Hotel Shiroyama

“Overall, a great experience (with a few caveats)”

Hotel Shiroyama might be easily overlooked by foreign travelers. And there may be a reason for that. It doesn't really cater to non-Japanese speakers. That said, if you can speak some Japanese and you have a good understanding of Japanese etiquette and rules, you can have an excellent experience at… more

Hotel Shiroyama might be easily overlooked by foreign travelers. And there may be a reason for that. It doesn't really cater to non-Japanese speakers. That said, if you can speak some Japanese and you have a good understanding of Japanese etiquette and rules, you can have an excellent experience at this hotel. (I am a Westerner, I can speak some Japanese, and I have a Japanese husband. All of this was greatly to my benefit, so, keep that in mind as you read this review.) Hotel Shiroyama is, depending on what part of the hotel you are in, quite old. There are parts of it that look like it's from the Showa era, with maroon walls and old-style hotel carpeting. But then... in the men's sento (public bath), it was incredibly beautiful and clean and modern. Small, yes, but still, truly lovely. Also, the rooms: there must have been a "refresh" on all the bathrooms: there were double sinks, a stall shower with an overheard attachment so you can really get a good blasting if you want one, and of course a washlet toilet with the lid that opens when you approach it. The rooms were also quite large, with a separate little sitting area near the window (although there is no view to speak of, at least from the 2nd floor). The pièce de résistance is the Japanese dinner that is served in your room. It is quite astonishing in the number of dishes that are offered: lots of small appetizers, sashimi, sumashijiru (a clear soup that is divine), beef stew covered with a baked rice cracker, several other dishes that are heated at the table, rice, of course, and more. We stopped counting and stopped eating -- it was too much. And then of course there was dessert. Now, I am not saying this was a 5-star meal; some of it was great, the rest was good. But the amount that was served was sort of mind-boggling. Of course you can also order beer or sake or soft drinks to go with the meal. Trust me; for two people, it was just way too much food, unless you have super hearty appetites and absolutely love Japanese cuisine. That said, if you are unable to sit cross-legged in a chair made for that purpose, you will be somewhat uncomfortable for the entire meal. It is all served on a low table, and while you can put your feet under the table, you will not be sitting in a position that is natural for most Westerners. There is a smallish table in the sitting room (near the window), but do not expect them to put the food there, because there are too many dishes and they won't fit. I would say the Hotel Shiroyama went above and beyond to provide a really lovely "Japanese experience" with their dinner. Also, the breakfast served in the morning in a communal dining room was fairly hearty, but it is entirely Japanese. If you are used to eating this way, or you are craving this kind of experience you will enjoy it -- but remember, these meals are "set." There is no substitution for anything. They do not cater to vegetarians, so if you are one, this is not the place for you. The attendant at the front desk was, in fact, not Japanese, but her Japanese was really excellent; my husband is Japanese and there was a moment when he didn't understand her clearly, but I did. She, and the other staff members, made excellent efforts to ensure that we had a quality experience. As for sleeping: the staff lays out the futons for you, which is nice and there was a good aircon which provided plenty of warm air. But... if you are not used to sleeping on a futon, you will not have an incredible night of sleep. We only slept because we were physically exhausted. The best way to think of this hotel is as a great play to stay if you are going to go sightseeing in the surrounding area. It is pleasant enough, the food was good, and the staff was generally kind and attentive. That said: do not expect English. Other pluses: you can easily walk to it from Yugawara Station in about 5-7 minutes, approximately. All in all, I think this was a quality experience, if you keep in mind the caveats above.

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“お風呂などがリニューアル”

お風呂や入り口がリニューアルしたと聞いて、行く事を楽しみにしてました。 ホテルの入り口がキレイになっており、また以前は無かったロビーでのコーヒーサービスが他のフォレストグループの宿と同様に始まりました。嬉しいサービスです。 お風呂は特に女風呂は完全に新しくなってました(男風呂は、露天風呂は同じとの事)。内風呂が二つになっており、ラドン風呂は同じ場所で、今まで無かった内風呂から入れる露天風呂が増設されました。なお、露天風呂からは展望はありません。新しお風呂は高級感があり、快適です。洗い場の数も増えて、手すりも各所にあり、安心です。 夕食は部屋食なので、くつろいでゆったりゆっくり食べる事ができる… more

お風呂や入り口がリニューアルしたと聞いて、行く事を楽しみにしてました。 ホテルの入り口がキレイになっており、また以前は無かったロビーでのコーヒーサービスが他のフォレストグループの宿と同様に始まりました。嬉しいサービスです。 お風呂は特に女風呂は完全に新しくなってました(男風呂は、露天風呂は同じとの事)。内風呂が二つになっており、ラドン風呂は同じ場所で、今まで無かった内風呂から入れる露天風呂が増設されました。なお、露天風呂からは展望はありません。新しお風呂は高級感があり、快適です。洗い場の数も増えて、手すりも各所にあり、安心です。 夕食は部屋食なので、くつろいでゆったりゆっくり食べる事ができるお宿です。食事の品数も多く、和食の中に洋皿(今回はビーフシチュー)もあり、色んなお味が楽しめます。 朝食はレストランにて、いただきました。シジミ汁や玉子焼きが特に美味しかったです。 Wi-Fiも部屋て簡単に繋がります。 なお、つれあいは露天風呂から見えた電車が見えなくなったと少しだけ残念そうでした。 また再訪します。 This ryokan is many good points. 1 Very close from JR Yugawara station which is next to Atami station 2 Nice dinner that you can eat at your room 3 Very nice onsen (Yugawara onsen - hot spring). You will like it. 4 There is also private bath - need to pay for use. 5 Outhentic Japanese breakfast 6 coffee service at lobby 7 Free WiFi

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“夕食は部屋食”

良く行く我が家の定宿ですが、コロナ自粛でしばらくぶりの利用です。 14時チェックイン、部屋食、ラドン湯、コーヒーサービスなどが、気に入ってる理由です。またフォレストリゾートの宿でスタンプを四つためると、一泊無料になるので、まめに利用してるお宿です(たまにダブルスタンプもあり)。 久々に行ったら部屋菓子が、湯河原和菓子ゑふやのきび餅に変わっていて、嬉しかったです。 いつものように満足の宿ですが、今回は部屋のポットのお湯がぬるかったり(替えてない？)、お布団敷きの時(?) に、冷水ポットを持っていかれてしまい、少しあたりまえのサービスがイマイチでした。Onsen ryokan -Japanese… more

良く行く我が家の定宿ですが、コロナ自粛でしばらくぶりの利用です。 14時チェックイン、部屋食、ラドン湯、コーヒーサービスなどが、気に入ってる理由です。またフォレストリゾートの宿でスタンプを四つためると、一泊無料になるので、まめに利用してるお宿です(たまにダブルスタンプもあり)。 久々に行ったら部屋菓子が、湯河原和菓子ゑふやのきび餅に変わっていて、嬉しかったです。 いつものように満足の宿ですが、今回は部屋のポットのお湯がぬるかったり(替えてない？)、お布団敷きの時(?) に、冷水ポットを持っていかれてしまい、少しあたりまえのサービスがイマイチでした。Onsen ryokan -Japanese hotel with hot spring and dinner served in one's room. Dinner.

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“Good value for money”

We visited the hotel during our holiday in November 2012. Three adults an a baby. The hotel is very close to the JR Yugawara Station. Can't miss it - waking distance 5 minutes. The hotel had seen better times, but we had a big japanese style room which was very nice, clean and comfortable. Everythi… more

We visited the hotel during our holiday in November 2012. Three adults an a baby. The hotel is very close to the JR Yugawara Station. Can't miss it - waking distance 5 minutes. The hotel had seen better times, but we had a big japanese style room which was very nice, clean and comfortable. Everything at hand (tea, yukatas, hygiene prodocts, TV ...). The bath facilities were ok and you have the possibility to rent a private outdoor bath (roten) for 45 minutes free of charge. Dinner was served in the room and was of good quality and amount. Nice japanese style breakfast in the breakfast room. Service was very good. Overall you can have a more stylish Ryokan in Japan, but they are probably much more expensive. We would stay with Shiroyama again.

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