CURIO Shirakawago — Hotel in Shirakawa

Feb 2023.. ❄️❄️

The welcoming fresh scent of wood filled the lobby when we entered the mint 2-storey building. There are 3 rooms on each floor. Upper floor is accessible by staircase only, so take note if you're traveling with heavy bags or has mobility concerns.

A small carpark (free) is adjacent to the building. No reception desks so check-in on your own. Rooms are reasonably sized, decor/facilities I would say overall it's better than budget inns. In fact the photos put up by the owner here are accurate.

We arrived on a snowy evening. Good thing we could drive the vehicle close to the entrance so there's no need to drag heavy luggages in the thick snow. Speaking of thick snow, next morning the building owner/staff woke early to plough the driveway and clear overnight snow from our car. We really appreciated his kind gesture!

If you're particular about bathrooms and toilets as I am. Read on, else skip this paragraph. The fancy toilet pops it's cover automatically, seats are heated, bidet shoots warm jets and the "aim" is adjustable. The shower water pressure is strong. Hot water takes a few seconds to come on and when it does, it's very hot. The bathroom is so clean even the tile grouting is spotless. I don't know why but I noticed newer hotels have no cloths hanger/hooks in the bathroom.

The bed is ok but the pillow is way too soft and limp to offer any head support. Regardless some of us managed to rest, perhaps because it was so bloody cold outside.

Most visitors to Shirakawa would prefer to spend the night at a Ryokan. But some of my family members were more keen on a no frills hotel, so I'm actually quite glad that this place exists for...

A very cozy and modern hotel situated about 15 minutes by foot from the nearest bus terminal. It can seem a little tedious to reach if you have luggage to carry with you but we did fine with backpacks and medium-sized suitcases.

The location is in the middle between Ogimachi Village and the rest of Shirakawago, offering you the perfect opportunity to explore as much of the whole area as you can.

The check-in and check-out processes are pretty much as easy as it gets. Despite not having staff on the premises, the owner is very communicative and remains available by email should you have any questions or problems. Both the front door and your room are secured by an electronic lock.

The rooms are very spacious, clean and a daily supply of necessities and hygiene products are delivered to you every day. I found the beds particularly comfortable. The daily supply includes a light snack (very yummy!), water, clean towels and full skincare kits.

The location itself is very quiet but staying on the ground floor, noises and footsteps can be heard if somebody is staying upstairs. I would say that's really the only drawback that we met.

All in all, a high-quality hotel and service for people who are eager to explore the entirety of...

The place was clean and comfortable, and overall I had a decent stay. There’s no check-in counter, but the self check-in process was smooth thanks to clear and detailed instructions provided in advance.

It’s about a 25-minute walk from the bus terminal, which was manageable for me. I believe a shuttle service is available, though I didn’t end up using it.

The room itself was cozy and tidy — no complaints there. However, the Wi-Fi was a major issue. It was extremely unstable and disconnected frequently. Unfortunately, I had to rely on my mobile data for the entire stay, which was frustrating.

If reliable internet isn’t a priority for your trip, this could still be a good option, especially for the comfort and cleanliness. But if you need to stay connected, it’s something to...