Hida Hanasatonoyu Takayama Ouan (Review)
The Convenient Spa Hotel in Takayama
Hida Hanasatonoyu Takayama Ouan is a 3-stars hotel located near Takayama JR station, in the Japanese Alps. Train travelers will find a convenient and convivial accommodation, with plenty of rooms and an outdoor hot bath at the building’s uppermost floor.
Hida Hanasatonoyu Takayama Ouan is a business hotel 🏨 with airs of traditional ryokan inns. Inaugurated in spring 🌸 2009, it is first and foremost a convenient accommodation for visitors discovering the city, as:
- The hotel is located 300 meters away from the JR station, along the railway, and less than 10 minutes’ walk from Takayama’s historical and touristic city center;
- Its tall building allows for a large accommodating capacity, catering to single travelers, couples, families or larger groups.
Ouan Hotel Takayama’s 167 rooms and suites, with superficies ranging from 16 to 32 sqm, are either arranged in a full Japanese fashion or mixed with Western-style bedding. Each room has:
- Air conditioning;
- A TV set with Japanese channels;
- A kitchenette with a tea set (including a kettle and a mini-fridge);
- A Wi-Fi Internet connection; and,
- A private shower and toilet.
Architecture of Hida region and outdoor baths
The hotel’s interior architecture was designed to recreate the atmosphere of the former feudal city Hida-Takayama, featuring local and traditional details such as the use of dark wood for the beams at the ceiling, the trellis screens and the parquet flooring (in rooms without tatami mats). Therefore, one must take shoes off upon entering, and use the provided slippers to walk in the hotel, or go by in socks or barefoot. Lockers are available at the entrance for customers to put away their shoes.
Like a traditional-style accommodation, the hotel has its own onsen ♨️ called Hana Sato no Yu at the 13th and uppermost floor. Several shared or private baths are also available for hot springs amateurs, and the rotemburo outdoor bath is especially enjoyable for the view it offers on the heights of the city and the surrounding mountains.
Hida Hanasatonoyu Takayama Ouan doesn't have dinner plans, but its breakfast is varied and hearty, and available every morning in a self-service buffet. Local savory food constitutes the main dishes, but Viennese pastry and season’s fresh fruits are also available for guests who prefer a sweet breakfast.
A kitchen and a laundry room are also available for customers who can use them for free, to warm up a dish bought at the konbini in the evening, or to wash clothes after a long travel leg.
While it is not a 100% authentic and luxurious inn regarding its premises and equipment, Takayama Ouan nonetheless offers a pleasant interior decoration paying tribute to the city’s historical heritage and traditional craftsmanship. The hotel lobby at the ground floor even has a local souvenir shop, by the reception desk.
