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Reviews of Ryokan Suminoyu

3 out of 5
Ryokan Suminoyu
Shibu-onsen, Shimotakai-gun, Yamanouchi, Nagano

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 84 out of 107 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 107 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 107 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 107 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 107 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Joanne

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A lovely traditional Ryokan. The staff were lovely and welcoming and went out of their way to make our stay memorable. They offer free collection and delivery to the train station and drop off to the snow monkey resort. The food is beautifully presented and very traditional. They also have a lovely onsen to enjoy.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lynn

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Judanaka station transfers were so very convenient for us as well as the transfers to Snow Monkey Park. The staff were incredibly patient and helpful even though we did not speak Japanese. The food served was really incredible. Even the kids meal was very thoughtfully planned and tasty. Location was perfect, it was so close to the shrine and a tiny play area with snow for kids was right next door. They also had a foot bath and next to an area with foot baths. The onsen on site was very nice especially the outdoor one. Not crowded at all. We had everything we needed, even great espresso at the front desk. We loved our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Boon Kiat

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best Ryokan to stay.
the stay was very nice, very nice lady boss and very friendly, The room was large and extremely cozy and warm for ryokan stay. breakfast and dinner we have was so good. just love it. They supplied us with the key for the 9 public onsens and all the instructions. We also had all the necessary items for the onsen trips including warm jackets for going out. The onsen at the hotel is indoor and outdoor with an amazing view outdoors.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kia Hung

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic Stay
Definitely the best decision to change our booking (for 03 families) to Suminoyu Ryokan as the overall stay was a superb one right from the start. It was also a 2nd time stay in this ryokan for one of us. Lady proprietor greeted us warmly outside the ryokan after we had parked our cars and her team immediately sprang into action welcoming and helping us with the bags and parking. It had snowed the night before so the roads were snowed in and iced and very cold. As we were heading into snow monkey park, lady boss was concerned with the ladies' footwear and gladly offered her personal snow boots to 2 of our female travellers. The rooms were clean, cosy and well maintained taking into account that the ryokan was fully booked. Dinner and breakfast were served in a room separated for each travelling party. Service were prompt and excellent especially from a lady staff ( Filipina) who is always obliging and smiley. The Onsen on the top floor was good and we enjoyed hot soaks daily with an awesome view of the mountain range. Check out was swift and the farewell experience from lady owner and her team was with the highest recognition to their guests. They stood and waited to bid goodbye out in the cold even when we gestured that we would take a while to get ready. Overall it was a great stay and the experience we had was exceptional from the team in Suminoyu Ryokan. Thank you Suminoyu Ryokan, we will sure to be back!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

James

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were so kind and helpful, and the included meals were exquisite. We were picked up from Yudanaka station and driven to the Snow Monkey Park the next morning. The location is within a block of two public onsens, but the hotel’s own onsen is even nicer and well-appointed.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ze Xi

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carlos

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Ryokan Experience
Lovely ryokan experience at a reasonable price! Felt like a new property, with great rooms, food, and hospitality for our entire stay. Highly recommended for your first time staying at a ryokan, especially in an onsen village
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

matt

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely small traditional onsen hotel.
Lovely small hotel. Very clean, great service. Great onsen on top floor. Traditional Japanese dinner was excellent.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Betty

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My room was lovely and comfortable, the staff was very pleasant, friendly and helpful. The superb dinner and breakfast were really memorable and a highlight of my trip!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Leah

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Such a good time. Definitely would book again!
Really nice place. You get access to the 9 onsen nearby and the town is cute and quiet. Definitely opt in for meals, they are AMAZING.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Had a lovely stay at this Ryokan and would highly recommended it. Staff were kind & accomandating and made sure I felt welcome as a solo traveller. When they heard I intended to visit the monkey park the day I arrived, they especially arranged for transportation to take me there. The ryokan is english-friendly, especially my server for dinner who could hold a conversation. Food featured local ingredients and was excellent.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

SWEE CHENG

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Duc

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Edward

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Spencer

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2021

8/10 Good

Courtney

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2020

8/10 Good

Robert

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely staff and excellent Onsen at this ryokan. The meals were fantastic too.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kristina, Philadelphia

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is beautifully maintained and operated. The staff goes above and beyond to assist in explaining what is offered at their facility and the surrounding area. The location is ideal to explore the town and Monkey Park. It is also close to public transportion. They offer shuttle service to and from the train station which is very helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

JustinS, Bellingham, WA

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Top marks for this beautiful place. Highly recommended to add this into your Japan trip. Stay 2 days, minimum. Enjoy the hospitality from their wonderful staff and soak in the Onsen throughout the village. Truly beautiful, relaxing, and also the meals were incredible. Traditional fare, come hungry and be prepared to ask questions.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a fantastic true japanese experience. Staff were so obliging and the food excellent. Cannot fault it.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tina, So. Cal

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hosts, speaks English well and very informative
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Omar

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing property. The ryokan style rooms were clean and had everything we needed with a private bathroom but no shower in the room. The staff was amazing - friendly and very helpful. We needed help figuring out part of our itinerary and they got us the taxi we needed and even offered to shuttle us in their van from the train station. The service was amazing but so was the food. Well worth the price for the dinner and breakfast. Thank you so so much!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Caitlin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This was our favourite nights stay in Japan so far
This Ryokan was an incredible experience - the host was extremely friendly and accommodating. It is in a great area with a lot of onsens around, or your own onsen on the top floor of the Ryokan. The host will take you to the snow monkey trail and pick you up/drop off at the station. Highly recommend this place is you’re looking for a Ryokan experience!!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Marlene

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Marlene
Marvelous experience, very traditional,excellent bathing experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Loved the unique experience! Very friendly staff! Definitely worth the trip
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

MSH, Ottawa, Canada

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved this hotel experience. It was our first time staying at a Ryokan and it really offered us what felt like an authentically Japanese cultural experience. The welcome and orientation process by English speaking staff made us feel very comfortable right away; we were escorted to our room and treated to tea and a locally made pastry; the traditions of the local onsen were explained, including how to wear the yakuta and how to access the public baths, as well as the bath on the top floor of this hotel. The breakfast in the morning was stunningly beautiful -- I wish we had reserved dinner too! And there is a free shuttle to the train station in the morning if you need it. The hotel also offers a shuttle to the Snow Monkey Park. Shibu Onsen is a beautiful little town, truly a gem, in my view.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Best onsen in the city. Mountain views are breathtaking.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed tremendously the rooftop level onsen which was both indoor and outdoor. No need to venture out in cold to public onsens! Extremely friendly and responsive staff.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Guowei

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very welcoming and professional staff. Relaxing stay with excellent half board option.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Doreen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best little inn
Amazing little inn. Staff were excellent, very helpful & friendly. Hot springs were excellent both in the hotel and the old ones we had access to in the lovely town of Shibu. Inn had shuttle to train station & to Snow Monkey park. Best hotel/inn on our entire trip to Japan.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

elena

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hotel with great staff hospitality. Really enjoy the stat especially the free 9 public bath which is a good experience for non-Japanese like me.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

tal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great experience
Stay in the ryokan is very good way to experience the Japanese way, both in living and in eating. Staff is most helpful and friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Corinne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Just perfect!
Excellent stay. Amazing dinner and breakfast included, extremelly professional service. Perfect value for money.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Helmut

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pleasant stay - delicious food
Most friendly and helpful stuff, delicious breakfast and dinner with many courses, in great location. The rooftop onsen in the ryokan is available all night and has also an outdoor tub - will come back for sure
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Francesca, SoCal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Located at the edge of a quaint and small town, this hotel took us by surprise, in a good way. We booked a traditional room with half board. I would definitely recommend you book this. The dinner and breakfast was absolutely delicious. They served kaiseki (traditional japanese dinner) and had about 10 different dishes, so although the servings seems small, it will get you full. Same with the breakfast. The room is simple but charming, old but very clean and the futons were very comfortable. They have a shared bath on the top floor and their own indoor and outdoor onsen. You also get a key to access the 9 onsens of Shibu Onsen which I would highly recommend you try. And on top of that, the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful (they also speak very good english). They helped us figure out a schedule for our departure to Kyoto the next day and offered to drive us early to the station so we can catch our train. I would visit Shibu Onsen just to stay at this hotel again.
Stayed 1 night in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Russell

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Andrea, Edmonton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent hotej
Excellent location, food and staff. I highly recommend this hotel!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018

8/10 Good

Mr H O M

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic Japanese Ryokan Experience
A truly authentic traditional Japanese ryokan (inn) and onsen (hot spring bath) experience. Great room in Japanese tatami style with sliding doors. As it was still Spring during the day there was a "kotatsu" in the room - a low table with integrated electric blanket to keep your lower body toasty. Then in the evening while you're at dinner someone will set out the futon. The room has a personal toilet but for bathing you use the shared bathroom on the top (6th) floor. Customer service was always eager & polite. Suminoyu got in touch to find out my train's arrival & arranged pickup by minibus. Suminoyu also provide a shuttle to the train station when checking out. Transport to Jigokudani Monkey Park is also provided but only one way & in the morning. That said it is only a 30 minute trek by foot back to Suminoyu. As one of the participating Ryokans a guest here has automatic access to the 9 traditional Onsens around Shiba. Despite limited English, Suminoyu staff helped explain how to do the 9 Onsen experience & provided a key, yukata and towel. Upon request you can get a special printed cloth on which you use the official stamps from each onsen & a stamp from the local shrine. It is said if you complete all 9 baths & the shrine you will have good health and good luck. Dinner & breakfast is "kaiseki", the equivalent of haute cuisine. Many small dishes of multiple flavours presented beautifully. Chopsticks only & your palate might be challenged.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Really great service
Everyone at the ryokan was really nice and hospitable, the service was amazing. We were given a lift to the monkey park nearby and driven to the train station the next morning for free. One thing to note, our room did not have an attached shower (only a toilet and sink), we were told this was the case for most rooms and instead, guests shower on the 6th floor where the onsen is located. So please be aware if this matters to you.

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
an amazing experience
This as an amazing place to stay. A traditional ryokan, complete with its own onsen (male and female) plus access to the public onsens in the town. Amazing kind hosts – including bringing my glasses to the railway station when I left them behind! The half board option is recommended – you get amazing traditional Japanese meals. The room was comfortable with a fridge, small bathroom, supplies for using the onsen, futon and warming table, plus supplies to make tea. The building has an elevator, is well maintained and is in a great location for the snow monkeys – plus they have a shuttle to take you to the park (and to the local rail station). Make sure you arrive before about 6pm if you want dinner though they kept the meal for me as I didn’t get there until 7 – but you need to let them know. Plus make sure you get there before 10pm.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018

10/10 Excellent

Janelle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Country Inn excellent service
Could not have done more for us. The food was excellent. The rooms were spacious. We were picked up at train station, driven up to the monkey park and dropped back at station. Loved visiting the 9 onsens in the town.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Peter & AM, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly Ryokan
Facilities, Service and meals leave nothing to be desired. The evening atmosphere with the different onsen locations is very special.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

A Molly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Total Delight
Magic! We were transported to another world. Our experience could not have been improved!