Uminohana was a great escape from the city with beautiful views and delicious food. They pick you up in a van from the adorable Ajiro train station and take you up the hill. The staff were very nice, knowledgeable, and patient with our lack of Japanese language skills. We stayed in one of the villas that had private indoor and outdoor baths which was an incredible experience as the other baths need to be booked. If you don't book quickly you will end up with 11pm or later bath time. The terrace bath has incredible views of the bay and there are free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available. They are also very generous with the time you get to stay there (1.5 hours). One of us had a seafood allergy and the kitchen was GENEROUSLY accommodating. My first dinner had SO much delicious beef options that I felt bad I could not finish all of them. I messaged them to reduce the amount of food to not be wasteful and they obliged. I had one of the best steaks here that reminded me of my experience in Kobe. If you're up for it, venture down into the town. There is a Family Mart close by for some lunch-time snacks, but be prepared for the climb back up the hill. There are some cute confectionary and resale shops near the station and make sure to stop by for a snack and coffee at kabocha cafe across from Ajiro station.

Our private indoor bath stopped filling/heating at one point and the staff were able to fix it after our dinner. However, it was too hot after the fix. The mattresses felt a bit hard for our liking so we put the futons on top of them which was perfect.

I recently stayed at Ruykan and had a fantastic experience. The location was beautiful, set amidst stunning natural scenery, which made for a peaceful and relaxing environment. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and well-appointed, offering everything needed for a cozy stay. The staff were friendly and always willing to assist, making the check-in and check-out processes smooth and welcoming. One highlight was the food; the variety and quality exceeded my expectations, and each meal felt crafted with care. Overall, I highly recommend Ruykan to anyone looking for a quiet retreat in a beautiful setting!

I would mention that the private bath area had quite a few mosquitoes, which made it difficult to use comfortably at night. With a bit of pest control, this could be a perfect experience.

We had kaiseki meals for dinner and breakfast. All were superbly presented and delicious. Our room has a very nice ocean view and has two onsen baths (one outdoor; one indoor). We also enjoyed the hotel's large public bath which we reserved for private use. Location-wise, the hotel is just a 10-minute walk from Ajiro Station, but the roads going there are very steep so walking would have been difficult. But the hotel provided shuttle service. The hotel staff are very polite and accommodating.

The beddings are not very comfortable. They need to be upgraded. The mattress is too hard and uneven. The pillows are lumpy and uneven.

We had a fantastic time here! The staff was very welcoming and helpful, and the food was delicious. We really enjoyed the private baths and the incredible view from each one. Our room was very spacious and comfortable, and very clean. I'm super glad we stayed here. It was perfect!

Extras (additional food and drinks, or bath reservations) can be ordered via a QR code, but all of the information is in Japanese. This was not a problem for us, but if you aren't semi-fluent you might have a little trouble ordering. Most of it can be translated on your phone using Chrome or DeepL, but it would be helpful if there was an English option.

The architecture is amazing as each level is built on different slope of the mountain. Although this is not a new hotel. the management has kept the property clean and makes one feels like it is home cum leisure.

If you are driving a rental car, the slope heading up to the property is steep and road is narrow and windy. consider taking the property transport instead of self drive .

private hot spring bath in our room overlooking the bay and two additional private hot spring baths on the property. the omakase dinner and breakfast was amazing and the staff were patient and kind as it was our first traditional ryokan experience. For western travellers: it’s good to know some Japanese to communicate and use a translation app if you get stuck

Served by Park-San who had been taking great care of us. There was some miscommunications in the shuttle service resulting we walked a steep uphill route towing our luggage’s…. Will be great if they can speak and underestimate basic English.

The service was very attentive, all staff were very friendly and helpful. We did not speak Japanese but were able to communicate when we needed anything. The food was really good.

Lots of steps! Limited wine choice.

Food hospitality by the staff and the stay was amazing!

The friendly accommodating staff, cleanliness of room, private tubs.