Aso Plaza Hotel 阿蘇プラザホテル
Hotel
The Aso Plaza Hotel is the perfect starting point for hikes around the Aso-Kuju National Park. The building is quite big, somewhat old-school mid-eighties and not the most authentic or cozy, but it has all that is necessary for a pleasant stay, with an unbeatable price-value. The rooms are clean and bright, with nice views; the onsen facilities and the meals are above expectation. It makes this hotel one of the best options for staying in the area.
Open-air onsen and rooftop rotenburo
One of the nicest thing about Japan is unwinding in an open-air onsen after a long physical activity. We always try to choose a stay with an open-air bath. This hotel has 2 open-air facilities, a rooftop rotenburo on the 7th floor and one on the ground floor. The rooftop onsen has an open, wide view of the peaks of Aso while and the ground floor one is surrounded by the elegant Japanese garden with the mount views in the distance. Peaceful and quiet, absolutely great.
Food
Coming back from a long hike and not needing to leave the hotel afterwards for dinner is very rewarding. You can stay in your Yukata and interchange between soaking in the onsen and having dinner or breakfast.
During our stay we opted for half-board, breakfast and dinner included. Both were served is Kaiseki style which was exceptional, this being a hotel and not a ryokan. The food was very copious and tasty, prepared with great care. The very friendly and attentive service added to our pleasant experience.
Practical info
We booked directly via the hotel and could get a great rate of 16,000 yen (126 euros) per day with dinner and breakfast included. We stayed for 2 nights. The hotel is located in Aso town. We rented a car to move around but the bus station is located right in front of the hotel. While staying at the hotel we went on a hike to mount Aso and the Kuju Mountains.