Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin — Hotel in Yufu

This place is not worth the time, effort, or money, especially for just a one-night stay. The only redeeming quality was the food, but even that was overshadowed by the restaurant’s half-wall design, which does little to block noise. Unfortunately, during our dinner, a group of Cantonese-speaking guests was not only yelling but also taking a loud group call—at one point, they even started singing in chorus to whoever they were calling. Sitting slightly across from them, I also saw them sitting in one-leg up foot on chair style—combined with the sheer volume, I felt like I had been transported to a Hong Kong night market rather than a supposedly high-end Japanese resort.

Another major issue is that smoking is allowed on the property, including right along the path to the public onsen, which was unpleasant. As for the room, it was cheaply designed, had cleanliness issues, and did not match the luxury prices they charge. It felt like an economy hotel disguised as a high-end retreat. The garden was also unimpressive—just brown and lifeless during this season.

The most ridiculous part of our stay was the lack of a shuttle service after 6 PM. When a railway traffic light malfunction left us stuck on a supposedly two-hour train ride for five hours, we finally arrived past 7:30PM in the rain, only to find that there was no way to reach the hotel. I tried calling multiple times, but all I got were automated messages with no way to reach a real person. Meanwhile, other travelers were being picked up by their hotels’ shuttle services, which made it even more frustrating. I would have expected a “luxury” hotel to provide better guest support, especially given its remote location. Japan’s train system is usually reliable, but if a single traffic light malfunction can leave passengers stranded for hours, hotels in such areas should have contingency plans.

To make matters worse, as soon as we arrived—tired and exhausted from the ordeal—the staff immediately asked us to confirm our departure shuttle time for the next morning, with the latest option being 11:30 AM. It became obvious that their priority is quick guest turnover rather than ensuring a comfortable experience.

As for the onsen, I’m not sure if there are private options, but accessing the public one requires walking outside to a separate service building. The facility itself was disappointing—basic, small, and not particularly well-maintained. There are only two indoor and two outdoor pools, which get very crowded during peak hours, making the experience far from relaxing.

Overall, this hotel falls far short of its luxury branding. Between the lack of service, underwhelming facilities, and poor guest experience, I wouldn’t recommend staying here—especially if you’re expecting anything beyond a glorified economy hotel with a...

We booked 3 rooms for a total of 3 nights and our stay was extremely disappointing... to start the check-in process was too long and the first they welcomed us with was a sheet of paper with all the rules we should follow during our stay here and where we will be fined a large amount if we were not to follow them. We were also suprised that they have not even looked into our note (which we documented when making the reservation 2 months prior) regarding our dietary restrictions and made no effort to accomodate or even consider. We were then disappointed with the offerings of the hotel, they showed us a paper with the services offered which included a massage yet they informed us that it was unavailable, we asked how to get to the downtown area and they told us they will call a taxi for us and did not inform us they have a free shuttle bus to the station until we asked. They are also not transparent with the timings. After a long day, they showed us to our rooms which was the most disappointing part, the website showed catfish photos of the villas yet the reality was just regular rooms, quite depressing for the hefty sum we paid, and there was no view, it was completely blocked by trees. The other room which was supposed to have a gorgeous view of the rice paddies was all dried up, not a pleasing sight at all unfortunately... nothing like what the pictures on their website showed. the bathroom was a tight fit with dark walls as well. Furthermore, everytime you open the room door so many bugs would swarm into the room and there is no bug spray or anything, during my other stays, every hotel would provide a body spray, bug spray, and a small device that wards off mosquitos, yet this one had none of those... moreover, they were inconsiderate and completely inflexible with our dietary restrictions even though we informed them of it 2 months prior. They brought us a plate with food we informed them we could not eat and just said "be careful of this, it contains..." the least the could do is not put it in the plate, let alone replace it (they wouldn't even switch some items between the Japanese and vegetarian menus to accommodate for us). We paid a very large sum to stay at this hotel yet our stay was nothing short of a disappointment unfortunately. We tried to talk with the management and were held for hours and were compensated with absolutely nothing worthy of note. Would definitely not recommend staying at this hotel, you would be better off staying at one of the traditional Japanese ryokans who offer a one of a kind experience and are extremely welcoming, accommodating, considerate, and undoubtedly have gorgeous views and would do so much to make your...

Stayed at Kai Yufuin for one night last week with friends who wanted to visit Yufuin. The price was HKD 5,000+ per night for two people, which isn’t too bad compared to nearby hot spring hotels—The rate included two meals.

We arrived early and waited for check-in. The place was a bit hard to find, especially since we were driving (likely a common experience for those traveling to Yufuin). They offer a pick-up from the station, but there were no instructions for finding the entrance, which made it tricky. The atmosphere felt clean and calm overall, but the lobby washroom was a bit dirty and had an odd smell. There’s a platform overlooking terraced rice fields, which was pretty despite the fields looking a bit yellow. The staff were helpful and arranged our rooms next to each other. The room itself was smaller than expected but had a nice woody, calm vibe. The private hot spring was tiny, with window gates that made it feel a bit like a prison. The water was warm enough, but there were mosquitoes or insects floating in it. The staff provided a tool to remove them, which I used, but it still didn’t feel comfortable, so I only stayed in for 5-10 minutes. The meals were disappointing—basic farm-style dishes with almost no seasoning. I wasn’t expecting gourmet food at an onsen stay, but this was underwhelming. There are two onsens (one indoor, one outdoor), both fairly clean but small for the property size. The DIY class in the morning was a bit boring and didn’t add much to the experience. Service was good, though. One downside: the toilet window glass was so dirty with water stains that you could barely see out—would recommend they clean it regularly. Surprisingly, they allowed a 12 PM checkout, which is nice since most onsen hotels require 10-11 AM. Overall, it’s decent for the price, but the hot spring, food, and lack of directions could use...