Beautiful 1930s building in a glorious natural setting on the side of Mt. Nakane. The hotel operates like a traditional ryokan, so you will be allocated a staff member to look after you throughout your stay. All the staff were very professional, friendly and attentive. Dinner will be served by your staff member in your room, and they will diligently come and go as you eat to prepare each subsequent course. Breakfast was served in the banquet hall, and was always sitting out ready for you at the pre-arranged time in the morning. All the food changed daily and was of very high quality, with the majority of it being locally sourced. The Hida beef dishes especially were delicious. The hotel has two onsen on site, and you are provided the towels/yukata you'll need. There are many different activities and facilities available to keep you occupied, as well as a souvenir shop. Rooms, being traditional style, are very spacious and airy. The view from the higher floors of the mountains around Gero was beautiful, and although there was no air conditioning, the large windows could be opened wide. Some rooms have their own private onsen baths which are great for giving you the onsen experience if you're more self-conscious. Doors to these could be opened to the outside for the open-air bath experience. Futon beds will be set up very quickly in the evening by staff members, and I found them very comfortable. Opting for a room with a private toilet was better for convenience, not all rooms have their own bathroom facilities. Hotel bus will transport you to and from the JR station but be aware that pickups don't start until 2:30pm - if you arrive on the Hida express at 11am for example, you will have to pay for a taxi. Although it doesn't look far away, walking to the hotel is not an option, especially with luggage due to the steepness of the hillside.

Some parts of the room in the 1987-built section of the hotel felt dated, and could do with freshening up. Somewhat difficult to get to if your timings are wrong.

STUNNING. Right out of Spirited away, the onsens were beautiful we did the private onsens in the room as well as reserved one of the private ones downstairs. They were really wonderful. My husband did both of the public ones and said they were fully equipped and stunning. I did not see these as I do have tattoos. They did as if I could cover them so I think if you brought something to cover up (not bathing suits) you would be fine. They had a very convenient bus pick us up from the station and take us back. Dinner was huge and quite a stunning adventure as was breakfast?

We liked everything. The room bath, the public baths, the foot bath, the staff, the garden, everything was perfect!! The room was very spacious, and the view… If you don’t book the dinner don’t worry, you will not be hungry as there is a small restaurant in the hotel with a few dishes (snacks) on the menu and it’s not as pricy as that fancy Japanese dinner (but it’s probably not as big either :D)

We’ve enjoy the atmosphere and hospitality! Onsen and public bath experience was definitely something new! The hotel’s atmosphere, simple restaurant that service meals after 20.00 and a bar with karaoke were also a nice cherry on top. And having beautiful local garments at the room to be able to wear those in the hotel was another lovely surprise

It’s an old very authentic hotel so be prepared that it might smell sometimes accordingly. It might also become quite cold at night, so better keep conditioning turn on with a heating regime

The building was beautiful, the surrounding forest and garden were beautiful, the views were stunning, and it was such a luxury to have our own onsen and access to the hotel baths as well. We were lucky to have good weather, and it was so comfortable to keep the large window open and have a fresh breeze through a screen whenever we liked. All the staff we met were friendly, welcoming, and eager to explain things even when we didn’t speak the same language. The vegetarian breakfast was delicious and filling, and the two mornings we were there they offered some variety.

Not the fault of the hotel, but there was a very loud and annoying karaoke that echoed clearly up to the room from town at 10pm each night. It would have been nice to have been able to eat breakfast in the fresh air, or have a to-go option.

I'm so glad that we chose this accommodation despite reading many reviews from people unhappy with the age of the hotel. For our ryokan experience, it was important to go for something that felt traditional in the modern age, so this well-preserved and historic hotel was the right decision. Our stay here was unforgettably amazing. The staff were so hospitable and friendly. The hotel is so beautiful, with a lot of art, ceramics, and historical photographs displayed throughout the halls. It was so fun getting lost walking around inside and outside on the hotel grounds, collecting stamps and soaking in the beautiful architecture. The room we stayed in was gorgeous and had the most amazing view from the hillside down to the river in Gero City. Our dining experience was so unique and amazing, and felt like a completely new experience on our second night. The breakfast was also great, too! The onsen facilities were so relaxing. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to experience a relaxed, traditional Japanese stay in the mountains away from the busy cities.

The hotel is located up a hillside, so it would be difficult for those with mobility issues to go into town unless they take the shuttle that operates until the afternoon.

This was a great hotel with onsen. The person that helped us through and explain everything was Vi and she was so nice and helpful and spoke great English. The room was nice and spacious and had a great view. We opted for a private onsen in the room and that was the best decision ever. In the evening, they have people setup the futon for you to sleep in. The public indoor and outdoor onsen was also pretty big but the public outdoor one was really nice since it's set within the hill (men's onsen). If you ordered the kaiseki breakfast, it'll be in the dining hall, but if you order dinner, it will be in your room. The breakfast was great and had a nice sampling of foods. The shuttle ran pretty often during peak times and convenient. It runs from the train station to the hotel and vice versa. If you didn't take the shuttle then there's a walkway down the hill to the main city area that wasn't too bad but it was plenty of stairs and a little steep. Overall, great experience and highly recommended.

The hotel service is excellent. They helped us transfer our luggage from the train station to the hotel around 10 AM before check-in, saving us the cost of a coin locker. The staff member who showed us to our room was very friendly and provided us with a detailed introduction. The 11 AM check-out time gave us more time to enjoy our stay. The WiFi is super fast, over 400 Mbps.

The hot spring in the hotel was rather ordinary, and I didn't feel the significance of the 日本三大名湯 in Gero. The breakfast restaurant resembled a workers' canteen: cramped and without any windows.

This place was a dream come true for me. Gero was a little out of the way of the itinerary I had made for my husband and me, but I'm SO glad I made this stay work. I loved wondering the halls, exploring all the different rooms and views this place offers. We checked in late, but the staff was still so kind and friendly. Thankfully the front desk lady showed us to our room, as this place is a bit of a maze - but that's part of what made our stay so fun! There's something unique and beautiful around every corner. We did an in-room dinner and it was incredible! The food was delicious (absolutely worth the fairly high price), and the girl who brought each course to us was my favorite person I met in Japan (management, if you read this, know that Ami is the best!). We had an in-room open air bath and I would recommend the splurge on this too. These rooms are higher up, and the view over the mountains and Gero was beautiful. Our last morning there, it began to snow heavily, and I can't describe what it was like to sit in a hot bath with a fully open window to the frigid, falling snow outside. Magical! Monkeys! Right after breakfast on our first morning there, we looked out the windows across from the dining room and saw ~5-6 monkeys and a baby monkey! For the next hour or so, we found them all across the outside of the property. Be on the lookout, they apparently love the red berries!

If you have an in-room open air bath, there is no need to reserve a private bath downstairs. This may seem obvious, but based on a previous stay at a different ryokan, I thought it could be a cool additional experience. The private baths here are fine but nothing special, and if you've paid for a room with your own, there's no need to waste an hour (or take it from someone else) using the reserved ones downstairs. No fault of the property, just an FYI!

Our stay at this ryokan in Gero, Gifu, was truly memorable. The stunning garden, adorned with vibrant autumn leaves, set a serene tone from the moment we arrived. The traditional Japanese architecture added a timeless charm, while the in-room onsen, boasting breathtaking views, was pure luxury. The recent expansion with a new annex gave the facility a unique maze-like layout, which turned exploring the ryokan into an unexpectedly delightful adventure. Highly recommended for anyone seeking relaxation with a touch of tradition and charm!

NA