Chaharu Hanare Dogo Yumekura

I went there for a New Year's trip with my girlfriend. Honestly, it wasn't that great. It felt like I only paid for the location, Dogo, and the New Year's. For the first time, I suspected that other reviews were fake. First of all, please note that the bathing tax and parking fee are separate from the accommodation fee. There was no explanation upon entering, and I only found out when I was charged the additional fees upon leaving. The location, right behind the Dogo Onsen main building, is great, and the rooms have private baths, which is great. Other than that, I would have been better off staying at an APA Hotel or somewhere similar. Many of the staff are of Chinese descent. That might be understandable at a regular hotel, but this is a historic Japanese hot spring resort... The following may sound a bit like a complaint, but I'm sharing the many things that made me feel uncomfortable. After arriving, while I was checking in at Chaharu's front desk, a Chinese female staff member was loudly scolding another staff member right next to me, which was very unpleasant. I wish they had at least kept her out of sight. Meals were buffet-style both in the evening and in the morning, with a wide variety of delicious dishes. However, the wait staff were constantly chatting amongst themselves and constantly coming around to clear plates, making it difficult to enjoy a meal in peace. At both dinner and breakfast, I was almost forced to clear my plate when I wasn't finished. If you finish eating quickly, your plate is cleared away and you just have to wait for your companion. Slower eaters feel anxious because they're making others wait, which is not a good thing. Perhaps they could provide a return shelf? The initial response from the Japanese male staff member who guided us to the parking lot was excellent, but the other staff members left a noticeable negative impression. I don't expect perfection, but I think it would be disappointing for a Japanese person staying at a historic Japanese hot spring resort. I really regret not being able to make my girlfriend smile. I won't stay here again, and I can't recommend it to anyone.

Check-in, check-out, and meals require you to go to the main building for everything except for overnight stays. There are traces of what appears to have been a lobby on the first floor of the annex, and a restaurant on the second floor, but neither is currently operational. After checking in in the main building, staff accompanied me to the elevator on the first floor of the annex. They were unable to escort me to my room, so I had to carry my luggage there myself. Since they didn't accompany me to my room, I was given a rough explanation at check-in and a handout I was given to help me navigate the room. I wondered if this might be difficult for elderly guests. About the facilities: The only drink in the refrigerator was a 500ml bottle of mineral water per person. I used this to make the tea and coffee packets provided in my room. It was never enough. (Like a business hotel.) I couldn't find any vending machines in the annex, so I walked outside to the main building and bought a drink from one there. (There may have been a vending machine in the annex, but it wasn't even mentioned, so I don't know where it was.) The heated tatami floor was great, but I got a lot of tatami dust under my feet. The tatami felt worn. The bath overlooks the Dogo Onsen Main Building, which I thought was great! The location and hot springs were appealing.

The room was very clean and had a nice design. The attached bath was small, but we enjoyed the same quality hot spring water as in the Dogo Onsen Main Building. The bed was also of very good quality, and I slept soundly. However, although there was a sign that the open-air bath in the main building opens from 4pm, even at 4pm all baths except the main one were still covered. Is construction underway? A sign or something would have been nice. Also, the quality of the breakfast was disappointing. The buffet seemed crowded with foreign tourists arriving on tour buses, so you might want to skip the meal. The location, directly behind the Dogo Onsen Main Building, was great.