Hotels near Kinrinko Lake, Yufu

It’s the third time we came to Yufuin. Previously, we stayed in onsen hotels with meals provided. This time we are staying for 2 months in Japan to experience the local life, and Yufuin was our third stop, where we stayed for 6 nights. The service is top notch. The host responded very quickly whenever I had queries, and very clear instructions for free pick-up were given days before check-in. As we stepped in the house, the air- conditioner had already been turned on there were 3 big bottles of water in the fridge which made us feel so welcome. They collected our trash every day and asked us what we needed. The guesthouse is an independent unit full of beautiful Japanese decorations. It was sparkling clean and thoughtfully furnished with everything you need. A first-aid box was provided. We were given 12 sets of clean towels and toilet amenities, including toothbrushes. We have stayed in different apartments before and have never experienced this. More importantly, the kitchen was well equipped with everything—many cutlery items of different sizes and even wine glasses. There were a hot pot and a frying pan, a toaster, rice cooker, coffee machine, and even a dishwasher. You can't imagine there is even a massage chair! The bathroom was designed like an onsen. You can simply add some onsen powder to enjoy a hot bath. You can easily access different attractions on foot. The location is about a 20-minute walk to the nearby supermarkets, 25 minutes to the main shopping streets, and 30 minutes to the JR station. If you drive, it is even easier. For us, we enjoyed walking and seeing the beautiful scenery, so it was not a problem for us even though we didn’t drive. Every day we walked to the supermarkets and bought fresh produce to cook. We had so much fun making different dishes and hot pot. When we asked for a whetstone, the host quickly gave us theirs, and the next day, they bought us a new one. They even gave us sake as a gift. On the day of check-out, the host drove us to the JR station and helped us store our luggage in the visitors’ centre. Next time when we come to Yufuin, we will definitely stay here again. It’s really great value for money.

Everything was perfect in this hotel! Room is spacious and there are both indoor and outdoor private onsen in the room. The futon was the softest and most comfortable I’ve ever had in Japanese onsen hotels. Dinner was amazing and breakfast was good enough. It would be better if we can choose Japanese or Western style for breakfast. We was looking for grilled fish or sth in Japanese style. Will visit again definitely!

The environment was great, the food was delicious, and everything was perfect. It was also a great way to enjoy the outdoor family hot springs with your partner or spouse. If the weather is nice in the evening, you can even see the stars.

Facilities: A little old, very Japanese style, the room is a little small Hygiene: Very clean! Very clean! Environment: It is a hot spring hotel on the mountain, the environment is quite good, you can soak in the open-air hot spring in the room, it is perfect on snowy days Service: Very good, the boss and the waiter have a high level of English, barrier-free communication Breakfast and dinner are very rich, and the dishes will be introduced in English after serving. Since it is on the mountain, you can pick up and drop off back and forth, which is very good!

Cozy and nice public hot spring.Very very very big room and facilities.Good location,5 minutes walk from the shopping street.

A hot spring hotel with one night and two meals. It is very convenient to have a private hot spring in the room. The public bath is relatively small, but not crowded. There was no one there when I went there that morning, and I enjoyed the outdoor hot spring very comfortably. The room is in traditional Japanese style, very comfortable and hygienic. The staff does not speak English very well, but they will try their best to communicate with guests through mobile phone translation and other methods, so there is basically no problem. The food was prepared carefully, but the dinner was not to my taste, but the breakfast was a surprise. There were free popsicles, hot spring eggs and beer. The location is far from the station, 20 minutes walk, but people usually go to Yufuin to visit Yunotsubo Street. If you walk from Yunotsubo Street, it is still okay to walk there in 10 minutes. The check-out time is 12 o'clock, which is good. After breakfast in the morning, you can go back to the room and enjoy the hot spring time in the morning before leaving. Overall, it was a very satisfactory accommodation experience. I enjoyed the hot springs and will consider staying here again next time I visit Yufuin.

What a blast I had here!!! I only stayed for one night and now I wish I had stayed longer. It was a Friday so Rio, the owner, organizes a night of games at the public gymnasium for teenagers (who although growing up already have the strength of super-powered samurais) and whoever else wants to participate. I haven't run and wake up with so many bruises since high school! It was really cool how everyone is quick to set the props for each game, we played 4 or 5 games in one hour!!!! It felt like a much longer time, everyone gave their best presence and participation all the time! It seems the other nights he takes everyone for a walk to see the stars, and Tuesdays there's also volleyball. Anyways, he is pretty proactive and creative , so I'm sure there's many variations and possibilities! The living room is very pretty, the sofas super comfortable and the view gorgeous! The bed was very hard :/ this was the only big issue for me. The onsen is so cozy, the water super smooth and instrumental music playing. Delicious! The conditioner smells great! I was a bit worried that they had too many rules, because when I contacted they informed about the need to leave the house everyday from 10 until 16. And that the eating time was very specific: 7:20 in the morning and 7 at night... So I was worried they would be too strict...but there's no need to join the food. I had breakfast and it felt like it would be at the communal dinning of beauxbatons, everyone sitting closeby with identical very beautifully presented meals that come in many quantity but small portions. It is not my jam, but for sure it is special! Some informations could be a bit more clear because they are a bit slow responding. For example they have a pick up time in front of the army at 6pm. I asked info for an amazing lady at the Art Center inside the station, Chika, and she called them. She ended up taking me herself and was the best company I could have found! She is an artist, we went to the supermarket and had great conversation! I recommend going to the art center to say hi to Chika! Lots of love, thank youuu Mountain Mamas!!!

Although it's a little over a kilometer from the station, I highly recommend walking instead of taking a taxi, as the scenery along the way is absolutely beautiful. Cherry blossoms, streams, small bridges, distant mountains, fields, and a mix of Western and Japanese-style houses create a very soothing atmosphere. The hotel exceeded my expectations. The lobby is grand, and the front desk staff are fluent in English and provide detailed information. On the top floor (4th floor), there's an observation onsen. The rooms are purely Japanese style, clean, tidy, comfortable, spacious, fully functional, and offer expansive views of beautiful scenery. There's also a restaurant in the lobby. Many restaurants in Yufuin's Yunotsubo Street and Floral Village close by 4 PM. Personally, I find this natural, unspoiled environment much more relaxing than those famous, trendy tourist spots.

Yufuin Bettei Itsuki is a bit far from the station, so I recommend booking the hotel shuttle in advance if you know your arrival time. 🙂 We bought some snacks at the convenience store downstairs before heading to the hotel, thinking we wouldn't go out again once we checked in 🤣 given the slightly inconvenient transportation.

Although the hotel is a bit old, it's exactly the style and feel I wanted: rustic decor, beautiful surroundings, a first-class private bath, and a great location—perfect for anyone who enjoys hiking. Dinner and breakfast were incredibly plentiful. In short, it was fantastic, and I'll definitely come back.