"The staff was friendly.
Upon arrival the guest gets a yukata and a key to 9 public thermal springs around the town, where he may bath freely. Note that they are extremely hot. The staff also offers a free ride to the Snow Monkey Park or Yudanaka Station in the morning."
"Only the couple managing the property, doing all rooms and check in and dining. So be patient. Even they might not know much English they still provide great service and try to accommodate your needs.
Nice restaurants and convenient store around though most close early. Walking distance to the Akakura Obsen Ski area."
"This Ryokan was quaint in the perfect way. It felt traditional without the modern flair. The owner was amazing and drove me to the snow monkey park at no cost. The onsen was perfect and tatami room was gorgeous. Amazing view around the town with the snow."
"A beautiful and rustic ryokan run by a lovely older couple and their son. The building and it’s location are incredible, just a short walk from Yudanaka Station and Shibu Onsen. "
"This place is a great discovery. The hosts offer a warm and gracious hospitality. The jazz music they play in the common area is excellent. I love their displays of art and the maps of the local area. The breakfasts were splendid and the host worked to accommodate the dietary needs of one of our group."
"Joetsu is such a beautiful city very rarely visited by foreigners. Go take a walk around the Takada Castle grounds and see all the variety of Giant Lotus flowers. See the amazing art at the museums. Also learn about Samurai history with Kenshin Uesugi!"
"This is an authentic old-style ryokan with welcoming hosts who treat their guests like family. The building is very old and, being wooden construction, creaky and drafty, but also charming. The onsen was exceptionally clean and a wonderful first time experience for us. The breakfast was beautifully presented and delicious, with a variety of offerings we had never before encountered. We are westerners in our early 70s and were a little worried about sleeping on futons on the tatami mat...
"We had a great stay at the Elan Hotel. Chris made the stay much easier by driving us around a bunch. The other staff is just as helpful as Chris. We highly recommended staying here! Thank you for the great time!"
