Oniyama Hotel (Review)

Beppu, in Oita prefecture, is a destination renowned for its hots springs, most of which operated by the traditional spa hotels of Japan, the ryokan inns. Visitors enjoying more modern accommodation facilities might like the 3-stars Oniyama Hotel 🏨. The hotel complex encompasses 2 buildings, the South pavilion and the East pavilion, providing about 90 rooms with an interesting lodging capacity for groups of travelers like families or friends.

Most of the rooms are set up in the Japanese style, so they include:

• A tatami flooring, on which is based the size of the room;
• A futon bedding; and,
• Low-slung furniture.

The decoration is very simple and rather old-fashioned, and amenities are the bare minimum. However, each room has its own private shower and toilet 🚽.

While clean the Oniyama Hotel is overall rather dull, but its outdoor hot baths make it very attractive:

• Oniyama-no-yu, a large rotenburo bath tub located at the basement (B1) opening on a jungle decor with rocks and palm trees;
• Sora-no-yu, a lovely aquatic space located in the open-air on the roof of the hotel’s South Pavilion. Onsen amateurs can enjoy several hot springs, for example an iron-rich water turning brown when in contact to oxygen. Tubs are of various shapes and materials: round or rectangular, built in cypress wood, in ceramics or in stone. Being in the open-air, their water’s high temperature is easier to bear allowing for a longer bath. Note however that the baths close after 11 p.m.

The top of the hotel also provided a beautiful panoramic view on the city’s fabric surrounded by forested mountains and the onsen ♨️ vapors oozing naturally from the ground. On a clear weather day, the view encompasses Kifune Castle 🏯 and Beppu Bay.

Note that men and women's onsen baths are swapped every day at a specific time so that everyone can fully enjoy the hot spring 🌸 facility. Lastly, a small private stone tub is available for an indoor hot bath (no reservation required).

Location in the touristic neighborhood of Kannawa

The 2nd very positive aspect of Oniyama Hotel is undoubtedly its central location convenient to discover the famous thermal city. Kannawa Onsen indeed appears as the typical neighborhood to explore when a 1rst time visitor in Beppu, with:

• The tour of Jigoku Meguri, to discover the famous onsen of Beppu's Hells about a few hundred meters only from the hotel;
• The Jigoku Mushi Kobo, a kitchen powered by the natural hot springs, where people steam cook their food, also within walking distance from Oniyama.

Oniyama Hotel also has full board option with a traditional Japanese dinner served in the room, with ingredients chosen for their seasonal availability. Breakfast is served as a buffet. Lastly, the staff is quite welcoming and responsive to the possible needs of the hotel’s guests.