Ryokan Shinsen

Seeing its high ratings and being listed among Asia's top 100 hotels, I specifically booked a room with an open-air bath. The price wasn't cheap, costing about 13,000 for two nights. Upon check-in, I found the room didn't have an open-air bath, nor did the bathtub have hot spring water. To make matters worse, the hotel didn't even have a large public bathhouse, which was incredibly disappointing – I felt completely deceived. The hotel staff were polite but slow; it took nearly an hour for them to understand the situation, only to say they didn't know where the mistake was, but that the room type I booked was simply unavailable. Finally, they gave me an older room that probably isn't rented out often (the faucets were old and had no hot water) but did have an open-air bath. That somewhat salvaged the first night. For the second night, since no one had cancelled, the hotel was fully booked, meaning no hot spring rooms were available. We specifically traveled to Takachiho for this trip, thinking we had booked a beautiful hotel for a great experience, but it turned out to be extremely disappointing. The hotel and travel agency spent a lot of time trying to sort things out, which really soured everyone's mood.

It's fair to say it's five-star price with five-star service. They proactively ask about your upcoming plans and, if possible, arrange transportation, such as to the bus station or to the Yakagura show. Dinner was also incredibly delicious.

This was my first time staying in a traditional Japanese hot spring hotel. Although I only stayed for one night, it was the hotel I was most satisfied with during my entire trip to Fukuoka. As the saying goes, "knowing the details reveals the big picture". Every furnishing in the hotel, from the electronic board on the wall, the hand soap container next to the washbasin, to the soft towels and exquisite tableware in the bathroom, all show the owner's taste and careful management. Breakfast and dinner were arranged in separate rooms of different styles, allowing us to enjoy the unique Japanese and Western styles in a limited time. The meals are prepared with care, rich in flavor, and made with fresh, authentic ingredients. When it started to rain after dinner, I checked the opening hours of the hotel courtyard, and the staff immediately and enthusiastically held an umbrella to take me to visit the closed courtyard. Finally, when we checked out, they helped us take photos at the entrance of the hotel. All of this made me feel the hotel's hard work and sincere service. The food standard was also quite high, making me look forward to staying here again.