Isawa Tokiwa Hotel

Upon arrival, the front desk staff were very welcoming and I felt like I had come back here. The Japanese-style room had a low bed, so the room felt spacious, and the window side had been renovated, with a large long table and two chairs along the window. There was a work uniform in the room, and a yukata was available next to the front desk. There were two room keys, which was convenient. There were sweets in the room, mineral water, Dolce Gusto, coffee, etc. There was a large bath and an open-air bath, which were alternated between men and women. There were many places to wash, and amenities were available in the wash area. The hot spring was colorless and transparent. For dinner, we had the "Koshu beef kaiseki" in a beautiful restaurant. Tea, water, rice and miso soup had been changed to a self-service system. Dinner was very satisfying. I was looking forward to the usual Koshu beef, raw tuna and Fujinosuke nigiri that are served as appetizers. This time, I enjoyed Koshu beef as shabu-shabu and steamed in a bamboo steamer. I was a little disappointed that I could only eat a little of the rice and forgot to take a picture of the dessert. After dinner, we watched the lights of Isawa Onsen Sakura Onsen Street, right in front of the inn. Breakfast was a Japanese set meal, and we could choose between beef bowl or white rice. There were also side dishes such as salmon, so my wife had seconds of rice. A hoto was also included, so we were full even without seconds. On a cold day, a hoto really warms the body. Check-out was at 11am, so we were able to relax in our room after breakfast. The baths and food at this inn were great, and the hospitality was outstanding, making for a heartwarming stay.

I was able to stay at a reasonable price even though it was December 29th. I learned that this hotel has a history of nearly 100 years and is called "Kofu's Guest House" and is chosen as the venue for shogi title matches. The hospitality of all the staff was very impressive. The service of carrying luggage to the room is not seen very often these days, so I am impressed that this is a hotel that represents a long-established Isawa. The room is normal, but there is a coffee machine, which is a nice service. For dinner, I was able to enjoy Koshu beef nigiri, shabu-shabu, steamed, and lava-grilled Koshu beef. The seasoning was good and the portions were large. For breakfast, you can choose white rice or Koshu beef bowl. I chose white rice because I wanted to eat a hearty meal in the morning. Most of the people around me had beef bowls. I was looking forward to breakfast because dinner was good, but my expectations were completely betrayed. The hoto was good, but the other side dishes were so poor that I think people who chose white rice will be disappointed. I can't believe that the menu was created by the same chef. Did the beef bowl cost a lot and the cost of that was reflected in the side dishes? It's true that if you choose the beef bowl, the side dishes would be fine. Wouldn't it be better to at least offer the all-you-can-eat dried small sardines served at the dinner venue for breakfast? It was a shame because the rice was delicious. The hot spring water is of good quality and is available almost 24 hours a day. However, the open-air bath is small and can only accommodate 2-4 people, so if you take the time, you can take your time by yourself. There is no mention of circulation, so I'm not sure of the exact details, but I think the open-air bath is a free-flowing bath. The indoor bath also has hot water. The customer service is good, as other people have said in their reviews. I liked the pleasant greeting. It's in front of the illumination venue, so it's a great place to see the cherry blossoms in spring, so I'd like to return in a different season.

Overall, the customer service was good, but I was disappointed in the language and lack of kindness of the young male employee who served me during dinner. I almost said, "Please call the person in charge." I put up with it because it was my father's birthday, but I think I need a little more education.