Kinosaki Onsen Shiki Kaoru Yado Ichidaya Ichidaya

I was here for 2 days, and do not recommend this place to you guys.
The hotel stairs are very small and steep, there is no elevator so it is very inconvenient for those with a lot of luggage, especially for the elderly.
The food was expensive and really not good. We went in a group of 3, and 2 of us had stomach aches and diarrhea after dinner here. The next morning I skipped most of the breakfast because it was so salty and weird.
Also the service was very slow, maybe because there were very few staff and they looked really tired even though they tried to communicate well with us.
The room we stayed in was very small and stuffy, the view wasn't nice either. We have to shower in a public bath so it's a bit inconvenient.
I hope my review is helpful to you.

The service was excellent, and the staff spoke both Japanese and English.
Both onsens were fantastic, offering a truly relaxing experience.
Our room was a traditional Japanese-style room—immaculately clean and incredibly charming.
The only minor downside was that the air conditioning was a bit loud, but everything else was absolutely perfect.

Cosy Place to chill relax in a onsen town. 2.5 hours drive by highway from Osaka. Complementary drinks and snacks bar that is open at various timing. Worth the drive up for recreation.

I recently stayed at Ichidaya, and it was a delightful experience from start to finish. The hotel truly excels in offering a relaxing and memorable stay.
One of the highlights was their private onsen, which provided a serene and intimate atmosphere. It was well-maintained and a perfect spot to unwind after a long day.
The service was outstanding—staff members were attentive, friendly, and went out of their way to ensure we felt welcome.
The dinner was another standout feature. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared, showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients and traditional flavors. It was a culinary treat that added immense value to the stay.
The hotel’s location is also a major plus—it’s easily accessible and conveniently close to one of the seven famous onsens, making it an excellent base for exploring the area.
Overall, Ichidaya is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway with excellent amenities and service. I highly recommend it and would gladly stay here again!

Fantastic stay! The staff were super friendly and the dinner was incredible! Although they didn’t speak much English, the pantomime skills were on point. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something slightly outside the western comfort zone while still being able to communicate a bit and find some familiar foods.

We can’t for a night and we were in love immediately with the place. The staff is always there to answer questions. They don’t speak much English but that expected in a traditional Ryokan, which is what I wanted. It felt like we stepped into old world Japan.
The location is perfect, next to all the bath houses and bars, restaurants in town. We went to some baths and then took time to drink and meet locals. Most stores close around 6 but pubs open by 7. We loved the local British pub in town, highly recommend it if you like conversation with locals. Also try the local brewery (Gubigabi) with phenomenal beer.
They gave us Yakuta (robe) and wooden shoes to wear around town. I recommend you wear your own shoes (pack some flip flops), those sandals are hard to walk in. Everyone in town wears the outfit given to them by their Ryokan (hotel). It’s marvelous to see. We had crab for dinner (the kaseiki) with 10 courses. It was amazing and more than we could eat. Breakfast was served early at 8am, another traditional meal with multiple courses such as egg, and mainly seafood.
We stayed a night and wish we had 2-3 to truly explore the town. There’s a beach one bus stop away. We took time to check it out and got lots of scenic views.

This was a nice, more affordable ryokan than the Riverside one we had just come from, but service felt not quite as good. They were training a new girl but seemed distracted by it and forgot to explain a few things. The onsite shared bath is nice and the room is large.