Stasiun Gojō (Prefektur Nara) × Akomodasi Bernuansa ZenHotel·penginapan gaya Jepang dengan penilaian tinggi untuk mata air panas dan pemandian

Four of us women stayed in the Room called “Yomoyama.” As a corner Room, it had great views, and we loved the lush garden and the spacious Japanese-style Room set up as a summer tatami sitting area. Every attendant provided wonderful service, so we were able to relax and enjoy our stay. Dinner was thoughtfully prepared, and we enjoyed every dish. From 8:00 p.m., we took a walk in the garden to watch fireflies; since the weather was good, we saw many of them. It was a great trip where we could feel the charm of Japan in this historic and wonderful building.

I am writing only about the service. At check-in, there were two staff members at the front desk and one was available. I gave my name and said I was checking in, but a male staff member told me to “wait on that sofa, as we are guiding guests in order,” so I waited. It did look busy, but even after no one was at the front desk, no one came to assist me. When I asked a passing staff member whether it was still okay to keep waiting as instructed, a female staff member apologized sincerely and guided me right away. Her manner was very polite, which made me wonder why I had been told to wait in the first place. After entering the Room, when I tried to have tea, the teacup was slightly dirty (which could be washed), but when I emptied the teapot there was leftover tea still inside. When I called about it, the same female staff member came immediately and apologized profusely. She seemed so apologetic that it almost made me feel bad for her—so I couldn’t help thinking this should have been taken care of beforehand. The female staff member who served us at dinner and breakfast was perfect. In particular at breakfast she even showed us around the VIP room we were interested in, which truly impressed us. However, at checkout: I was told that in addition to drinks from dinner there would also be charges for souvenirs. Since we had not purchased any souvenirs, I asked to see an itemized statement. They said they had apparently added another guest’s charges by mistake; after removing those items they processed payment by card. In general, an itemized statement should be shown and confirmed before payment is taken—it is not normal for this to be handled only verbally. Especially since this became a minor dispute where I had to request proof of details first, it should have been presented immediately. Moreover, after payment they handed me only the card slip. Only after I requested it did they give me something like an itemized Receipt as well; normally customers should receive not only the card slip but also an itemized statement—especially when there has been a billing error like this. Because they handled all of this so casually, it felt pointless to continue arguing and I gave up requesting issuance of a Receipt. I am reporting this because there were both excellent aspects of service and aspects that were more than simply disappointing mixed together. I hope improvements will be made.

My long-held wish to visit Mount Koya finally came true for the first time, and thanks to being able to stay at Ekoin, it became an even more memorable experience. Starting with Ajikan meditation, I was able to do everything I had hoped for—sutra copying, morning prayers, the Goma fire ritual, and shojin ryori—making these two days truly precious. Thank you very much.