Kobe Hotels with Pools

I booked this hotel because it was touted as one of Asia's top 100 onsen hotels for 2025. However, apart from the hot springs being decent, every other aspect of the service was a massive letdown. To begin with, both the kaiseki dinner and the breakfast the following day were truly subpar. The room was dreadfully small. Furthermore, despite inquiring about kimonos (as there were none in the room) with both the front desk manager and a server, who assured us they would send them up shortly and even took our sizes, not a single kimono materialized by the time we checked out the next day. We paid over 7,000 RMB for a family tatami room for four, including breakfast and dinner. At this price point, anyone staying here is simply getting ripped off. There will absolutely not be a second visit, and I also sensed a certain unfriendliness towards Chinese guests.

The hotel is located in a somewhat remote area on a mountain, but they offer a shuttle service. We called the hotel from the visitor center, and a car arrived within minutes. Since we had stayed at another onsen hotel the previous night with luggage storage, we asked the driver if he could take us to collect our luggage before checking into Arima Princess Hotel. He readily agreed. The service was excellent. The hotel has indoor red bath (lighter) and silver bath, but unfortunately, there's no open-air bath. They also took us to the station when we left.

This hotel is recommended for family trips. While the entire building exudes a sense of history, both the exterior and interior are extremely luxurious, and the grounds are used lavishly. The hotel's abundant use of natural stone, particularly within the building, and its on-site wedding venue, highlight its former luxury status. While the hotel shows signs of age, it is well-maintained and clean. The hot spring water is rich and contains a high amount of iron, making it impossible to see the bottom of the tub, and the iron solidifies outside the bathtub. It was a memorable experience for hot spring lovers. The service was also very courteous, and despite our late check-in, we were accommodated promptly. Breakfast offered a wide selection of Japanese and Western dishes, a wide variety of drinks, and homemade dishes like scrambled eggs and simmered pumpkin. We were very satisfied with both the variety and the taste. Overall, the hotel offers excellent value for money. It's only about an hour from the Osaka Expo site, making it a recommended base for travelers from Kobe, especially during times when hotel prices in urban areas are soaring.