BED'n ONSEN HAMMOND - Hammond -

I booked a same-day stay with No Meals Included because I mainly wanted to soak in Zao’s powerful Onsen rather than focus on meals. The system was a bit confusing at first, but it seems like a good setup for guests looking for a therapeutic Onsen stay or those who prefer minimal contact, and I could see the effort to reduce costs. The Room air conditioner is basic, but it worked well enough and I was satisfied. I was also surprised to see some guests cooking for themselves in the kitchen. One thing I noticed is that the in-room slippers are used when going outside the Room; sandals would be preferable for that purpose. I would like to stay here again when I visit Zao.

On short notice, I booked a same-day stay with No Meals Included. After making the Reservation, I immediately received an email with dining information, even though this Accommodation is originally No Meals Included. I was able to book breakfast and dinner smoothly at restaurants in the Onsen town and for breakfast at a Hotel. It seems many other hotels also encourage guests to stay without meals and dine out in the Onsen town, likely to help revitalize the area.The Hotel has a self-cooking space that appears to have once been a bar counter, equipped with an IH cooktop, microwave, toaster oven, seasonings, tableware, frying pans, and pots—so you can cook for yourself and even make breakfast. There was also a convenience store nearby, and Costco is about 20 minutes away.The Room had been renovated and was clean—a typical standard Japanese-style room. The futon was fluffy as well. The Hotel’s Onsen was a milky white cloudy spring. The included pass for visiting seven other hotels’ Onsens was great fun; every bath I tried had the same cloudy water—absolutely wonderful.With such reasonable rates, I’d like to come back for a Multiple Night Stay and enjoy onsen-hopping at a relaxed pace. Zao Onsen in Yamagata is truly irresistible for onsen lovers.