Oyado Kinkiyu Annex Suzukazura

This trip was a relaxing getaway with my elderly mother. We are grateful for the thoughtful care from everyone at Suiou.At check-in, they noticed my mother using a cane. For bathing, they told us it can be slippery and that she was welcome to bring her cane into the Onsen. At meals, both breakfast and dinner, when we went to the restaurant they prepared a nearby seat for us, and they also let my mother use a cart to carry her food.Their kind words warmed our hearts. The only disappointment was that there were stairs at the entrances to the Onsen and the Living Café, but my mother seemed very satisfied.All of the food was delicious, and we could faintly see Mt. Iou from our Room window—making it a wonderful trip. We promised to come again next year if we are well enough.Thank you so much to all of the staff.

We chose Kawayu Onsen as a place to stay while traveling from Abashiri to Lake Akan, and it turned out to be absolutely the right choice.The location is especially great. Until we stayed here, I didn’t realize Mount Io was this close, but after checkout we arrived there in just a few minutes by car. Since Abashiri and Lake Akan are quite far apart, I highly recommend an itinerary that includes one night in Kawayu Onsen along the way.We were also very satisfied with the Onsen. When I used the open-air bath, there happened to be no one else there, so I could relax and enjoy it at my own pace. The atmosphere of the open-air bath with its large rocks was wonderful as well.What exceeded my expectations most this time was the dinner buffet. There was an amazing variety of dishes, and I especially enjoyed plenty of crab legs (lol). Starting with “Mount Io Steamed,” inspired by Mount Io, there were many distinctive Hokkaido-style dishes. The red-fleshed melon and milk soft-serve ice cream were also delicious and memorable. The food was replenished properly throughout, so overall we were extremely satisfied with the meal.That said, for us the dinner time slot felt a bit short. It looked like there were enough seats available, so we would have been even happier with a schedule that allowed more time to enjoy dinner at a relaxed pace. Even so—considering the quality, variety, and replenishment—I’d still give dinner full marks.On the other hand, we found the lounge a little disappointing. There was a wide selection of alcohol and many guests seemed to enjoy it, but since I don’t drink alcohol I didn’t have many opportunities to use it. When I stopped by at night, most of the snacks and light bites were already gone and hadn’t been refilled; it would be great if there were more sweets and light snacks available for non-drinkers too.The guest room was spacious; while parts of the building do feel somewhat dated, everything around the bed area was arranged in a practical way—and being able to charge devices right by the pillow was convenient. The Hotel itself is large as well, and shared spaces like the lobby feel open and airy.Outside the Hotel there are also small spots where you can take in an Onsen-town atmosphere on foot. This time we only took photos, but if you have extra time it could be nice for a stroll—though since majestic Mount Io is so close by, I definitely recommend visiting that too.