Seikaiso — Hotel in Beppu

This is the first time I wrote about my unforgettable experience of accommodation in Japan.||||Beppu is famous for its hot spring spots, which makes one important part of my trip to Fufuoka. We picked this hotel at random on the net.||||Having checked in and we couldn't wait to put down our luggage. It was the first time I tried the traditional Japanese tatami rooms. Gorgeous! ||||After a short break for half an hour or so, we left the room to take a look at the hotspring spa upstairs. We came back to the room and were all surprised that the bed sheets and pillows had all been made and the room messed with our luggage tidied. How caring!||||An amazing part for the night stay follows - the dinner. While we can always pay for authentic Japanese cuisines in many places. BUT, the dinner served to us, the way we were served, is of TOP grade! The side dishes are so refreshing and served as very good starters. The Genmaicha adds to the freshness in between the dishes. This is the best one I ever tasted. We had steamed eels, hotpot for pork. What comes next is the beef to be cooked on 'salted rock'. I made the beef to just above medium rare (yes it's my style). Put into mouth, the juice remains with our chewing. We were all fascinated by this top quality beef. 美味しいですね。||||Again, we can always pay for high quality food. But, It is the way we were served that I must write this review. Every time the waitress came in and served us: bringing us dishes and explaining to us how to consume the dishes, which dishes go with which sauce etc. Besides the taste of the meal, the evening was filled with wholeheartedness and sincerity of the staff. She made us feel respected and important! Looking out of the windows we enjoyed the serenity of the sea. We didn't drink beer thought. The amazing dinner finished, we took a few pictures outside the room, the waitress who mainly served us, together with some others, stood at a distance and took a bow to us to wave goodbye. Not just for dinner, but also the next morning a very good breakfast provided. It's another waitress who served us in this turn. ||||Being one customer so lucky to be served by such quality staff, I would say they should earn our respect and compliments! ||||Thanks again to the very nice staff again!||||3 Hongkongers who stayed...

This is the first time I wrote about my unforgettable experience of accommodation in Japan.||||Beppu is famous for its hot spring spots, which makes one important part of my trip to Fufuoka. We picked this hotel at random on the net.||||Having checked in and we couldn't wait to put down our luggage. It was the first time I tried the traditional Japanese tatami rooms. Gorgeous! ||||After a short break for half an hour or so, we left the room to take a look at the hotspring spa upstairs. We came back to the room and were all surprised that the bed sheets and pillows had all been made and the room messed with our luggage tidied. How caring!||||An amazing part for the night stay follows - the dinner. While we can always pay for authentic Japanese cuisines in many places. BUT, the dinner served to us, the way we were served, is of TOP grade! The side dishes are so refreshing and served as very good starters. The Genmaicha adds to the freshness in between the dishes. This is the best one I ever tasted. We had steamed eels, hotpot for pork. What comes next is the beef to be cooked on 'salted rock'. I made the beef to just above medium rare (yes it's my style). Put into mouth, the juice remains with our chewing. We were all fascinated by this top quality beef. 美味しいですね。||||Again, we can always pay for high quality food. But, It is the way we were served that I must write this review. Every time the waitress came in and served us: bringing us dishes and explaining to us how to consume the dishes, which dishes go with which sauce etc. Besides the taste of the meal, the evening was filled with wholeheartedness and sincerity of the staff. She made us feel respected and important! Looking out of the windows we enjoyed the serenity of the sea. We didn't drink beer thought. The amazing dinner finished, we took a few pictures outside the room, the waitress who mainly served us, together with some others, stood at a distance and took a bow to us to wave goodbye. Not just for dinner, but also the next morning a very good breakfast provided. It's another waitress who served us in this turn. ||||Being one customer so lucky to be served by such quality staff, I would say they should earn our respect and compliments! ||||Thanks again to the very nice staff again!||||3 Hongkongers who stayed...

Artisanal food & nice spas: at the right price point (beware - a wide range in pricing applies! ) it can be more than worth it. What's hot: spas are great. Some rooms have private hot spa tubs on the balcony overlooking the sea - simply superb. The staff are generally very polite like they all are in Japan. Limited English is spoken but some staff are better than others at English. All instructions in the hotel are largely in Japanese - no respite for the English speakers - from toilet seat operations to TV controls, there is absolutely no English. The food is great too. The effort in design & pairings, from the Keiseki dinners to the elaborate breakfasts, kudos to the chef. Between the food & spas, it makes it all worth while. Car parking outside the hotel is usually adequate, but can be difficult on weekends when more locals check in for the spas & during the holidays. It is free parking. The rooms are pretty average in layout & design- practical, staid, but meticulously clean & due to recent renovations, well maintained. There is a singular & rather smallish lift onsite to provide relief for the physically challenged.

What's not: English speakers will struggle. Tardy response to emails can leave one rather miffed. Rooms can be expensive. The price of rooms during peak periods border on ridiculous so choose the timing of your stay wisely or value proposition is not there, even if you include for the rooms with private spas & the excellent dinner & breakfasts catered in the hotel. Unless you're a die hard repeat visitor that is. It does appear to have steady local...