Meiseki No Yado Kagetsu

The gardens and lobby are beautiful and well thought out. The room was spacious and comfortable, with a nice view out in to the pond. The onsen and spa area was compact yet luxurious. The toiletries and amenities are plentiful. The meals were traditionally Japanese are very Instagram-worthy. A member of the staff helped with English translations while we were there. The hotel was quick to reply to inquiries and provided pick-up from the station.

As some reviews mentioned, away from the main lobby the carpets and furniture are faded and well-worn. The rooms have a slightly musty smell that may come from the mats but is not unbearable. I wish that the staff had told us more about ryokan living like how to wear the yukata, proper onsen etiquette and what exactly we were eating for breakfast and dinner. Sure, we can use Youtube and Google translate to figure these things out, it would greatly enhance our experience if a small pamphlet was provided for foreigners in order to avoid any cultural faux pas.

Staff were generally friendly. Not many speak english but then again, they should not really have to. You are in Japan. The onsen (hot springs) facilities were amazing and there is also a free table tennis area. The decor and hotel grounds are really beautiful. Probably the most unique you will ever find.

Too many room visits by staff. In an attempt to be helpful you often cannot get any rest. For example, being chased for breakfast, being asked for room clean (there are no do not disturb signs), then you get separately asked for towels or yukata changes. You can get up to 4/5 visits in a day. If you try to have an afternoon nap, forget about it.