Our family stayed for 4 days and 3 nights, and overall, everything was wonderful.
The rooms were clean, and the hot spring facilities were well-prepared and easy to use. I must emphasize that the dining experience was the best among all the ryokans I have ever visited. In particular, the taste and service level of the dinner Kaiseki were absolutely perfect. While most of the reception staff spoke little English and we had to communicate via translation apps, this was not an issue as I am the one who does not speak Japanese well.
However, we experienced a significant issue on our departure day regarding the airport limousine bus at around 7:45 AM. Despite checking multiple times with different staff members, I received conflicting information. Some said they would drop us off at Kotohira Station at 7:20 AM by the hotel’s bus and we can catch the limousine bus there, while others said we could simply take the first bus from right next to the hotel at 7:45 AM.
When I checked again early on the morning of our departure, I was told that we can just wait next to the hotel.
As a family of nine, smooth transportation was our top priority. In the end, the limousine bus never arrived. The hotel staff kept repeating that they could not get through to the bus company, which was incredibly frustrating.
We eventually had to take a combination of the subway, bus, and Uber (since we were dropped off in a remote area where taxis were unavailable) to make it to the airport just in time. While the stay itself was lovely, this final experience was deeply unpleasant and stressful.
