Kinugawa Grand Hotel Yume no Toki

My daughter and I stayed here together.We had a luggage issue before arriving at the Hotel and ended up arriving an hour late for dinner, but you kindly accommodated us, for which we are truly grateful.For the meal, although it was already past the time when it would normally have been served as a boxed meal, you were considerate enough to serve us as planned, and I was nearly moved to tears.Every dish was not only beautifully presented but also thoughtfully prepared with seasonal ingredients and flavors that guests of any age can enjoy. The seasoning and portions were just right, and everything was truly delicious.We chose the plan with breakfast included, and it was very lavish—yet never heavy—and before we knew it, we had finished everything. The rice was especially delicious; my daughter and I even said afterward that we should have asked for seconds.The Onsen bath was very clean, and it felt so wonderful that we forgot all about the day’s troubles. We also used the open-air bath; since it was a full moon that night, we enjoyed a blissful time soaking while looking at the moon peeking through the trees.The Room was very spacious, with a Japanese-style room plus a separate bedroom with beds. It’s a layout where you can relax in comfort in the Japanese-style room and then sleep soundly in bed afterward—something guests of any age can enjoy.Above all else, every member of staff provided outstanding service. When we arrived at Kinugawa Onsen Station there were hardly any taxis available, and we were worried about whether we could reach the Hotel on foot along dark roads. You picked us up by car from the station, which helped us tremendously.You also drove us to the station again the next day—thank you so much. Thanks to you, we made our scheduled train on time.Your kindness in every respect truly moved us.There are many Ryokan out there and we have stayed at several before, but this is a Hotel where we were satisfied with everything: staff service, cuisine, baths, and Rooms.This time it was only one night because there were other places we wanted to visit as well; however, if we travel to the Nikko area again next time, we will definitely choose this Hotel.And since we had your wonderful food rather hurriedly this time due to our late arrival (laugh), next time I’d like to arrive on schedule and savor each dish more slowly.We sincerely appreciate all your kindness. Thank you very much.We look forward to staying with you again in the future.

A typhoon meant we couldn’t go anywhere, but the weather around Kinugawa didn’t look too bad, so we made a last-minute same-day Reservation and stayed here. We usually stay at Asaya in Kinugawa, so this was our first visit.Staff were waiting at the driveway to greet us, and the welcome was very pleasant.Inside, it’s an older but lavish large-scale Showa-era Hotel. The courtyard garden was beautifully maintained and spotless.The Room was neither great nor bad—just standard—but it was spacious, which was nice.As for the Onsen, they switch between men and women, so the atmosphere differs. Both are spacious as you’d expect from a large Hotel. The first-floor baths were excellent: a scenic open-air bath and a strong sauna. The cold bath was lukewarm, but large and enjoyable.The basement level has no view and is surrounded by walls, so it can feel a bit enclosed. Still, there are thoughtful features like a deep open-air bath and another with a waterfall. Personally, I found the first-floor baths far better.And then the meals: the kaiseki served in a private sunken kotatsu room was carefully prepared with authentic flavors and proper dashi. There were many dishes and we were very satisfied. I expected breakfast would be good as well—and it truly was.OverallThe staff were consistently friendly, making our stay very comfortable.The property is spacious; it has that nostalgic charm of a classic large Hotel. The garden is beautiful, and the lobby is relaxing.The baths on the first floor are especially good.Above all else, the food stood out. To be honest I wasn’t expecting much—we came mainly to soak in the Onsen during heavy rain—but everything tasted great and really lifted my mood. I hope you keep up this quality and generous portions.Just an asideWe happened to overlap with a young group who took over part of the public bath area—about ten people moving in line from sauna → cold bath → Onsen—which felt quite stressful (laugh).It seems Kinugawa still has many wonderful Ryokan and Hotels like this one. I truly hope it regains its former liveliness like Atami once had. We will definitely return again soon—thank you very much.