Kinugawa Grand Hotel Yume no Toki sits on a hill in the hot-spring resort town of Kinugawa Onsen, with mountain views and about an eight minute walk from the station. It is built around the bath and the dinner, with five individually designed open-air baths and a seasonal kaiseki menu, and a Japanese garden to stroll.
The point of a hotel like this is the evening. The baths use clear, simple alkaline spring water, which the hotel says helps with stiff shoulders, sore muscles and poor sleep, and the five open-air baths are designed individually, so you can try more than one during a stay. Dinner is a seasonal multi-course kaiseki meal, the sort of slow, many-small-dishes dinner that makes a ryokan-style night memorable, and breakfast follows in the morning.
The hotel also offers a wellness plan with a room air purifier, morning activities with an instructor and a rice porridge breakfast, available to one group a day and bookable only through the hotel's website.
Location works well for a two-night Nikko plan. You can walk to the station and the river, with the free foot bath and suspension bridge close by, and trains and buses connect to Tobu World Square, which has its own station one stop away, and to Edo Wonderland by a short bus or taxi ride. From the Tokyo side, the hotel says Narita airport is about two hours forty-five minutes by car, so most guests arrive by Tobu train from Asakusa in about two hours.
Things to know
Rates are quoted per person with dinner and breakfast, and in general terms they sit in the upper mid-range, rising on weekends and in the foliage season. The hill means a taxi may be worth it with luggage. Book the dinner plan rather than a room-only rate, since the meal is half the appeal. It suits couples and adults looking for a calm, bath-centred night, and it is less obviously a family choice than a large resort. If you prefer a base for the shrines, choose a hotel in Nikko town instead.
Why stay here
- ✓Five open-air baths
- ✓Alkaline hot-spring water
- ✓Seasonal kaiseki dinner
- ✓Japanese garden
- ✓Eight minutes from the station
- ✓Hillside mountain views
- ✓Wellness plan with morning activity
- ✓Near the river and foot bath
Good questions
How far is it from Kinugawa Onsen station?+
About an eight minute walk, though the hotel is on a hill, so a taxi helps with luggage.
Is dinner included?+
Hot-spring hotels like this are usually booked with a seasonal multi-course dinner and breakfast, so check the plan when you reserve. The meal is a main reason to stay.
Is it near Edo Wonderland and Tobu World Square?+
Yes, both are a short trip away. Tobu World Square has its own station one stop from Kinugawa Onsen, and Edo Wonderland is a short bus or taxi ride.
