4-Star Hotels in Oita Prefecture, Japan

"Very delicious breakfast at a great price. A free welcome drink is provided in the lobby, though there are limited options suitable for kids. The staff were very kind and helpful. The parking lot for larger vehicles is a bit far from the hotel."

"Baien is truly the best. The private open-air bath and the large public bath are both excellent. (Note: Be sure to confirm the private open-air bath when booking your ryokan stay.) The ryokan is spacious, so walks around the property are lovely. Both breakfast and dinner (kaiseki) are also superb. However, there's no entertainment nearby, so if your sole purpose is to enjoy the hot springs, you definitely won't regret it. I'd love to visit again in winter."

"We went to Fukuoka for Chinese New Year, and since my husband loves hot springs, we decided to stay two nights in Yufuin. The inn's location was superb, close to Lake Kinrin, and very quiet. Just a short walk away was Yufuin main street. We booked late, so our only option was a Japanese-Western style room without a private hot spring, which was a pity and a bit disappointing for my husband. Our 'one-night, two-meals' plan was incredibly filling, featuring what seemed like kaiseki cuisine plus either wagyu barbecue or wagyu shabu-shabu. I'm not really an expert on kaiseki, but I could definitely tell the food was exquisite and fresh. Since we don't speak Japanese, the inn assigned a young, English-speaking waitress to attend to us throughout our stay, which was very thoughtful. As I mentioned, the food portions had many courses, and we were quite full by the end. When the waitress asked if we wanted rice and we replied 'just a little,' she seemed genuinely concerned, thinking perhaps we didn't like the food 😅. I wanted to tell her we were simply already full. As for the downsides, my husband found the toilet a bit far from the sink, especially in the private toilet within the bedroom. The inn also didn't offer laundry service; staff advised us to use the laundromat on the main market street if we needed to wash clothes. In the end, we decided against it and waited until we returned to Fukuoka to do our laundry at the hotel there. Also, I imagine the inn is a traditional Japanese establishment, and the staff are quite principled. We were late arriving due to unfamiliarity with the transport, so dinner was pushed back to around 7:30 PM. They seemed a little displeased but remained composed. On our way back, as our preferred train/bus tickets were sold out, we had to leave earlier. The inn was accommodating with our breakfast time. We initially asked them to reduce the portion for the child and just serve scrambled eggs, but they insisted on serving the full original portions, telling us to eat as much as we could. Their reasoning was that since we had paid, we should receive the full amount we ordered, which we respected. We simply didn't want to waste food. Overall, we were satisfied and really appreciated the Japanese culture and traditional decor in all aspects."

"This hotel has it all, even a water filter for drinking water, not to mention a whole box of laundry detergent for washing clothes, and a drying rack on the balcony. On the first floor, there's a lobby with a variety of free drinks. The breakfast on the top floor is also incredibly rich, costing about 250 NTD per person. The curry rice, miso soup, tamagoyaki, and side dishes are abundant. We even ordered a grilled meat set meal for dinner, which was luxurious and affordable. I honestly suspect the owner doesn't care about costs, just wants guests to enjoy themselves. There are also parking spaces at the entrance. The rooftop restaurant offers over a 250-degree view of the beach, ocean, and nightscape, which is absolutely beautiful. Nearby, you can take a walk along the beach and enjoy Beppu Onsen. The Beppu Observation Deck at night is also stunning, and it's more than just a traditional observation deck: * 17F: Observation deck, observation deck cafe, light installations, Beppu Tower Shrine * 16F: Observation deck, Galaxy Walk, and other illuminated spaces * 5F: Sky & Light Terrace, mid-level observation deck, also with BBQ/Sauna facilities * 4F: Karaoke * 2F: Beppu Art Museum * 1F: Restaurant CREOLE CAFE"

"Booked a sea-view room with half board, and it was a great experience. It's a few hundred meters from the train station, and it's quiet despite being set back from the main road. **Environment:** It's a traditional Japanese hotel with an elevator up to the seventh floor. Being right by the sea is very convenient. I haven't slept on a futon in a long time and was worried I wouldn't get used to it, but it was actually quite comfortable. The mattress was thick and not cold. There was a faint tatami mat smell, which I personally found acceptable. I was assigned a corner room, so I could also see the sea from another wall, which was lovely. **Service:** The service was decent. The restaurant staff were particularly warm and welcoming. Just a heads-up, check-in is from 3-6 PM, and the latest entry for dinner is 7 PM, so plan accordingly. **Facilities:** The outdoor onsen on the top floor offers beautiful sea views. The indoor onsen on the third floor is quite spacious and wasn't crowded at all. **Food:** Dinner was excellent, with a good variety including sashimi, wagyu beef, and tempura. Breakfast leaned a bit more vegetarian but was also very tasty."

"This boutique ryokan, featuring just 11 rooms, is situated a convenient 5-minute drive from Yufuin Station in a peaceful, rustic residential neighborhood. Our spacious, well-maintained ground-floor room featured a private onsen and offered excellent views of Mount Yufu. For those interested, the communal onsen can also be locked for private use and is kept very clean. The staff is accommodating and polite, and the breakfast and dinner provided in the dining area are outstanding. Complimentary parking is available, and the aromatic tea burner in the room was a very pleasant detail."

"This hotel offers great value for money. The lobby is quite luxurious, and the breakfast spread is plentiful. From the room, you can enjoy a beautiful city view. The hotel seems to host a lot of weddings, but it's a bit far from the commercial district, though there's a bus stop right outside."