be the most discerning of traditional ryokan meals (though i have stayed at a small high-end family run ryokan before), but you get the multi-course experience if that is what you are looking for. Be aware there is no alternative available. We had been worried about that and the fact that they dont offer lunch (and we had no car). But they had a store that sold pretty good instant ramen and chips etc. 4. We took the nohibus and it was no problem. We had been concerned about having no car but it was fine. The hotel offered us a shuttle to the ropeway and would have picked us up (but we took the bus back). There is no longer a shuttle to or from Takayama but it wasn't an issue. Overall we were thrilled with the hotel. We had been nervous about getting there without a car, finding food, and having a very active 6 year old boy at the hotel and onsen, but it was perfect. I would describe it as a ski-chalet type hotel with lots of fun little areas to sit by a fire, mixed with traditional rooms, meals, and onsen. The staff went above and beyond to address all of our many many questions :)

Very original never seen anywhere else experience. The Onsens are the local attraction, but here they are in the hotel, non mix indoor and outdoor, and outside the hotel, after crossing the street and taking a very entertaining funicular, the an outdoor mix onsen, widely opened to an astonishing view to the mointains, still part of the hotel property. The breakfast and diner included are very practical but also highly luxurious, kind of 15 courses meal, both. The crew makes you feel like princes/ses, greatly professional and kindly helpful. The bedroom is a true traditional japanese experience, for the design but also for the kimonos ready for the whole family, with all its pieces and steps explained. Where to wear which shoes, the hotel providing all type of shoes, for indoor outdoor, front slippers to wooden flip flops, up to mountain boots. You also learn how to bath/wash as a traditional japanese. It was fantastic and unforgettable, while fun and educational, and a great family bonding time over discovery excitement. The shinhotaka ropeway makes it even more unforgettable, especially in snow, double the fun, It was Christmas, a true gift to cherish.

This was a nice ryokan in the mountains with several baths. The scenery was amazing. Obviously, it can be a bit challenging to get to without a car, though it's possible. If you drive, they will valet park you for free. My Japanese is limited but as far as I could tell this is mandatory. Speaking of limited Japanese, the hotel was easy to get around in because they had quite a few English speakers. It's in the mountains so there will be fewer than in the cities though. The resort is dated but clean. It's actually nice if you're looking for a bit of a classic vibe. The mixed outdoor baths were nice for my partner and I. It's hard to find that in Japan. You have to wear these shorts and dress-like garment, not your own swimsuit. There are a few private baths that cost 1000 yen for 30 minutes. Very much worth it! But be aware, you need to pick up the key from the front desk first before going to the bath for your reserved timeslot. The mixed baths and private baths are across the street and down some stairs in the forest. It's worth it because the view from the onsen outside is magical. But at night it's a bit creepy, though still safe. You can also take this tiny on demand funicular down and up. Very useful! Checkout is at 10 am and they mean it. They temporarily close the baths and start cleaning the rooms very promptly at 10 am so don't assume you can take your time and leave around 10 or a bit later. You're pretty encouraged to leave right at 10. The Shinhotaka Ropeway is very close by which was very nice as well! Just an 8 min drive or so.

We booked this hotel mainly for their mixed onsen (it is a little walk outside the hotel down some steep steps towards the river), and it was absolutely beautiful both in the evening and morning, the highlight of our trip to Japan. The evening meal and breakfast (we opted for the Hida beef upgrade) was also really well done and we enjoyed the experience.

Amazing facilities with beautiful mens and women’s onsens + a mixed gender onsen and private onsens. The apartments were clean and had everything we needed. Overall the stay was great value as well compared to other similar hotels we have stayed in. The best part of the experience was the food. They easily made incredible vegan food to accommodate our dietary needs, with deluxe multi course balanced meals for breakfast and dinner.