We went to this hotel because they indicated they are "dog-friendly." What that means is that they have a number of rooms that are dedicated for guests and their dogs. We specifically chose one on the 1st floor, because it came with its own private "dog run" back yard, which was quite ample and suited our mini-doxie just fine. ||The room was absolutely massive. I couldn't believe the room was as big as it was. It may have, at one point, been dedicated for guests who might be aged or use a wheelchair, as it was really easy to move around in it, and the bathroom and toilet are extremely big (by Japanese standards) (with guardrails for anyone who is infirm). ||I thought the beds were quite good and considering I don't like to sleep anywhere except on my super expensive space foam mattress, Kamenoi's beds were fine for me and my Japanese husband. ||The cuisine on offer was entirely Japanese. If you do not care for Japanese food, this is absolutely not the place for you. They will not (and should not) make any exceptions; it's not that kind of place. The clientele was 99% Japanese, and 95% adults. ||That said, if you decide to stay here, do not expect, hope for, or ask for an English-speaking person, because it's not going to happen. This is not a place that caters to foreigners, unless they can speak Japanese. ||I am reviewing this place because I felt it was spacious, that the Japanese meals were well-prepared, and that the ambiance was great for us. There is a view (in the dining room) of Tamagawa river and some outstanding trees. The surrounding area has a vast forest-like area, and you can also walk down to the river (at your own risk). ||As for "activities": there was a paddle-tennis room, but I didn't see anything else. If you do not have a car, I would only recommend this place if you are coming to relax and do nothing. That's what we did and we had one of the best times of our lives.||Several other things to be aware of: The bathroom has a separate bathing area with a "jet-massage" bath -- which was outstanding. But remember: all controls are in Japanese, so do not expect anyone to come rushing to help you if you do not understand. ||Also, while we brought our dog into the lobby in his carry-on bag (completely covered), "dog-friendly" is only for certain rooms, not for the entirety of the hotel. So, please respect their rules and do not go their expecting anything other than what I've described if you are non-Japanese. If you do not speak or read Japanese, you are wasting your time. ||Otherwise, my Japanese husband and I and our dog had an outstanding time, and we will definitely...
Read moreMy wife and I stayed at the Kanpo no yado Ome last summer with some Japanese friends of ours. If I recall correctly the room rate was about 16,000 JPY per night for what I thought was an excellent ryokan style room. I thought it was a good value compared to ryokans I have stayed at in places like Takayama, as the view was great, the room was spacious (for a ryokan), and the room itself was prettier to sit in (some ryokans have had drab rooms). Certainly - many parts of the hotel are "Westernized" - the corridors, lobby, etc.; but the room I thought was still a great value and experience. ||||The onsen is on the top floor and is OK - the best part about it are probably the great views - it is a little crowded I felt (I was there on a three-day weekend). ||||The food in the main dining room was excellent - however the service was often slow or negligent, even our Japanese hosts were a bit displeased with the service. The bar on the ground floor has a karaoke setup with a fantastic (Western) playlist - we most certainly used it.||||One can walk down to the river from the hotel, it is about a 10 minute walk down a very steep hill, but I think it is not possible to walk to the train station. ||||While I think this is a great hotel for a little break from the hustle of downtown Tokyo (just one hour outside the city by train) or for the Ome area, I would warn one that I thought it might be a little difficult for a non-Japanese speaker to get around the hotel facilities (i.e. check-in,...
Read moreThis hotel would not honor the price that I paid. They wasted my time. I had a receipt that I got with the final price that they would not honor. I asked for a refund and they wasted over 1 hour of my time. It’s an old, dilapidated hotel. Update 1/18/2023. I received a reply from the management of the hotel that I was, in fact, incorrect, and that the hotel was not intending to charge me more money than what I had paid by credit card, all along. Through 3 or 4 interactions, they were very dismissive of my feedback, but, in the end, they agreed that the staff would benefit from better English skills. I speak Japanese fluently, so I was a bit perplexed by this interaction. I feel like they are completely missing the point and trying to gaslight me into believing that the staff was not, in fact, requiring me to pay more money. Though I appreciate their investigation, this whole situation is very strange, and I will be avoiding this chain of hotels in the future. "The customer is always right" has turned into "The customer...
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