Sanso Amanosato

Cleanliness

The long and extensive dinner and breakfast (Nine course). Not needed - we prefer one or two courses of food we can select

This hidden gem, nestled in the mountains about an hour south of Osaka, was hands down the most exceptional stay of our 3-week journey through Japan. From the moment the courtesy car picked us up at the nearby JR station, we immediately relaxed into the what was possibly the best hotel experience we’ve had worldwide. This small 8-room ryokan boasts a friendly, devoted staff who strive to make every moment of your stay delightful. The rooms are spacious and airy with thoughtful design notes that embrace the mountain setting. Three spectacular private onsen baths are fully stocked and almost always available due to the boutique size of the inn. The bar serves complimentary drinks before and after dinner every night, featuring local spirits in addition to pretty much anything else you could desire. Then the omikase dinner: an extraordinary 12-course exploration of hyper-seasonal, often-regional delights of French-Japanese fusion. One of the big reasons we chose Amanosato is that it is flexible to dietary preferences, and it was a homerun. Finally, and most importantly, the people. Japan is known for its service culture, and the Amanosato team takes that to an even higher level. You can feel their genuine love of their job and pleasure in providing the best service possible in every interaction. They brought an effortless joy to every interaction, no matter how small. I would plan a return trip to Japan just to stay another few magical nights at Amanosato.

The weather was unreasonably hot, which was totally out of their control!

Japanese breakfast option was extremely interesting and delicious. Dinner was fab! Also liked the availablility of little electric bikes, rode out to a local temple through the farms in this tiny quiet little town. Beautiful private onsens to share with your partner.

Nothing

Comfortable room and lovely food

Limited English spoken. Not a suitable place for visitors not speaking or reading Japanese ( room amenity controls and onsen availability via a Japanese iPad system). We didn’t find the decoration of the public areas particularly attractive.