Mercure Hida Takayama

I have stayed at this Hotel many times since it opened. It’s a favorite of mine, packed with charm.The interior features abundant Hida-sourced wood, creating a calm atmosphere where warmth and luxury are beautifully balanced. Whether in the lobby or the guest Rooms, it’s comfortable everywhere.The Onsen is also outstanding, with blue mosaic tiles in the baths. They are not only visually beautiful but also pleasant to the touch, making it easy to truly unwind. There is an additional fee, but I especially recommend the private bath with a spacious deck—an indulgent experience in a fully private setting.Above all, my greatest pleasure here is dinner. This time, Perla caviar was served as an amuse-bouche—presented in the tin—which genuinely surprised me with its extravagance. From there, the course continued with spear squid, lobster, and Hida beef; every dish showcased superb ingredients along with the chef’s skill and sense of style. Each plate was moving in its own way—it was simply a wonderful time.The breakfast buffet is equally impressive. From local Takayama specialties to salmon marinade and their signature Hida beef curry, everything is so well executed that it hardly feels like typical Hotel breakfast—I was completely satisfied from the morning.Most memorable of all is the hospitality of the staff. Not only do they respond kindly and attentively whenever you need help, they also greet even casual travel conversations with warm smiles that make you feel truly welcome. If you stay here, I encourage you to chat with them—you’ll appreciate this Hotel even more.Room quality, Onsen, dining, and service—few Hotels deliver such a high level across every aspect. And despite that excellence, the Accommodation Fee is surprisingly reasonable; considering what you receive, the value for money is exceptional. For me, it’s one of my absolute favorite Hotels in Japan—one I will happily return to again and again.

From April 2 to 4, I stayed in a Privilege Double Room with my wife and our eldest son, who is turning three. I was originally scheduled to come to Takayama on business, so we extended our stay and did some sightseeing as well. The Room was small but practical and easy to use. I had requested a bed guard in advance, and it was properly set up. We were initially informed that the open-air bath in the large public bath would be unavailable, but on the day it seemed the issue had already been fixed, and we were able to enjoy the starry sky. Breakfast had a good variety, so even after two nights we didn’t get tired of it. The rice was delicious. We were also able to use the lounge as a Room benefit; it’s available from 14:00 to 18:00 and is perfect for an aperitif before dinner. It felt almost like traveling abroad—most guests were foreigners.Nothing particularly bad happened, but there were a few things that felt slightly different from what Japanese guests may be used to. With that in mind, here are some points I noticed.The private bath was great, but since it will often be used by more than one person, wouldn’t it be better to have one more washing station? Many Japanese people typically rinse their bodies before entering the tub as a matter of habit, but I saw several foreign guests getting into the large public bath without rinsing first. Adding another washing station in the private bath could help prevent this as well.Also, if guests are expected to bring towels from their Room to the large public bath area, it would be helpful if something like a dedicated basket or bag were provided in the Room. Carrying towels as-is feels a bit uncomfortable.I appreciate that there are no plastic amenities with SDGs in mind; however, mineral water being provided only in glass bottles with stoppers makes it extremely inconvenient to carry around. Unless this is intentionally designed so guests can’t take it out (to reduce consumption), how about using aluminum bottles instead?Regarding breakfast: even if you arrive before opening time to avoid crowds, foreign guests gather irregularly without forming a line, and people who arrive later sometimes enter first—which doesn’t feel very fair. I would have liked staff to manage this more clearly.Also, while both the menu selection and taste are good overall, perhaps due to how items are arranged there isn’t a clear flow of traffic around the buffet area; congestion builds easily and movement tends to stall. Some adjustments seem necessary.And if possible, offering takeaway coffee (and similar drinks) might also be nice.Since this is largely an Hotel for international travelers these points may be somewhat unavoidable—and I understand you may want to keep extra costs down—but I hope these can serve as suggestions for future improvements.