This is an onsen hotel that caters to Chinese-speakers I think. Upon entering, I was greeted in Mandarin by one of the two hostesses. One is from Kwangtung and the other is from Taiwan. The more I know about this ryokan, the more I like it. We stayed two nights in room #1902 with a view of town and Western-style beds (though I didn't see any Westerners as guests). I immediately went to the men's onsen for 15 min -- very nice. Just outside the entrance begins a very busy pedestrian shopping street that ramps up to a Shrine with 400+ steps which I didn't attempt. The food served at breakfast and kaiseki dinner are outstanding. This is where Sakura shines. For Chinese guests, there are Chinese noodles and xiao lung bao. You can make your own udon bowl. Etsuko was our very excellent server at dinner. I couldn't find coffee before breakfast. There are no 7-11, Family Mart, or Lawson's nearby. I'd return for the food alone. Yum!
The customer service and attention to detail were the outstanding! Honestly this is the best hotel I have ever been (and I am well traveled) the staff were super nice and they listened and went the extra mile to make our stay the best we ever experienced. They gave us excellent food and took their time to ask if we didn’t like anything so they could provide food to our liking but it was already great food! The onsen upstairs is gorgeous with an amazing view of the mountains and the Japanese style room is excellent. This hotel deserve more stars! We did drive from Osaka and it was 200% worth the trip. I only have good words to describe this place. We left with a warm heart and we didn’t want to leave. I will come back in a heart beat! It is going to be hard for any other hotel to top their customer service. There are also nice things to do in the area like the scarecrow village and adventure park.
The Iya Onsen is one of those unique travel destinations that leaves you with a truly memorable experience. From the fabulous drive up the isolated narrow mountain road, to the view from the top into the valley below, the relaxation of the open-air baths at the river’s edge (or on your private terrace), the locally sourced and themed kaiseki meals, and the helpfulness and professionalism of the staff, the property offers an experience that clearly stands out among typical ryokan offerings, even more upscale ones. The prime feature of the Iya Onsen property, is of course, the incredible location and view from the top down into valley, which truly makes you stop to appreciate the natural beauty around you. The dedicated cable car taking guests to the large open air baths at the river’s edge below adds another unique element, with the overall experience augmented by the general high quality of the ryokan itself; while the buildings and rooms are beginning to show a bit of their age, the overall facilities and services are still very much reflective of a luxury stay. This is a wonderful luxury ryokan at an incredible location, a rare combination that is not always easy to find.