Hotel Dengan spa di Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Right above Aomori Station, this hotel's location is super convenient, with direct access to JR from the lobby. It's often fully booked, so the hot spring is usually quite busy no matter when you go, but they do have real apples in the onsen! There's a hot bath and a slightly cooler one, both very comfortable. The spa, yoga, and dining are mostly extra charges, but there are plenty of activities. The rooms don't have bathtubs, which makes sense since everyone's expected to use the large hot spring. The facilities and equipment are quite new, the bed is very comfortable, and you can see all the best parts of Aomori from your window, including the bay and the bridge.

Service was good. There was a staff who is stationed at the entrance, checking with guest who arrived by car. They will ask for your name, provided clear instructions of where to park. Unfortunately, I have accidentally left the lights in the car switched on. A few moments later when I was doing my check-in, the front desk staff quickly informed me about it. The facilities are good. Food is really good, very different from the other Hoshino resorts in Aomori that I have stayed. At KAI Tsugaru, it is Kaiseki instead of the usual buffet style. The staff took pains to explain and share the reason for each dish that was served. There are only 41 traditionally-furnished and generously-sized rooms offering both Western and Japanese-style designs which gives a very unique and dedicated experience as compared to other hotels which has many rooms.

It's best to be prepared for power outages. Public toilets and water rooms are standard features of traditional Japanese B&Bs. The Japanese breakfast is good. Please note that the check-in time is before 9 pm. If you can't arrive, be sure to contact the owner in advance. The B&B is on the mountain, so be careful when driving at night. There are no street lights.

I tried the Japanese-style room. The location is very close to central Hirosaki, and there's a shuttle service to JR Hirosaki every morning, though you need to book it in advance. The open-air onsen was a novel experience! After soaking, there were ice cream and ramen available. The front desk offers fully self-service check-in and check-out, which was very convenient, and the service was excellent.

Although I chose this ryokan as alternative place but it turned out it is my best stay so far. It is not far from Kuroishi and it is accessible by public transport. Room is very spacious and has both a bathroom and a toilet. Onsen is good. It has both indoor and outdoor ones. Usually it is not busy. Food was great both dinner and breakfast. Free flow of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are also included. Very generous. Staffs are very friendly, although their English are very limited. Extra 150 yen per person for onsen tax. Cash term only. Cashless payment is available.

The hotel was great and the view is unbeatable. The ”bath with a view” is incredible and relaxing. It's a bit further out of the already very small town than other locations, so you're going to be in for a 10 ish minute walk to anywhere except the beach. The hotel staff does not speak much English, but were very helpful all the same. The WiFi didn't really reach all the way to my room. Overall, great stay!

I absolutely love Japanese onsen hotels. Imagine, after a long day of traveling, you can just soak in a hot bath all evening – pure bliss! (╹◡╹) Overall, Hoshino Resorts is very conveniently located. It's just a 10-minute walk from the nearest JR Misawa Station, or you can easily book the hotel's shuttle bus. For dining, you can book the buffet in advance through their official website, which is convenient and hassle-free. The variety of dishes is also quite extensive. Regarding activities, the hotel has a fairly concentrated game area. Some activities are free, while others have a fee. You can check the details and plan ahead on their official website.

The staff always treats you politely. I had coffee after breakfast, but I thought I would have a paper cup and a lid.