Amane Resort Seikai

We paid $300 per night and stayed in the middle main building (UMI Building). There is a 500 Yen tax fee per day, payable upon checkout. The room lacked garbage containers. We literally had to make one up. No smart TV, in fact, not even an English language closed caption was available. Service from staff was top. And they are pleasant to interact with. So that's a huge plus. Wifi was closed in at almost 42 mbps download in my room. The private onsen was amazing. Its mineral water was scalding hot but can easily be adjusted by adding cold water and getting rid of the excess heated water. It comes with a stunning ocean view of the Bay of Beppu, so peaceful to look at. We had an issue with people next door smoking cigarettes next to us, and our private onsen was filled with the ugly stench of cigarettes that gave me and my companion a headache. This was a huge problem for us since we thought this place was non-smoking, and it was simply countering the beauty of nature when all you can smell is the stench of cigarettes. The room came with two bottles of water, coffee with an electric water boiler pot, a small fridge, and an ice container. We were given one complementary drink per guest of your choice. The breakfast buffet has an impeccable presentation, but the dishes were at a good level, not the best, but good.

A luxury seaside ryokan that falls short of being truly a 5 star resort. Pros: - the views are nice and relaxing but I've seen better to be honest - all rooms have a private open airbath/onsen. Be sure to choose the newer buildings - staff was very friendly - wifi available - beds were comfortable - breakfast buffet was beautiful presentation wise. Taste was good too Cons: - the top con is smoking is allowed on the balconies. It's terrible and very hard to relax in the onsen when you smell cigarettes all the time - no garbage can anywhere in the room. Where do people throw their trash? - rooms are older. Furniture is outdated - no snacks available in the rooms for guests - only two bottles of water available in the room. Although you can request more for free, i would think they would also include other beverages - located away from Beppu town center. Although it's easily accessible by train or bus, the location doesn't scream luxury 5 star hotel. There is a KFC right across the street - limited food options around the area The price per night is expensive and doesn't exactly correlate to the experience you receive. For the price you pay, there should be more amenities included

A seaside ryokan with great views, but with caveats. First impression entering the ryokan: 5/5 We drove into the hotel, luggage was handled by the staff with great care, and they had valet service that will take care of your car. Free parking on site. During check in: 3/5 Check in procedure was quick, but we were not provided any welcome drink immediately after, only after about 30 mins were we given one drink per person. All other ryokans that I have stayed in provided it first thing when you sit at the reception. Hot springs: 4/5 One female and one male bath, does not rotate based on timing. Size is okay, can easily fit about 10 people without feeling too crowded. Towels provided at the bath area so you don't have to bring one from your room. No cold drinks or ice cream provided for free, everything is paid. Dinner: 1/5 Paying >35k yen per person per night, I am expecting a very good dinner spread at the Gen restaurant which serves kaiseki. But what I got were food that is questionable at best. The main course that is the Oita Wagyu beef, contains too much muscle meat, and not much fats. The overall flavor was covered by the butterbur (I have no idea that this is) that smothers the beef. Frankly, I don't even think it's A4 grade. The staff serving us was also not providing the best service. Towards the end of the meal, they just placed the next course on the side after clearing. I had to bring the tray and bowl myself in front of myself. Rooms: 3/5 Spacious room with good bed. You have your own private onsen too, which is nice. But one huge complaint that I have, which spurred me to write this review, is that even though I requested non-smoking room, the ryokan apparently allowed guests to smoke at the balcony. I had a nasty experience where while I am soaking in the private outdoor bath, a neighbour decided to smoke 3 sticks. This is highly unpleasant for me, and when I called the ryokan front desk, they said nothing can be done. No where on their website did they mention that smoking is allowed. But to their credit, they also did not mention that it's a non-smoking establishment. Overall rating of ryokan: 2/5 Ryokan is a fake "premium". You pay >35k per person per night, to receive quality that is severely lacking in many places. Verdict: Take your money elsewhere.