Zao Omiya Ryokan offers a very traditional Japanese experience, perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in local culture. The rooms are comfortable, but keep in mind there are no private bathrooms—guests use the public bath, which is pleasant, though it lacks an outdoor option. One thing to note is that there’s no lift, so if you’re traveling with large luggage (as I was with a family of five), be prepared for the stairs. While there are some restaurants nearby, options are limited, so it’s worth considering dinner at the ryokan. I went out to find food but ended up walking quite a bit. The service staff speaks limited English, but they are incredibly friendly and do their best to communicate and make your stay enjoyable. Overall, it’s a charming and authentic stay, ideal for those seeking a true ryokan experience.

There is no lift but heh … it’s traditional ryokan and I can’t be asking for everything. So this is something I don’t like but I am not complaining and fine with it.

Room was excellent and very spacious. We loved the location as it was close to many shops, restaurants, and the ski lifts. The facility staff were very welcoming and helpful for our requests. Breakfast was great. We weren't able to finish everything because there was a lot served. Worth the price. I'd recommend also booking at least 1 night dinner here to try the local seasonal food and Yamagata beef.

Our room was right above the outdoor hot spring so we could smell the sulfur in our room. I don't mind it but would probably request a room facing the other way next booking.

I really enjoyed the free transport from yamagata station to the accommodation both ways (can text and reserve on booking.com) i enjoyed the onsen and the surrounding foot baths. the food was delicious and they give A LOT of food. this is probably way nicer in winter when most of the festivals and events are happening!

even though the onsen was nice, it was quite small compared to the surrounding onsen and previous ones i’ve been to. the water quality was good but there were very limited options and space!

Overall, it was amazing to stay here. The rooms were cozy and clean. Stuff was kind and helps a lot. Breakfast was amazing and really delicious.

However, the onsen is a bit old and doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all the guests. Some equipment in the men's onsen was broken, some shower heads were no hot water available for the showers. Additionally, I sent messages through BOOKING regarding adding dinner for my family, but I never received a response.

The hotel is situated halfway between the bus station and the attractions. The Western-style rooms are spacious, and the staff is very eager to assist guests. The public baht is not too busy and clean.

The steps are not very user-friendly, so be prepared to navigate them for all activities in the hotel. However, it's good exercise. If you don't have a car, you'll need to walk uphill and downhill to explore the town anyway. Also, if you don't eat beef, please make sure to indicate that in your booking request, or you may find that there are no alternatives available for breakfast.

Good location, yummy meals, nice customer service, Large room, lots of Yukatas to choose from, love the public lounge room. I like the 1 hour check out extension for only 2200 yen. Overall, I rate this 3.9 out of 5.

The concierge / customer service spoke very little English. The onsen was extremely small, where only 3 adults can enter without feeling claustrophobic. The ski equipment room where you take off your shoes was also very tiny. It created a huge crowd with many people sitting on the cold dirty wet snowy floors. The hotel was VERY pricy! If I am spending over $500 for a room for 1 night, I expect better English speaking service. Overall, I rate this 3.9 out of 5.

Wonderful location in Zao Onsen, and we were able to use the Ryokan's shuttle from Yamagata station - It's also only a 5-10 minute walk from Zao Onsen's bus terminal for trips back down to Yamagata or if the shuttle times don't suit/are full. Also only a 5-10 minute walk to the Onsen's convenience store, as well as the gondola lifts up to various peaks around. It was unseasonably warm leading up to our visit and the wintersports season hadn't quite started yet, but there was snow on the shaded side of the valley. Food was fantastic, the kaiseki was stunning for all our meals and we were really able to sample a wide range of local dishes and ingredients and they tasted great. There is a nice selection of local Sake and Sochu/etc as well. The baths are lovely (as we stayed during winter, the outdoor baths were closed) and are cycled between genders after cleaning so you can experience both baths during a multi-night stay. They're quite cosy, with room for maybe only 5-10 people at most, but given the overall size of the Ryokan and other guests' schedules it was empty most times we went for a bath, and only with one or two other people the times it wasn't. The onsen water is as advertised, heavy on the sulfur, though the smell did not bother me (I did have a bit of a stuffy nose), and very therapeutic. We stayed in a Japanese-style room which was lovely, clean, stocked with amenities etc as one would expect. Staff were wonderful, struggled a little bit with very sparing English, but we managed to get by with our sparing Japanese as well.

The shuttle from Yamagata station to the Ryokan is quite small, with sporadic timing, and we weren't able to get full confirmation of our slots - just had to hope when we showed up at the meeting spot. Hopefully this can be communicated better to non-Japanese speaking visitors. Also, I thought the room I booked had a shower, but it only had a toilet/sink. This wasn't a problem as we were planning to use the baths almost entirely, but may be worth ensuring the photos/room descriptions are fully up to date. I don't consider the above two to be negative enough to knock off any points from the review as everything else was so stellar it more than made up for the minimal downsides!

The location is great, beside a canal/stream. The ryokan is beautiful. The air-conditioned room is large and equipped with all amenities you need. The onsen is great for skin. Its facility is well-maintenanced. There is also resting area with massage chairs and baord games. Meals are full of local specialties. Breakfast is fantastic. Staffs are helpful.

Dinner is dominated by cold plates. I would prefer more hot plates. Some staffs cannot communicate English, so sometimes it is difficult to request for somethings.

The location is centrally located. It is within minutes walk to two ropeway cable car stations. The room is big and well heated. The Ryokan is well maintained and clean. I am impressed with the breakfast and dinner provided. It is a must try if you are staying here. You will be surprised how well it was.

Need to book shuttle bus transfer at least 3 days before the departure date. We didn't know and had to take public bus or taxi to Yamagata station.

Good food ,they provided very best food of all three onsens I attended on this trip Oct 2024. Clean . Location good.only 8 min from bus .

Nothing particularly .But I realized for the first time,a very traditional onsen does not have a bathroom in my suite. Therefore one must go to onsen be public. Grad that I signed up for breakfast and dinner because very very few facility for meal was open in this little town. May be it was the town’s slow season.