Arima Royal Hotel is a small, traditional-feeling place to stay on the main road of Arima Onsen, the hot-spring town in the hills north of central Kobe. Several of its room types come with a private bath, including semi-open-air, half-open-air and open-air versions, and there is a large shared bath as well. It is a one-minute walk from the town's main street, the Toy Museum and Kin no Yu, the famous bathhouse with golden-brown water.
Location and getting around
The location is the point. The hotel is on Arima's main road, about a one-minute walk from the bathing area, from Kin no Yu, from the Arima Toy Museum and from the little shops that sell sweets and crafts. Zuihoji Park is about eight minutes on foot, and Arima Onsen Station is about seven minutes on foot.
By car, Kobe Arimaguchi Station is a few minutes away, and Itami Airport is around a half hour. The streets in the old part of town are narrow and often busy with day visitors, so travel light and check how to reach the entrance before you arrive, especially after dark. Central Kobe and Sannomiya are a train ride away.
Rooms and facilities
This is a small property rather than a large resort, and it offers nine room types, so check which one you are booking. Several include their own bath, with semi-open-air, half-open-air and open-air layouts, and one type has an open-air ceramic bath, which is a pleasure after a day on the trails. There is also a large communal bath.
Housekeeping, a 24-hour front desk, a vending machine, bidet toilets and free toiletries are provided. There is no large restaurant or spa, and meal plans differ by room type, so check what a rate includes, and check parking and breakfast when you book if they matter to you. Check-in starts at three in the afternoon and check-out is at ten in the morning.
Who it suits and what to know: couples and travelers who want a simple, atmospheric night in a hot-spring town without the cost and bustle of a large hotel, and walkers who plan to explore Arima and Mount Rokko on foot. A stay here pairs well with a few days in Kobe, using the trains from Sannomiya.
The trade-offs are the small scale and the lack of big-hotel facilities, so families who want a pool, a gym or several restaurants should look at the larger hotels. Weekends, the autumn leaves season and holiday periods sell out, so book early, and ask about dinner plans, because restaurants in the old streets can close early.
Why stay here
- ✓One minute on foot to Kin no Yu bathhouse
- ✓Rooms with private open-air style baths
- ✓Large shared bath
- ✓Arima Toy Museum one minute on foot
- ✓Arima Onsen Station 7 minutes on foot
- ✓24-hour front desk
- ✓Bidet toilets and free toiletries
- ✓Housekeeping
Good questions
Do rooms have their own bath?+
Several room types include a private bath, in semi-open-air, half-open-air or open-air layouts. Check the room type when you book.
How far is it from the bathhouse?+
Kin no Yu and the main street of Arima Onsen are about a one-minute walk away.
Is it close to central Kobe?+
No, it is in the hills north of the city, a train ride from Sannomiya, so it suits a night or two of soaking and strolling.
