The breakfasts and dinners were outstanding - exceeded my expectations at the Ryokan. The four public baths can be used privately on a first come, first served basis and it felt like a luxury to share a large hot spring bath with my partner. The staff, with little english, communicated with us as best they could given we had next to no Japanese. My partner had help with the fitting of het Yukata and the last doing this spent a significant amount of time making sure it was just right.

The one thing I would comment on is that it would have been very helpful for the maids, delivering the in room meals, to demonstrate how the constituent parts should be eaten. The food is excellent, and whilst eating most aspects of the meal are self-evident, which accompanying sauces should be used with which dishes, or how certain side dishes should be approached or combined is not always clear. Given the array of dishes laid out in our absence, it wasn't immediately apparent to us what we weren't sure of until they had left. This could be achieved by a brief physical indication, overcoming the language barrier. We didn't want to get it wrong given the quality of the meal provided.

We stayed two nights, the first in a Junior Suite as cheaper rooms weren't available. The suite had recently been refurbished and was lovely--big living and sleeping area (raised bed, not futons), separate shower and bathroom area. The second night we had a standard room, which was very dated, clean, but had seen better days. I hope they have plans to refurb these as well as it was a big downgrade from the suite. But the cheaper room meant we could afford to have the in-room snow crab dinner. A lot of crab... The hotel lets you choose from some lovely yukata and robes and gives you geta to wear to the many onsen in town, which are a short (5-10 mins) walk. And best of all has its own private onsens that you can use. A bonus for us was a room with a washing machine/dryer. Very nice Japanese breakfast in the main breakfast room.

The suite was at the front looking out onto the street, so you could hear some street noise. The standard room is a significant downgrade in terms of (obviously size but also) decor and facilities, and is very dated.

Loved this traditional Japanese ryoken experience. We stayed in two ryoken stays in Kinosaki and this was the clear favourite. The yakuta they provided to us during our stay was really beautiful and comfortable. They have multiple private onsens which are free to use - and also provide ice lollies as refreshment after the onsen. The rooms were cozy and all amenities were provided. Location was another big plus - a 2-3 minute walk to the Kinosaki railway station which was very convenient for us as we had an early morning train at 7 am. Would definitely recommend this place. Could not try their dinner experience though.

Nothing.

It was an incredible place to stay. Just a few minutes walk from the station, first impressions were great and check-in was friendly and efficient. Our room was huge with a separate sleeping area, beautiful design and nice perks like free drinks in the fridge as well as a matcha tea set. Yukata were provided along with instructions for how to wear them. The hotel’s 4 private onsens were stunning. They could be used both in the evening and the next morning. We didn’t have dinner but breakfast was incredible, it was beautifully presented and tasted delicious! All of the staff were polite and friendly and happy to help. All of the public baths, shops, restaurants etc of Kinosaki Onsen are right at the hotel’s doorstep. It was a wonderful place to stay and I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a true Japanese experience.

Nothing - it was awesome!

Breakfast was delicious, alot of food. We stayed 2 nights and were provided a different mix for breakfast the second morning. There are 4 private onsen, no reservations just turn up and wait for one to be free if in use. There is a lounge area to wait which also has ice cold water and ice blocks for after an onsen. 2 large and luxurious onsen, another of a decent size for 2 people and the last one is a good size for a single person. Females can choose a colored yukata (cotton kimono) to wear around town. There is also traditional socks and sandles to wear. Our room had its own toilet and sink. There doesn't seem to be any showers only those in the onsen. Beds are traditional futons, I've slept on more comfortable futons but they were OK. Lovely green tea provided and a kettle. We had a small area overlooking the street with comfortable seats.

The room we had faced the street and shook when a van or bus went passed. At first I thought it was earthquakes, not a good feeling. Once we realised what was causing it we could relax. We were on the 3rd floor and the stairs are steep, was a bit of a challenge bringing our suitcases down. I found the slippers provided dangerous on the stairs.

This property is incredibly beautiful and is about a 5 min walk away from the train station in Kinosaki. We showed up early and they held our bags while we explored the city before check in. Once we came back to check in, our bags were already in the room. They gave us a tour of the property which includes a main dining area for your dinner or breakfast if you included that in the booking and four private onsens for the guests to use on a first come first serve basis. We used the private onsens a number of times and there was always at least one available. We booked the suite and it was a stunning, huge room. There was a sitting desk area, an enormous living room with a couch and TV (first couch I’ve seen in a ryokan style room), separate bedroom area with two full size futon mattresses on the floor, a kitchenette, and a large bathroom with a shower. The property was a nice mixture of traditional Japanese ryokan and modern amenities. They give you beautiful Yukatas to wear throughout the town; women get to pick a color design of their choosing, and they give you wooden slippers to wear out on the street. As part of your booking, you also receive a lanyard with a QR code to grant you access to all of the public onsens within Kinosaki. They have a guidebook in the room which included recommendations for places to eat. We went to a local Oden restaurant and it was one of my favorite meals in Japan. There are many restaurant and cafe options within a short walking distance as well as a 24 hr Family Mart just down the street. We included the traditional Japanese breakfast in the booking and I highly recommend it as it was delicious. The staff were extremely kind and accommodating and the property also has a washing machine and a microwave to use.

Nothing

We absolutely loved experiencing a traditional ryokan. Initially we were a little apprehensive about the cost, but when there and experiencing the facilities and service we thought it was excellent value for money. We loved the private baths that despite being given a free pass (which came with the Mikuniya booking) to all the neighbouring bath houses we chose to only use Mikuniya's private baths. Lovely details that included a frozen ice lolly drawer that you could help yourself to after your bath, and the showering products smelt absolutely divine! They offered yukatas to wear, with the option for women to choose additional ones from their collection of patterned colourful yukatas. The food was fantastic, full of wonderful flavours and presented beautifully. The service was exceptional, the food serving staff made us feel very special. We loved the design details; the beautiful bowls each with their own unique design, even the chopstick stands were never the same for each meal. The main bedroom/sitting room with balcony was beautiful, so lovely to stay in a traditional Japanese room.

Because dinner is served in the room, the smell of the food tends to linger. It would be great to have the option of having some essential oils to improve the fragrance of the rooms.

We had an unforgettable stay at this wonderful ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen. We stayed in a traditional tatami room, and the futons were laid out for us after dinner—everything felt authentic, clean, and comfortable. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive, making the whole experience seamless and relaxing from start to finish. We enjoyed both the traditional kaiseki dinner and the Japanese-style breakfast, which were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. One of the real highlights was the hotel's four private onsens—each one was stunning and varied in size and design, offering a peaceful and luxurious experience. This was hands down one of the best hotels we stayed at during our time in Japan. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a traditional and memorable onsen experience!

We booked last minute for Kinosaki onsen from Kyoto and whilst on the higher end cost for one night, we thought it would be worth it as a nice night away. We loved the little town and the location of the hotel was easy to find (look for the Big Crab on the main street). It was our first onsen experience and we didn't know what to expect. We arrived at 2pm from the train (only a 5 min walk from train station) but it was obvious that they were not ready to attend to you before check-in, so we waited until 3pm. Once we got checked-in, they let the women choose their yukatas and we were given the QR passes for the 7-onsens as well as a map. Note that some onesens are closed certain days of the week! One staff member, Han, was very helpful and her English was really good. Not all of the staff speak English. The room itself is a large traditional room with tatami floors. It was clean and well appointed with a floor table for teatime. They convert the room into a bedroom by putting out floor futons for sleeping. There is a toilet but no shower/bath, as you're meant to use the hotel's showering rooms/private onsen. The BEST part are the 4x private baths. You don't have to reserve a timeslot but you can just use them whenever they are available, no time limit. We checked out two in the evening after the public onsens, then again in the morning. This was the best part for us since my partner didn't enjoy the public baths very much. They were beautiful baths for soaking, with large windows that faced a small garden, and they also offered all of the amenities of a reg hotel bathroom (shampoo, conditioner, soap, body lotion, as well as brushes, toothbrushes etc).

Although we left the sign on our door to make the bed, we came back in the evening (around 11pm) and the bed wasn't made. There was no one at the front desk and we were shy to ring the bell. The place is very quiet and we didn't want to wake up other guests so we made the bed ourselves to the best of our ability. They apologized the next day when we told them. We found the timings made the morning seem really rushed: Private Baths available 6:30-9:30, breakfast available between 8-8:30, and checkout was at 10am. So there was no sleeping in, or relaxing in the room after breakfast.

Mikuniya is a 5-star resort. Everything from arrival/check-in to check-out is handled with great care and attention to detail. The rooms are beautiful with lovely tatami mats and a seating area that I enjoyed in the evenings. The very comfortable futon was prepared by the staff each night and then put away each morning while you are away at breakfast. Dinner was served in the room each night, kaiseki style. The flavors, textures and colors were exquisitely prepared by the chef. These were meals like I had nowhere else in Japan - simply incredible! Dinner the first night included Shabu Shabu Tajima beef, crab, sashimi, tempura, spanish mackerel and more. The second night's dinner was just as incredible. For the "onsen hopping" experience, you are provided with a takaya, belt/obi, slippers, towels, etc. for use in the onsens. Then just follow the easy to read map and stroll around town enjoying the incredible hot baths. Truth be told, I only managed to complete 3 in one day - I took my time and they are HOT! Be prepared! But it's a great experience. The hotel has 4 of its own private onsens which I used 2 different times. It's convenient to have them at the hotel - I used one the morning of checkout because I didn't want to walk to another one in town. The staff at Mikuniya are so kind and helpful with anything you need - from the wonderful dinner service to helping with check-in, or even helping to tie obi sash. I would highly recommend the hotel. It's a bit on the expensive side, but definitely worth a splurge in this wonderful town. It's a unique magical experience.