Kinugawa Onsen Hotel — Restaurant in Nikko

5 star service from Hitomi and make sure to upgrade to all you can eat dinner/breakfast dining option.||Booked this hotel for a stay in Mid November and after getting off of train we caught the bus here a little after sundown. The autumn leaves are really outstanding-almost every picture is a gorgeous post card. Bus driver asked where we are headed to and told him "Kinugawa Onsen Hotel" . Took around 10 min to arrive and we were dropped off in front of hotel parking lot. Waited in a short line to check in and front desk service referred us to "HITOMI" her name on tag in hiragana characters. She whipped up 2 page map with room information, pertaining elevator diagram and hotel keys. Make sure to pay careful instructions about onsen and buffet times- free soft serve ice cream and snacks until 6pm in lobby/ free drinks, coffee, tea until 10pm. FYI- best soft serve in Japan Hokkaido milk...yummy!!!||5 golden stars to HITOMI- top notch and friendly service. She urged us to be aware of emergency exits on our floor. While you are dining they will bring out futons so when you return- soft futons are waiting for you!||The room is a traditional tatami mat with table and cushions. It is welcoming with snacks, complementary bottled water and a hot tea station. Room safe in closet also included were yukata robes for him and her. Ugh, wonderful amenities, tooth brush, a few toiletries -worry free stay.||After visiting the onsen - kind of stressful for a foreigner like me. Not used to being naked with other ladies but in reality I was invisible- no shame at all. ||We headed down to the all you can eat dinner. We had 90 min-more than enough time to eat from 7:30 to 9pm. The spread was adequate with dishes from Japan and a few we recognized. Tempura made to order, musubi bar, gelato station, bakery section, fruit bar, local dishes and drink machine both hot or cold more-more- more- too much to mention. Looked at all the diners like ravenous sharks.||Lots of help staff taking away empty plates, chefs assistants re-filling the empty vessels with more foods. Orderly chaos in front of me and loving every succulent moment. I felt like Templeton in the Charlot's Web movie. Burp*||UGH, rubbing my full belly and going for seconds and thirds. Repeating " ah, ill have a year to diet" until we come back again. Super glad we upgraded to the all you can at buffet. Coming again in the morning-they open at 7am for breakfast. It ended up being a repeat but with Japanese breakfast foods too.||We did an early checkout at 8am and paid our $2 onsen tax. They were nice enough to let us stay in the room until 10am if we promised to bring back both keys at that time- no issues there.||First bus back to the train station arrives a little after 10 am and Hitomi came out to ask us to wait in lobby. Lobby had comfy seats and was warmer than outside. Hitomi soooo kind of her she told us the bus was here- wished her every success in life! Please -if you get a chance to meet Hitomi- be kind and acknowledge her.||||5...

5 star service from Hitomi and make sure to upgrade to all you can eat dinner/breakfast dining option.||Booked this hotel for a stay in Mid November and after getting off of train we caught the bus here a little after sundown. The autumn leaves are really outstanding-almost every picture is a gorgeous post card. Bus driver asked where we are headed to and told him "Kinugawa Onsen Hotel" . Took around 10 min to arrive and we were dropped off in front of hotel parking lot. Waited in a short line to check in and front desk service referred us to "HITOMI" her name on tag in hiragana characters. She whipped up 2 page map with room information, pertaining elevator diagram and hotel keys. Make sure to pay careful instructions about onsen and buffet times- free soft serve ice cream and snacks until 6pm in lobby/ free drinks, coffee, tea until 10pm. FYI- best soft serve in Japan Hokkaido milk...yummy!!!||5 golden stars to HITOMI- top notch and friendly service. She urged us to be aware of emergency exits on our floor. While you are dining they will bring out futons so when you return- soft futons are waiting for you!||The room is a traditional tatami mat with table and cushions. It is welcoming with snacks, complementary bottled water and a hot tea station. Room safe in closet also included were yukata robes for him and her. Ugh, wonderful amenities, tooth brush, a few toiletries -worry free stay.||After visiting the onsen - kind of stressful for a foreigner like me. Not used to being naked with other ladies but in reality I was invisible- no shame at all. ||We headed down to the all you can eat dinner. We had 90 min-more than enough time to eat from 7:30 to 9pm. The spread was adequate with dishes from Japan and a few we recognized. Tempura made to order, musubi bar, gelato station, bakery section, fruit bar, local dishes and drink machine both hot or cold more-more- more- too much to mention. Looked at all the diners like ravenous sharks.||Lots of help staff taking away empty plates, chefs assistants re-filling the empty vessels with more foods. Orderly chaos in front of me and loving every succulent moment. I felt like Templeton in the Charlot's Web movie. Burp*||UGH, rubbing my full belly and going for seconds and thirds. Repeating " ah, ill have a year to diet" until we come back again. Super glad we upgraded to the all you can at buffet. Coming again in the morning-they open at 7am for breakfast. It ended up being a repeat but with Japanese breakfast foods too.||We did an early checkout at 8am and paid our $2 onsen tax. They were nice enough to let us stay in the room until 10am if we promised to bring back both keys at that time- no issues there.||First bus back to the train station arrives a little after 10 am and Hitomi came out to ask us to wait in lobby. Lobby had comfy seats and was warmer than outside. Hitomi soooo kind of her she told us the bus was here- wished her every success in life! Please -if you get a chance to meet Hitomi- be kind and acknowledge her.||||5...

Extended family (adult children) stayed two nights in three rooms on a half board package for approx £200 per room per night. ||The hotel is difficult to get to. It's about a mile (20 mins walk) from kinugawa onsen station or there is a shuttle bus (JPY190) not covered by the pass. The bus is a rickety old thing with no luggage storage and steep narrow steps up. Difficult with luggage. No idea what a taxi costs.||The main issue with this hotel is the check-in process for which it loses a star! After checking in you have to wait to be shown to your room. Ours was a 20 mins wait in an overcrowd lobby with bench seating and no offer of coffee or tea etc.||The showing you to your room consists of going over everything you were told at reception and a brief explanation of the stuff in your room. Our room guide lady had about three words of English so the explanation was brief although she did manage to get the basics across. Some of the staff spoke excellent English.||Rooms (we were on the 4th floor in the main wing) were spacious and very comfortable. Separate toilet shower room, closet. Main room had twin small double beds, a large seating area hot and cold water, tea, coffee, etc. Aircon was all in Japanese so we had to fiddle around. On the evidence we saw the refurbishment mentioned by other reviews is complete.||Evening buffet crowded but extensive with a good range of dishes. You have a time limit of 90 mins which is (i) plenty and (ii) doesn't seem policed in any meaningful way. First evening we were dry (soft drinks only which are included in the buffet) and the 2nd evening we had the very good value 'all you can drink' for JPY 1,500 (+ tax). Good range of drinks including perfectly acceptable red and white wine, beer, spirits, etc. Again a 90 min limit. ||There are two onsens and the one on 1st floor (men in the morning) is far nicer with a wider range of pools etc.||Breakfast buffet again had a wide range but limited western fare.||The problem with this hotel is location. It takes a while and there are very limited direct trains to get you to the heart of the action in Tobu Nikko. Kinguawa Onsen town itself is a bit decrepit with little if anything to...