Hotel Kowakuen Haruka — Hotel in Matsuyama

We stayed overnight at Kowakien in the Dogo hot spring district in the city of Matsuyama, Shikoku, Japan. Located on a low hill side very close to the centre of the Dogo hot-spring district, the hotel is a convenient place from which to enjoy the Dogo district. It is also easy to visit the city centre and the Matsuyama Castle by the street tram.||||The hotel is completely Western-style building from the outside, but it is a Japanese-style inn once you are inside. Every room is tatami-floored and comes with a very small bathroom with a tub. For bathing, as in every hot-spring in Japan, you are expected to join others at a large common hot spring pool.||||Dinner is served in your own room with usually more than ten small dishes and rice cooked in front of you. They are all in a small portion, but they are at the end quite filling. Breakfast (smorgasbord) is served in the large common room on the fifth floor with a view of Matsuyama City. The selection is not impressive, but quite all right.||||We paid about US$115 per person for room, dinner, breakfast and applicable taxes. Not too bad.||||One of the most interesting attraction of the district is the old Dogo hot-spring building built in 1894. It is a fully operational hot-spring with a large number of tourists every day and night. Try...

Staying at Kowakuen Haruka was a truly special experience. I stayed for three nights with both breakfast and dinner buffet included, and everything exceeded my expectations. The food was beautifully presented, and the dinner buffet came with two mains, steak and sashimi, both incredibly fresh and delicious.

The room was spotless and fully equipped with everything I needed. Yukata were also provided, which made relaxing inside the hotel even more enjoyable. The hot spring on the top floor was spacious and offered a lovely view, perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring.

The location is excellent, just a few minutes’ walk to Dogo Onsen, making it very convenient for sightseeing.

But what made the stay truly memorable was the exceptional hospitality. All the staff were kind, professional, and attentive. One moment that stood out was when I was heading out and it was raining, a staff member at the entrance not only handed me an umbrella but also opened it for me with a warm smile and wished me a wonderful day. Small gestures like this made a big impression.

They also helped arrange luggage delivery to my next hotel, which was incredibly helpful. I highly recommend this hotel and would love to...

We stayed in Tabe Zoo room for two nights. The best thing about this hotel is location. You can easily walk around to explore Dogo Onsen area and there is paid parking lot onsite. |What we want to complain is the extra charge and unclear information at the booking. I booked the Tobe zoo room and stated that I have two children. When we arrived, there are two queen sized beds in the room. We thought the hotel will arrange two futons in the room later as this is a room for 4 people, rights? |We found out later that we have to pay extra fees if we want two futons in the room. The room charges for 4 people didn’t include futons. They expect 4 people to squeeze in the existing beds. Most of the hotel’s staffs speak little English. So it took a long time to find the staff that can communicate the details to us. |We also found out that we have to pay extra for the kids’ breakfast as well. The including breakfast rate I chose earlier only apply for two adults only. |In the booking, it didn’t say anything at all about the extra charges and age...