2-Star Hotels in Gifu Prefecture, Japan

May 15-16, 2024 From the moment we saw photos of this special place on the internet, we knew we had to stay here! The natural rock onsen baths caught our imagination - and our stay was wonderful beyond expectations! The resort is located in a forested valley is stunning, next to a rushing river. Natural mountain hot spring water is channeled into 7 lovely outdoor onsen baths, as well as ensuite baths. The facility is beautifully designed with gardens and multi-level suites, with each of the levels looking out to the river, with plenty of seating to enjoy the relaxing and lovely views. We were treated with limitless thoughtful hospitality from the moment we arrived, to the moment we left - in fact, one of our group kept commenting ”the y[the staff] must think we're really special!”. The suite was beautifully appointed with tatami mats, traditional Japanese decor, comfortable beds, yukata and slippers are provided along with tabi socks and plenty of clean linens. Our suite had its own private onsen bath encircled by natural stones, and constantly running hot spring water. Such a contrast to water-parched California and even Hawaii where we're from! The outdoor onsens are open all night, for viewing of the starry night sky. The kaiseki dinner was exceptional, with many many delicious small plates, each exquisitely prepared and presented - a petite, freshly caught local fish was skewered as if swimming and roasted in a salt shell. Utterly delicious! In the morning, after a similarly wonderful breakfast, we experienced a mochi-pounding session with the hotel staff and guests joining in - lots of fun - photos were provided! Transportation - It was a challenge figuring out how to get to this place - finally, we had a Japanese-speaking hotel clerk call the resort, and got instructions for the 1-hour bus ride from Takayama bus station to Shinhotaka Onsen / Nakao Kou-gen-guchi. There are buses running every hour! We walked to the resort from the bus stop when we arrived, and a shuttle van to the bus stop was thoughtfully provided by the resort when we left. PS) I was unable to upload photos. Please provide an email, because you won't want to miss seeing this beautiful place!

The hotel is in an excellent location with great amenities nearby. It's just a bridge away from Miyagawa Morning Market and very close to the old town of Takayama. During my two-day stay, all the other guests I encountered were European, and I was the only Asian person in the entire backpacker room, which was a very unique experience.

Simply an amazing stay. First trip to Japan and first ever stay at a Ryokan & was not disappointed. The mother & daughter (5th & 6th generation)hosts were super accommodating and felt very privileged that they had opened their Inn for solo travelers like myself to enjoy. The feeling of history at the Inn, felt almost like staying within a piece of living art. Ikebana display in the front display and Bonsai in the courtyard that are over 500 hundred years old, it made the whole experience an immersive one. The dinner and breakfasts were an experience that were perfectly executed. Of course local / home grown ingredients were the stars of these meals and every dish was tastier than the last. Thank you for making my stay feel comfortable and relaxed. Ena is one of the historical postal towns on the Nakasendo trail & recommend visiting and staying here if you are taking the less touristy route. とても思い出に残る滞在にしてくださった旅館のとても親切なスタッフに感謝します。

Marco did an excellent job in explaining and welcoming us to the hotel. We were greeted with a red bean paste sweet shaped like the building of the hotel and a cup of hot tea. Marco took the time to explain to us the hotel was the place monks studied for over hundreds of years. It felt very novel to have spent a night in such a historical place. My husband could not find his phone the next morning. We spent an hour tracing his steps in vain. We called our banks to cancel credit cards. Another bank's wait time was supposed to be an hour. Reika from the front desk came to help us out. She searched everywhere in our hotel room. She also searched thoroughly in our car. Eventually she found the phone deep under the seat. The phone's do not disturb sign had been turned off the night before, so when we called it, it did not ring. My husband was extremely elated to say the least. Reika has really made our day!

The hotel is 15 minutes walk from the railway station bus stop, and the scenery along the way is beautiful. The hotel is run by several elderly people. It is already a 65-year-old hotel. Starting from the boss's grandfather, the house has a history of 125 years and is very Japanese. The ornaments in the house can be shot for an hour. There is a special doll, and I am fortunate to see the dolls of the boys' day. The old people are very enthusiastic, the breakfast is delicious, it is served by a Japanese grandmother. It is really like a grandmother in anime. It is very similar to talking and walking. The breakfast is very harmonious. I still remember the fish.

Staying at Hostel Miyagawa by Murasaki Ryokan was truly one of the highlights of my trip — an unforgettable experience that beautifully blended comfort, tradition, and hospitality. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed into a warm, peaceful atmosphere that reflected the essence of a traditional Japanese ryokan. The design of the space is charming and authentic, with thoughtful touches that bring out the beauty of Japanese culture. Everything from the tatami rooms to the meticulously clean facilities made the stay incredibly comfortable. What truly made it special, though, was the feeling of calm and connection to local traditions that this place offers. It’s more than just a place to sleep — it’s a cultural experience in itself. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to immerse themselves in an authentic and beautiful ryokan stay.

We were on a roadtrip, returning from Shirakawa-go and needed a place to overnight before the drive back to Nagoya the next morning. Hotels around Gifu area were more expensive so we decided on Seki, and it met all our requirements. 2-star hotel hence we were quite pleased with the onsen availability - but note that it is 1 onsen only so it will be for males during certain hours, and for females only during other times, be sure to check the schedule and the sign in front of the hot spring room before entering. Breakfast was so good, we did not expect so many options, it was a small dining area but we did not have to wait for a seat though we were there around 8am which is usually the peak breakfast time for Japan hotels. Oh, parking is also FOC in front of the hotel. Would recommend this place to anyone looking for a quick pitstop.

Very lovely and warm homestay. Will give a 5 star if the stairs can be substituted with lift. Am very thankful to the host helping to carry my large luggage up 3 flights of stairs. Room is super cosy and bed is comfy.

It's walkable from Hirayu Onsen Bus Terminal. I don't think it's far. Along the way, there are also a couple of public foot baths you can stop by. On Trip.com, only rooms with shared bathrooms seem to be available, but they also have rooms with private bathrooms. I think you'll need to book through their official website if you want that option. The meal included with our room is fairly basic such as tonkatsu or beef curry. However, if you book a room with a private bathroom, you can choose meals like grilled beef or beef sukiyaki instead. The onsen water contains a lot of mineral sediment (I guess that maybe a good thing?) The bathroom facilities, though, are quite old.

Good value hostel in the centre of Takayama, only 5 minutes walking from the train station and Nohi bus stop. Even though there is no staff at the hostel, we met them at the reception at the main hotel nearby and we were explained everything in detail. The hostel is spotless and has all spaces well organized. The showers at the first floor are completely new and are well equipped with so many toiletries available, even safety boxes and skin creams! The kitchen is well equipped too even though we only used the microwave. Our twin room was comfortable, we had clean sheets and towels, heating and hangers. The only downside I can think of are the thin walls, you can hear other guests downstairs too.