Scenic Hotels in Gero

"I have no complaints at all to this Onsen Ryokan. It is definitely an old building, but the upkeep was done well. We were slightly late to check in (need to check in by 6pm so that the kaiseki dinner could be served), emailed them on their way and they replied pretty fast. We were greeted by the receptionist that is able to speak fluent English, she showed us around and sharing the facilities available. One small disappointment is although we mentioned we would like to have dinner together with 2 other rooms (our parents and siblings) when they asked us via email before the trip, they didn't manage to arrange it (and we arrived too late to make necessary arrangements). Nonetheless, the breakfast at the hall 2nd day they did arrange a big table for 9 of us including a kid and an infant. The onsens are superb, it is clean and has clear instructions what to do. When I visited, the ryokan is quite quiet, I enjoyed the serenity a lot!"

"Visited one of Japan's top three hot spring towns and booked a traditional Japanese-style room at a century-old hotel, which included two meals. The hotel offers a shuttle service from the train station, which was incredibly convenient. Check-in was a breeze thanks to the friendly staff at the front desk who spoke Chinese. The room was exceptionally spacious with stunning views from the window – perfect for two people. The hot springs themselves, both indoor and outdoor, were wonderful. Gero Onsen truly lived up to its reputation; my skin felt incredibly smooth after a soak. Free cold drinks were available post-soak, and the milk from the vending machine was particularly delicious! The meals provided by the hotel were also plentiful and tasty. The entire hotel had a very authentic Japanese ambiance. Although we only stayed for one night, we're already looking forward to a longer visit in the future! Highly recommended to everyone."

"Impression: Ogawaya was one of the three day-trip options I considered for my Gero trip last summer, and it left a great impression then. So, when planning this winter trip, I really wanted to stay here for a night. Since I booked late, I was lucky to even snag a room. Service: The front desk had a Chinese-speaking staff member who was, hands down, the loveliest Chinese-speaking person I encountered on any of my trips. Unlike some uncomfortable experiences I had at Dormy Inn Kumamoto and with the Nohi bus today, this young lady was genuinely warm and friendly. Facilities: During my day trip last summer, I only got to use the women's bath that was open in the afternoon. It was very clean and had a silk bath. This time, I tried the other bath in the morning, but I still feel that Sagi-no-yu has a more unique charm. Also, on the first floor of the scenic view building where I stayed, there's a 'Can Onsen' (sparkling onsen) which is open to women from afternoon to evening. It features a highly concentrated carbonated hot spring. Although it's artificial, it's definitely worth trying. The lobby has a self-service drink bar, and after a hot spring bath, enjoying a cold orange juice while watching the river flow by outside the window is incredibly relaxing. Drawbacks: The only downside was the noise from my next-door neighbors. I don't know who they were, but this is the only Japanese hotel I've stayed in where I've experienced such loud noise. Despite having two layers of doors, I was disturbed both in the evening and in the morning. Highlights: A great bonus is that the hotel's refrigerator has a freezer compartment – a freezer compartment! Perfect for storing ice cream!"

"Lovely onsen ryokan. Staff don’t really speak English so there’s a bit of trying to figure things out for yourself.  Nevertheless, service was friendly and helpful as best they could.  The outdoor onsen is really relaxing and because it’s not a crowded hotel, both times I went I had it to myself as did my wife and kids in the ladies area.  We picked the room with its own outdoor onsen tub which is a great option if you don’t want to use the non-private ones.  You can apparently book private onsens but they did not have any available for us (possibly because we arrived slightly late in the day).  Food was excellent for both dinner and breakfast.  Kids couldn’t;’quite enjoy the onsens cause they found the water too hot so you may want to make sure your kids can before you decided to splurge.  One final point, the ryokan is located down a tiny road on the right just before Google Maps tells you that you have reached."

"Right outside the JR station, we saw staff holding signs, and even though the hotel is very close to the station, the pickup service was a nice bonus. The hotel environment is great, and the service is excellent. The hot spring water was incredibly smooth, making for a very comfortable soak. I tried all three different onsen baths, and it felt wonderful."

"One of our best stays during my time in Japan! The staff were very friendly. She shared with us where we should go for onsen, dinner and places to visit. Breakfast was simple but very hearty. We are touched that they considered our food restrictions and adjusted accordingly. Very thoughtful! We could also use the yucata and jacket to walk around town. Love this experience very much! The onsen is also lovely. We highly recommend this place and will definitely come back again. P.s they don't have yamato service if you need to deliver your baggage."

"The service was excellent, however, the hotel breakfast was quite mediocre. The price is reasonable for Gero, and it's conveniently located very close to the JR station. Overall, it's an excellent value-for-money option, and the open-air bath was also very pleasant."

"The price is a bit high during the National Day holiday. The shuttle bus to and from the station is too rare. There are only two hot springs, which is a bit too few. The open-air bath is a hot spring with a balcony. Other than that, everything else is very good. The Japanese room, dinner is a Japanese buffet, free drinks, including sake, beer and wine, coffee, drinks, small popsicles, full of sincerity."

"The room was spacious, and there was a balcony where I could enjoy taking photos of the night view and starry sky. Drinks like beer were also free, so it was great value for money."

"Stayed there for two nights. In-room onsen was good, staff at reception excellent. Food was simply terrible. Rice was cold (personally it’s simply unacceptable in any Japanese restaurant except for sushi may be?), the chef seems to enjoy making fusion dishes (and except that they were unappetising). To name but a few, we had strawberry mousse for starter, tofu (which was bitter) and pickles with miso for mains, and who’d put diced apple in an apple sorbet?? (Felt as though I was biting into ice cubes). The waitress was also extremely impatient and rushed us through our meals (we finished our dinners within 35 minutes, breakfasts 20). I honestly cannot recommend this hotel. Sorry, but no."