We went there to celebrate our 10th anniversary, and honestly, it was so magical I’m not sure words can do it justice. The food? Absolute perfection. Not your typical tiny experimental Michelin bites—this was real food, bursting with flavor, creativity, and joy. The wine pairings elevated everything even more. The chef was incredibly attentive and made us feel truly special. The service? Flawless. After dinner, we moved to the bar where—plot twist—you get to mix your own cocktail, all while smooth jazz plays in the background. Our room? Apparently, even Emperor once stayed there. Historical charm meets modern comfort in the best possible way. Breakfast was equally delightful, and the cherry blossom in the garden was in full bloom—pure magic. The atmosphere was quiet and serene. Only downside: the surrounding area doesn’t offer much to explore—but honestly, who wants to leave a fairytale anyway?

From the moment we were first welcomed to this Ryokan we experienced an exceptionally warm, friendly and professional service from all members of the team. Rooms were beautiful and spacious. The private bathroom was wonderful. The restaurant really completed the experience - top quality food complimented (in our case) by a wine pairing. Dinner is strongly influenced by French cooking but with a Japanese twist. We were seated looking on to the open kitched with great interaction with the team of chefs. This was our last stop in our 28 day trip to Japan and was one of the very best. We took the breakfast plus dinner option and for the quality would consider it excellent value. A definite recommendation to anyone

Absolutely nothing

Had an overnight stay with my girlfriend. From the greeting straight out of the taxi, the introduction to the grounds and our room (a whole second story with a view overlooking the ryokan and water!), to the friendly farewell, the experience was exceptional and the staff beyond excellent. The dinner was a surreal pleasure, the highlight of the stay. We could only wish we could stay longer. For us, completely worth it for the price as a special treat.

Authentic,beautiful gardens and the best food in Japan. The kitchen is outstanding,the food is thoughtful and prepared before your eyes and then served superbly. I can’t praise the chef enough. The matched wines were also perfect. It is amazing value but whatever the price it is the quality that counts. Simply exceptional.

You need to travel to the town, a car would be the best option. But it is a beautiful place to visit and stay

This is genuinely one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in. The staff at the ryokan went above and beyond, from greeting me at the entrance to curating a dinner menu based on my dietary needs.

Nothing

We liked everything! One of the best decisions we made to stay overnight at the Ryokan Onomichi Nishiyama. The staff was fantastic and went out of their way to make sure our stay was perfect. We were also pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the dinner and breakfast which were included with our booking.

Some outside seating areas would have been nice, instead of always having to be inside a building.

we had an excellent stay! the staff was super friendly, the food was superbe including great wine and excellent service. we loved it!

Beautiful oasis of calm amid bustling city outside

Location slightly outside of main city centre, bus service infrequent on weekend. Standard twin room did have attached bathroom (but you could book time in shared onsen bath was nice)

Enjoyed the hotel as it was fairly new. Upkeep was excellent and the half board was excellent as well. The private hot water pool was great including and outdoor pool.

Nil

Dinner was superb. Deserves Michelin star