Hotel Hanamaki — Hotel in Hanamaki

Confusing at first because this hotel is one of a trio connected by a walkway. They all begin with the name Hanamaki Onsen which makes our hotel name redundant. ||After checking in we wandered around all three hotels and scoped out the restaurants and onsens. Our favorites were the onsens with the outdoor baths.||We arrived about 1:15 and after checking in we asked about lunch. Apparently they stop serving at 1:30 and close at 2. The receptionist called the restaurant and asked but we were 5 minutes too late. Hungry and held captive by our locale we went to the nearby coffee shop and grabbed a sandwich. This held us until dinner. ||We opted for the package of a Japanese style room, dinner and breakfast. The room was comfortable and separated by a shoji screen and a small western style table and two chairs. The bathroom is small but with the onsen it doesn’t need to be anything more than functional. There’s also the typical amenities of fridge, hot water pot, safe, slippers and robe for the onsen.||The buffet meals are delicious with lots of choices from giant crab legs to fresh melon and from beef tenderloin to scallops mornay. They had personal sterno burners for crab and rice and seafood on a scallop shell. You can let it cook while you fill your plate. ||With hundreds of rooms, the location caters to weddings and conventions with accouterments for the former including a wardrobe of gowns and tuxedos. There’s even a chapel and outdoor area for hosting special events. ||As an English only speaking foreigner communication can be sketchy and all Japanese maps are limited without Google translator. ||Choose this if you enjoy an all inclusive experience and onsens. The surrounding area has a tranquility that is contagious. ||Don’t be bashful about wearing the kimono around—everyone else does. They even have bands for wrapping the wide sleeves so you don’t accidentally dip them into your ramen.||Enjoy a walk to the waterfalls and...

Perhaps like many tourists, we stopped here while traveling on the Shinkansen through northern Tohoku. We've been to a number of onsen hotels and this one has a bit more to add to the experience in part because of the extensive property, which includes a rose garden, hiking trail and some nice shops along the entrance to the property; three onsens and an evening show. Hanamaki is the hometown of the famous poet and author, Kenji Miyazawa, and his influence echoes in the architecture at the station and the shops, making this location even more family friendly. ||||The hotel is the smallest of the three connected hotels and that is probably a good thing as tour groups seem to be mostly at the other hotels. Interior walkways allow easy access to all three onsens. Service is courteous and attentive. The "Viking" buffet for both dinner and breakfast was plentiful. We saw many families with children at the meals. Rooms are very comfortable and traditional for an onsen hotel, and have baths for those unable to go to the onsen. ||||One of the highlights of the stay is an evening show that is free for guests. Local song and dance are performed providing a nice cultural experience. ||||There is a free shuttle bus to and from the station with 3 times in the afternoon and morning. You can make reservations on-line. While the Google English translation of the reservation page is not perfect, it is easy enough to understand. The shuttle buses have luggage storage so you don't need to worry about how to handle your luggage. The station is small and the directions on where to wait for the shuttle are easy to follow. (West Exit,...

We stayed here as part of a tour group on its way to Morioka from Sendai, the location having access to several notable Tohoku attractions. I was very pleasantly surprised and happy with our stay!!!||||The hotel has many rooms with a spacious lobby area and nice adjacent garden. The staff is a bit challenged with english but we did not have much issues with communication. The staff was nice and gracious. There is a souvenir / convenience shop within the lobby. There is also a market across the street if you feel so inclined. The hotel has a quiet casual ambience.||||The hotel set us up with comfortablly sized rooms (10-12 mat) with tatami floors and super futons providing a restful night for the weary travelers. Even better was the large dining hall with an excellent buffet dinner (and breakfast) with large selection of seafood, meats, vegetables, desserts (including a freezer full of various flavored ice cream!!). That meals were only exceeded by the large onsen facilities which offered multiple baths. The hotel is connected with adjacent facilities by walkways and you can also try these onsens (the outdoor one at Koyakaku was VERY nice).||||While it appears this hotel caters to locals and tour groups, It was a most comfortable rest stop for us with excellent food, onsen and a quiet comfortable room! Would highly...