The staff here made my stay extremely wonderful - they just went out of their way to make me feel welcomed and attend to my every request. Really appreciate that they try to communicate in English as well.
I stayed in Kiku room which had a private bath. The room was spotless, beautiful and bright with a view of a small garden, really roomy and well planned, and the private indoor bath was a nice little luxury.
The kaiseki meals are a mix of western and traditional japanese touches, with hits and misses that give an overall satisfactory experience. The basashi was fantastic, and when I asked for it again the next dinner they gave me a larger portion!
The onsen is shaded and above a tiny rapid, facing a large hotel across the bank. It’s a nice quick pre/post-meal soak but I’d recommend heading to the other more spectacular and secluded onsens on the outskirts. The free red bean soup served in reception area is super good.
The common areas in this ryokan are a tad small and nothing to rave about though.
Overall I had a very pleasing experience. Again, I felt truly touched by the staff who were so warm, sincere and helpful. They made me feel like I was the only guest there when the place was booked full. I feel this is a solid place to get an introduction to the ryokan/onsen experience. Thank you so much for the trip of a lifetime Ryokan Wakaba!
