Onyado Nono Beppu Twin Room Experience
For our 1-night, 2-day stay in Oita, we booked a room at Onyado Nono Beppu, a Dormy Inn group hotel located just 2 minutes from Beppu Station. The Dormy Inn group includes brands like Dormy Inn Express, Dormy Inn, Onyado Nono, and La Vista, among others, with many properties across Japan under the Kyoritsu Group.
This hotel features a large onsen bath, complimentary late-night soba, bottled water, sweets, yogurt, and ice cream, along with a seafood-rich breakfast buffet, making it a warm and welcoming place to stay. After staying at Dormy Inn and La Vista over 10 times, this was my first visit to the Onyado chain.
One of the most unique features is the ryokan-style experience where guests store their shoes in lockers at the entrance and walk barefoot (or in socks) throughout the building. While I’ve experienced this at traditional ryokans with 10–20 rooms, it was surprising to find this at a large hotel with nearly 200 rooms. Initially, it felt like a public bathhouse, but I quickly got used to it and found it clean and convenient.
The world of hotel reservations is truly fascinating and sometimes puzzling. For instance, booking for two people can be cheaper than for one, and breakfast-inclusive plans can cost less than room-only plans. If the price for one and two guests is the same, booking for two often means receiving two breakfast vouchers. In such cases, I’d have a buffet breakfast at 6 AM, fit in a morning activity, and then enjoy a Japanese-style breakfast at 10 AM. Some hotels even offer lunch or other perks instead of breakfast. It’s always worth exploring various options as prices can vary greatly depending on the timing of the reservation.
At this hotel, the cheapest rate included dinner, with the lowest price being for a plan where the room type is assigned upon check-in. Interestingly, the rate for one adult plus one child under 18 was cheaper than for one adult alone. Ultimately, I booked a plan that included dinner, omakase, and a 1+1 guest condition, costing 12,200 yen—about 6,000 yen cheaper than a single adult room-only rate. Upon check-in, I informed them I was traveling alone. I’ve used similar booking strategies over 40 times, and it’s never been an issue. I eagerly awaited the room assignment.
Out of six room types, I was assigned a twin room, ranked fourth in terms of size and amenities. Since I booked for two guests, I was given a twin room instead of a single or queen room. Even the single rooms here are semi-doubles that can accommodate two people, so getting a twin room was a pleasant surprise. The price difference between single and twin rooms is typically 4,000–5,000 yen.
I prepaid 3,000 yen for breakfast at the reception during check-in. In total, I paid 15,200 yen for a twin room with both breakfast and dinner included. Booking the same twin room with meals included without any special plan would have cost 24,800 yen. The more I learn about hotel reservations, the more intriguing it becomes.
My room was on the 9th floor, out of 12 floors of guest rooms. The view was a mountain and city view with a glimpse of Beppu Station. After a day of activities, I attended the dinner buffet at 8 PM. The buffet offered a wide variety of dishes, including steak, tempura, sushi, and sashimi. While some dishes were exceptional and others average, the value for the price paid was excellent. I returned to my room around 9 PM and fell asleep.
I woke up at 1 AM, prepared myself, and headed to the 13th floor. The hotel features a large public bath, a relaxation area, and seven private baths, all of which are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. At 2 AM, I had no trouble securing two private baths. I used another private bath at 6 AM. This hotel uniquely allows guests to experience Beppu’s famous hot springs all in one place.
Breakfast starts at 6:30 AM. By 7:30 AM, there’s usually a 20–30 minute wait, so it’s best to go early. The breakfast offerings don’t overlap much with the dinner buffet, which is a plus. The menu is quite similar to other Dormy Inn properties. Unfortunately, I missed the late-night soba as I was already asleep. 🤣 Thank you.