Ryokan Beniayu

This was my first stay, and everything was wonderful—the warm hospitality from the staff, the meals, and the Onsen.I also appreciated the thoughtful touches, such as providing fireworks.The Room was spacious and relaxing as well.If I had one request, since guests move around the entire property in socks or barefoot, it would be nice to have slippers available.Other than that, I was very satisfied and would love to stay again when traveling to Lake Biwa next time.

Overall, I think this is a good Ryokan. However, there were a few points that concerned me. First was the timing of the meal service. Enjoying a high-end Japanese kaiseki dinner is one of the greatest pleasures of staying at a Ryokan. I like to savor each dish slowly while hearing explanations about the ingredients and how it is prepared. However, I was surprised that dishes kept coming one after another without much explanation, even before we had finished the previous course. I do not mean to blame the attendant; I simply hope everyone can further refine their service so that attentive hospitality is consistently provided. Partway through, I asked them to be more mindful about timing and to provide slightly more detailed explanations.We had an arranged “Boku-nabe” at Benayu, and in particular the broth was excellent—the flavor and pleasant chewiness of eel matched well and it was delicious. The number of dishes was satisfying, but having udon followed by rice at the end felt a little unusual (though both were tasty). Since Boku-nabe is something you cannot easily find elsewhere, it made for great conversation.Another concern was the open-air bath in the Room. It was a nice bath, but outside the window is a road, and if someone passes by there is a possibility they could see you naked. As an older guest I personally would not mind much (and might even make others uncomfortable), but for women this would be different. It may be worth considering some countermeasures.The Room was clean, and although using the telescope took a bit of practice, we enjoyed it. All staff members left a good impression on us. The Onsen was also very nice. The view of Lake Biwa from the Ryokan is wonderful as well.