Everything. The pictures don’t do it justice. Do go for the room with private bath if you can. The dinner is superb. It’s ok if you have tattoos and don’t forget to book your 30 min of private onsen time as well (in the most beautiful bath IMO). Also 4 different public onsen. Two indoor and two outdoor ones separated by gender. Staff is lovely

Honestly we didn’t love the breakfast because it didn’t come with coffee. There was no place around to get a coffee which made it a bit difficult but overall to small of an issue to matter in the grand scheme of things. It was a lovely hotel with epic facilities

The hotel is very traditional. All the staff is very nice. The food was very good, but maybe too asian food for us, on breakfast they should have a more international option.

The pillows were too old and stained. They should publish in the webpage the suttle schedules so you can shedule your arrival and departure. The staff doesn’t speak very well english, so the communication was very difficult at times. VERY IMPORTANT: When we made the reservation, the room picture wasn’t the one that we purchased. You should re check the room specifications (even in the official page) so you don’t end up in dissapointment when you arrive to the hotel. It’s a very long travel to arrive to a room you did not wanted.

This was an experience that exceeded my expectations. A traditional room. The only reason I did not put top marks for comfy beds is because we slept on traditional futons. The location is so tranquil and beautiful. We had a private dining room for our banquet dinner and breakfast. We booked the traditional private onsen which is a must. Be warned its HOT. Everything was amazing.

There has been a hot springs inn on this site for over 1300 years, it sits on a winding mountain road with nothing else near it. As soon as I saw the view from my alcove, looking over a little burbling stream with the tall mountains in full autumn plumage rising beyond the stream, I started to relax. And when I had my first bath, in two pools in the big bath and then in the outdoor bath, I relaxed even further. This hotel is all about the onsen and the food, which was sublime. The staff were wonderful, and I do think they have taken omotenashi, the Japanese notion of hospitality, to new heights. I went there at the end of my trip to Japan, to rest and relax before flying home. However if you want to use this hotel as a base to visit places, you will need a car.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I can't believe we got to spend a few days here. It was an amazing break in the middle of our trip to Japan. Stepping into the hotel takes you to another world of quiet and relaxation. The staff was incredible and I haven't been that relaxed in ages. Those amazing dinners in a private room were the highlight of our trip, along with the onsen. The beds were traditional and incredibly comfortable, and I took more naps than I can count. This whole trip was peaceful, and I can't recommend and thank the staff at the hotel enough - they took great care of us and were so kind.

This onsen was nothing short of magical. The rooms were very traditional and incredibly charming. The food was exquisite and plentiful. We were able to completely immerse ourselves into Japanese tradition from the setting, the robes we got to wear, the sandals, and the private onsen available to be reserved. It was incredibly beautiful and we couldn't recommend it more.

Breakfast/ dinner was very good and well prepared. It’s not the common food you eat everyday: it was tasty, refined, and beautiful to see at the same time.

I liked all my stay in the Ryokan. If I could say anything as a critique, I would suggest to make at least two buses from/ to the Ryokan/ Minobu.

We chose this ryokan because itʻs the oldest continuously operated ryokan in Japan and the oldest hotel in the world. Itʻs no surprise that theyʻve been in business for so long because the service is exceptional as are the facilities, onsen and the exquisite food!! The ryokan is in the mountains with not much around, but itʻs ok because the point of going to a place like this is to stay on the property and enjoy the different hot springs, then relax to the sound of the river in your room. The meals alone were worth the price of our stay!

We loved everything!

Exceptionally clean, helpful and catering staff (when you can find them), bathroom amenities were generous, authentic ryokan despite not being in the original 1300-year-old site, amazing natural views of the river and alps, great baths (you have to try the outdoor ones), relaxing vibes. Wooden plank with your name in front of the hotel is a nice touch.

Private bath time a little too short at 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour to account for cleaning up. Not enough staff members (shouldn't take 3-5 mins to get a receptionist), quite hard to get to (about 3 hours travel time) with no transport options to nearby towns if you don't drive there. Aside from its prestige as the oldest running hotel, not much else justifies the price tag.

The location was beautiful. The staff were so accommodating. We arrived late as Google re-routed us and it took considerably longer to get to the hotel. They were so sweet and rushed us directly to the dining room as we were late for dinner (last seating is at 6pm) so we didn't get to dress for dinner - it was fantastic otherwise.

The furnishings are a little dated and were well used. Everything was clean and neat, just showing age and wear.