Given how far away the island of Kyushu is from Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto, my perception in the past was that of a backwater that lacked sophistication. After numerous trips to all of the Prefectures the past few years, I've come to the realization that it's rich in history, culture, nature and - yes - a wonderful gastronomic identify. Unzen Kyushu Hotel is yet another example of a Kyushu property offering a polished hard product, refined service levels and an incredible dining experience. The property was rebuilt from scratch several years ago, with visions of a modern boutique hotel but with contemporary furnishings with local art. They've done a wonderful job here - the buildings blend into the Unzen environment without dominating the landscape (it's right next to ”Unzen Jigoku,” aka ”Unzen Hell” hot springs.) From most of the rooms as well as the lounge area, you're treated to a front-row seat to the views of Unzen Hell, complete with the strong sulphur smell (which we like, to be honest.) The grounds are immaculately maintained, and it really is a tranquil environment that is at harmony with the area at large. We chose to spend our 3 nights in one of the ”Hanare” (detached and separate building) rooms since they provided more privacy and space, although it's at the expense of a view of Unzen Jigoku that other rooms offer. The Hanare room offers bedrooms that are segregated from the living room (a key for us), as well as both an indoor as well as outdoor (open-air) Onsen hot springs bath, which was wonderful. The other benefit of Hanare-staying guests - you get to dine in a separate area, and in a private room, which is important to us, especially during COVID times. As a bonus, for the entire time we were there, the wonderful manager of Unzen Kyushu Hotel (Mr. Taura) personally served us - what a treat! He's an encyclopedia of food knowledge (as well as the local ingredients), and was very enthusiastic in his work. One other major bonus of this hotel, which really delighted us.... the pace of the meals was the best we've ever experienced. Nowhere else have we enjoyed a 9+ course meal in 90 minutes. And it didn't feel rushed at all. It was perfectly paced. Your mileage will vary, and that will be the result of the attentive staff and kitchen, who are quietly monitoring the pace of your food consumption so that everything is served exactly when you'd like it to be. Unzen Kyushu Hotel offers a choice of Japanese and Western-Japanese fusion meals, both for dinner and breakfast. Given we were there for 3 nights, we went with Japanese - Fusion - Japanese, and we were happy with the choice. Everything was unique, varied and umami-filled, even for breakfast, and we felt the quality was up there with the best ryokans and hotels in Japan. By this time, we weren't surprised... Kyushu (and Nagasaki) has awesome seafood, vegetables and fruits (the latter two thanks to the fertile volcanic soil), so chefs have top-notch ingredients to play with. Something
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