4-Star Hotels in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

"This hotel exceeded my expectations completely. The yamagata airport shuttle (from airport) has a drop-off point right in front of the hotel. The hotel is a 5minutes walk from yamagata station. There is a seven-konbini on 1F of the hotel building, and a toyota car rental directly across the street (1min walk). The hotel room was much bigger than hotel rooms in tokyo, with an amazingly luxurious toilet. Bottled water is provided everyday, as long as you remember to place the ”Make-up room” magnet outside your room door by 10am. The restaurant on 1F sells delicious yamagata beef sukiyaki, it is highly recommended though semi-expensive. The surrounding area of the hotel has a good mix of izakayas, konbinis (all 3 big brands incl lawsons & familymart), and fast food; you'll never go hungry. The reception desk is on 3F and the self-service amenities were of good quality (i.e., scented and thick oshibori, 2 different brands of facial cleansers & lotions, and drip coffee). The staff deserve praise for being so friendly, helpful, and accomodating; they allowed our request for cleaning to be done after 11.30am instead of the usual 10am, and gladly provided extra hangers and laundry bags. Speaking of laundry, there are coin operated laundry machines in this hotel, which have both washing and drying in a single machine; the machine is also password-protected per wash, which gives one a peace of mind. Stayed here for 9 nights as my base of operations for this holiday, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Daiwa Roynet Yamagata Ekimae. 10/10."

"Enjoyable Ryokan experience. Loved the huge private dining table/room. The room was also spacious and came with proper bath. Very tasty cuisine made with local Yamagata produces. All staff did their jobs properly, especially the restaurant/free drinks staff."

"This hotel is located conveniently. There are railway stations and bus terminals near. You can use this hotel as a base and visit other places by public transport. Some travelers live in this hotel and go to Zao Onsen ski resort for skiing or snowboarding. There are a lot of places to eat or go shopping."

"The room was a bit small, but it had all the necessary facilities and amenities. The staff were generally friendly and helpful. While the breakfast didn't offer a huge variety, the taste was quite agreeable. My only real complaint about breakfast was how crowded it got; I felt quite squeezed in with other guests, which made conversations awkward and a bit uncomfortable. Another minor issue was the strict check-in time. You couldn't get into your room until 3 PM, and checking in earlier required an additional fee."

"This hotel is about 1.5 km from Tsuruoka JR Station. The nearest bus stop is 'Science Park.' There's a direct bus from Yamagata Airport, but other bus connections are unavailable, making transportation a bit inconvenient; it's more suitable for those traveling by car. The hotel itself is newly renovated, surrounded by rice paddies, offering a beautiful and clean environment. Breakfast is a Japanese-style buffet featuring locally sourced ingredients. Dinner requires a reservation, as dining options nearby are limited to a convenience store. There are three dinner set menus, which I found a bit pricey, but the food was delicious, especially the bread and desserts. Service was, as always, attentive, and the hot spring facilities were excellent. The only downside is its relative distance from famous Tsuruoka attractions like the Dewa Sanzan mountains and Kamo Aquarium. It's also a bit far from the S-mall bus terminal and the JR station."

"We had an amazing ryokan stay at Takamiya with its rich history and culture. Our room was on the highest floor, which gave us beautiful views of the town. The food prepared was delicious and the staff were welcoming and helpful. The ryokan is located on top of a flight of stairs, and there are only stairs within the complex, so those with mobility issues would face difficulties. The staff will help out with your luggages during check-in and check-out though, and all amenities are provided for!"

"After getting off at Zao Onsen bus stop, turn right over the bridge and walk straight for about 6-7 minutes. It's really easy to find, right opposite the ropeway station, and just past the convenience store. Pictures 1 and 2 show the hotel exterior. It's a chain hotel, and both the food and service were excellent, very satisfying! 👍 The hot spring bath was absolutely fantastic. Even though the facilities are a bit dated, soaking in the old springs is so relaxing. It's perfectly suited for those coming to ski or hike."

"The hotel has free parking, which is a big thumbs up, you can park in the parking lot behind the hotel, then take a ticket to reception and plug it in, you can park until the next morning, and the famous and delicious Mizawa beef next morning to the hotel"

"Beautiful hotel with a large area for rest and reading books, and play area for young child. A lot of comic books available. My child enjoy the stay very much! Excellent buffet breakfast. Dinner also very nice. Public bath has a beautiful view of the mountain ＜3 ＜3"

"This hotel is located in Tendo City. For reference, Tendo City is about a 2.5-hour Shinkansen ride from Tokyo. As it's a small city, it's perfect for a relaxing hot spring getaway. The public bath is quite large for the number of guests, so you can enjoy the onsen at your leisure. The only downside is that it's a bit pricey. Tendo City is also known as the city of shogi (Japanese chess), producing 95% of Japan's shogi pieces. It's also famous for its peaches and cherries."