Beppu Hostels

For those driving, please note that there are limited parking lots behind the hotel building. If it's full, you'll need to park at the multi-story car park beside the hotel, which doesn't come with a lift. Several convenience stores are located nearby the hotel. Overall, the check-in experience was smooth. However, the wait for the lift is quite lengthy, as there are only three lifts serving all customers. It took me 10 minutes to go down during peak hours.

We booked the Sora western room type, which was described as having two double beds and three futon beds. However, upon arrival, I didn't see any futon beds in the room nor were they offered. In terms of service, I expected a better introduction to the rooms given the price I am paying. We received a very simple introduction to the common area, but didn't get a room tour showing where things are located, which Yukata to wear indoors and outdoors, etc. I've paid a similar price for another onsen hotel where we received a much better reception upon arrival. We did ask for breakfast in the room for more privacy, and while we were able to do that for half the price at other hotels in Fukuoka, the staff didn't seem to understand when we asked about it. Overall, the amenities and room are really good, but service-wise, it's hit or miss.

This hotel is about 10-15 mins walking from the JR Beppu station. It is easy to find as you just walk towards the seaside until you see the Beppu Tower beside a main road, the hotel is behind it. There is a 7-11 beside the tower, and a bus stop in front of the tower, so is quite convenient. If you take the bus to visit the 7 Beppu Hells starting from the JR station and follow the sequence, i.e. Chinoike and Tatsumaki Jigokus as the last two hells, and you take the bus towards the Beppu station, you can stop directly in front of the tower, this complete a full circle of your Beppu Hell tour. I booked a seaview Japanese room and the view is great. The room is also spacious for Japanese ryokan standard. There is some minor renovation and furniture replacement done, so the room is a mixture of new and worn. There are two onsen baths in this hotel: one at the top floor, an open air onsen bath and one at third floor, which is an indoor onsen bath. The dinner and breakfast are both average though. Overall, I am quite happy with my stay here.

Очень понравился отель , невероятно дружелюбный персонал , особенно девушка которая нам объясняла правила проживания 😍 есть онсэн очень симпатичный , можно выбрать подушку под себя и маски для лица девочкам , и отличный завтрак с яйцом , круассаном и т.д.

My wife booked this hotel for us for our weekend in Beppu. We selected this hotel based on the price, parking, and location. It is within walking distance to the train station and down town area. They have parking here which is a plus. The staff was very friendly, the individual helping us spoke great English which made check in/out easy. They have breakfast here, because of COVID, it was not buffet style, but the trays were nice and the food was great. The rooms were perfect, they were modern, spacious, and had everything we needed, plus the bed was comfortable. Overall, we had a great stay here.

We enjoyed our stay thoroughly. Service was very good. Parking was an extra 550 yen per day. Breakfast was Japanese style but did include a bacon and egg cooked in front of each guest with the small Japanese hotpot. Our room fit 3 adults was very nice with clean modern amenities consisting of one room with two single beds, and a sizable living room with futon in the evening for the third bed. Nice view of Beppu tower in our room. Hotspring outdoor was totally enjoyable with a view of the sunrise and the Beppu Bay. Gotta be careful though because for ladies, someone in a boat at the bay might be able to see our naked upper bodies with telescope if we stand up.😅

Overall, I felt the hotel was very nicely done with great local touches while still keeping an international atmosphere. I also wanted to point out the great flexibility of the hotel, allowing me to change my meal reservations from 3 dinners at Elements (I was on a package deal) to one at Elements and combining the remaining two meals at Elements to a dinner at Atelier. This allowed me to not have to dine at the same restaurant as well as opening up a slot for me to explore a local restaurant. However, there were two things that I'd like to point out that the hotel can improve upon. The first is the staffing at the club lounge (and in general) is not enough. There were many moments where I was left to wait, to the point where using standard facilities (like the check-in counter, or breakfast at Elements) would have been a more positive experience. Breakfast on 12/21 was where the understaffing really showed, where it took over an hour to complete breakfast; many guests left in the middle of their meal since service was horribly slow. However, the second point us what I would really want the hotel to work on - CoVID countermeasures. Largely, two things I'd like to point out. (1) Temperature screening us inconsistent. I was checked when I first arrived, but never anytime afterwards (or should I say, the thermometer station was unmanned). (2) During my meal at Atelier, my wife and I noticed that the staff (He was Italian, I think his name is Marco?) preparing the dishes (in the open kitchen) prepping a sauce, tasting it with the same spoon which was quickly rinsed it under the faucet and returned into the mixing bowl. I pointed this out to one of the servers (Japanese male, responsible for serving and explaining the dishes). This is where I felt the hotel can improve on - in detail, three things. (i) The Japanese server proceeded to quietly scold the staff in front of me, I felt that was not a great experience both for myself and the staff. (ii) Nothing was cleared. After the scolding (and then the staff responding back that he did not put the spoon back in) none of the utensils were changed and no follow up. I guess there is no trust in what a customer points out. And finally (iii) I felt that this is at the fault of the hotel for not putting in proper operation guidelines.A person putting together a meal will need to taste it, to make sure it's good. If the hotel were to put in operational guidelines to ensure tasting can be done while still making it very obvious that it is hygienic, I would not have to be writing this email. Needless to say, our dinner experience was ruined that night. I actually shared the above comment with IHG Guest Relations (on 25 Dec), which the agent was extremely prompt on getting back to me and assured that I would get a response back from the hotel about it within 48 hours. Unfortunately, the hotel never contacted me. I then asked guest relations again (on 5 Jan) to follow up with th