What kind of luxury onsen resort is ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel?
In early December, before the Christmas season, my family visited Beppu Onsen in Oita Prefecture. On the first day, we stayed at AMANE Resort Seikai, and on the second day we stayed at this resort. To get straight to the point, from start to finish, we enjoyed the ambiance of an upscale resort that exceeded our expectations. Although the price range for our stay was higher, the room with club lounge access was still a great value for us with small children. We especially appreciated the complimentary access to afternoon tea and the infinity pool for our family, and on top of that, free alcohol for my husband and I, who love to drink.
After sightseeing in Beppu City, we left the west exit of Beppu Station a little after 2:00 p.m. and waited five minutes at the cab stand on the right side of the station for the black Mercedes-Benz shuttle bus to arrive. The shuttle bus was easily recognizable by the resort hotel logos on the left, right, and back of the black bus. We boarded the shuttle bus and in about 20 minutes we were at the luxury resort hotel on a hill overlooking Beppu Bay. Beppu Onsen is a rustic hot spring resort town with many traditional, long-established ryokans, and we were excited before our stay because we had never expected a five-star foreign luxury onsen resort to appear in Beppu Onsen.
As we got off the shuttle bus and entered the building, we were overwhelmed by the spacious atrium that spans up to the third floor, and the huge ceiling-to-floor windows with a spectacular view of Beppu city, Beppu Bay, and the dynamic mountains. Even the kids were rolling their eyes and gazing at it for a while. The view of Beppu Bay from Amane Resort Seikai, where we stayed on the first day, was wonderful, but the view of the city of Beppu Onsen, the gently curving mountains, and Beppu Bay in the distance, which can be seen from this luxury resort, was also well worth seeing if the weather permits.
Then in the center of the lobby, water flowed through a stone trough carved out of a huge stone, and the sound of the water echoed pleasantly through the lobby. On the left side of the entrance, a wall reminiscent of a castle wall had large Beppu stones from the eruption of Mt. Tsurumidake embedded in it. On the wall on the right side of the lobby was bamboo sculptures representing clouds, created by a famous Oita-based artist, as Beppu has long been famous for its traditional bamboo crafts. Then, sofas in modern and chic colors, chairs and tables with sophisticated designs made of bamboo and wood were arranged on the window side.
The lobby was crowded because it was a weekend, but we had booked a room with access to the club lounge, so we were first taken to the club lounge on the third floor. The club lounge was furnished in a modern interior when we opened a magnificent door made of wood. The interior of the lounge was spacious. The table next to us was kept at a good distance from the table next to us. From the lounge window, we could see the staff parking lot and helipad in front of us and the gently curving mountains behind. The staff told us that they have a helicopter charter plan that allows guests to fly from Oita Airport to the hotel by helicopter.
When we were seated, the staff offered champagne for my husband and I and kabosu juice for the children. After we checked in, we were served our much-anticipated afternoon tea: a three-tier stand with Italian ham and bamboo shoot sandwich, ciabatta sandwich, paprika bruschetta, gorgonzola cheese quiche, butter scones, panna cotta, macarons, tiramisu, strawberry mousse cake, and more. Scones and sandwiches were available for refills. Then there were chocolate chip cookies, popcorn and fruit bananas available on the buffet table in the Club Lounge. Drinks included a variety of TWG Tea, coffee, espresso, cafe macchiato, cappuccino, hot chocolate, flat white, orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, kabosu juice, ginger ale, stright, Coca-Cola, Asahi beer, Heineken, etc. were available. Afternoon tea can be enjoyed from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. By the way, afternoon tea can also be ordered at The Lounge, a cafe on the second floor, but it seemed to be fully booked that day.
Then, after enjoying afternoon tea in the club lounge, the staff showed us to our room. This time, we stayed in a room with a private outdoor hot spring bath on the third floor near the club lounge. Upon entering the room, we found a closet on the left side, a spacious bathroom on the right side, and as we proceeded down the hallway, twin beds on the right side with an L-shaped sofa in the corner by the window. The wooden lattice partition between the bed board and the bathroom was especially beautiful. The balcony had a private onsen with a stone bathtub on the left side, and a sofa and table on the right side. As I stepped out onto the balcony, I could smell the sulfurous aroma of the hot spring. The room’s balcony was designed so that the spectacular view we had just seen in the lobby could also be seen from the room’s balcony. We could see the steam from the hot springs rising from all over the city of Beppu. The temperature was particularly low during the winter season when we visited, so we could clearly see the steam rising high into the air from the hot spring water flowing in the gutters along the roads from a great distance. This is a sight that can only be seen in Beppu Onsen, where the hot spring water is abundant.
After this we decided to visit the infinity pool and the communal hot spring baths. The infinity pool is heated to 27 degrees Celsius and can be used even in the cold winter months. The children were looking forward to playing in the infinity pool, so they brought their own swimsuits and floatation rings. When we stayed, it was winter season, so there were few people using the infinity pool. 12 years old and younger children can use the pool from 9:00 to 18:00, accompanied by their parents. Then I looked up at the sky and noticed that what had been a cloudless blue sky a few minutes earlier was gradually being covered by thick clouds. Mountain weather is really changeable.
After this, we went to the communal hot spring bathhouse to warm up our cold bodies. There were indoor baths, outdoor baths, and saunas. The outdoor baths were supposed to offer a spectacular view of the city, but the sky was covered with gray clouds and nothing could be seen. It was dusk, so the area gradually became dark and the lanterns in the outdoor baths began to light up. It was a pity, as we would have loved to watch the beautiful sunset from here while soaking in the outdoor onsen.
After this we had dinner at the restaurant called Elements on the 4th floor starting at 5:30 p.m. We ordered a semi-buffet with a choice of main dishes. We especially enjoyed the Oita beef sirloin main dish. There is an evening cocktail in the Club Lounge from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., but we did not use it this time because we had small children with us. Basically, children under 12 years old are not allowed to use the Club Lounge after 5 pm, when alcohol is served. However, instead of not having access to the club lounge, those of us with children had access to the restaurant, which offered complimentary drinks such as beer, champagne, red wine, white wine, orange juice, apple juice, Coca-Cola, ginger ale, coffee, and tea, etc. On top of that, the kids got complimentary kids’ plates with fried chicken, french fries, fruits, etc., instead of the food they could order in the club lounge.
After dinner, we wanted to view the nightscape from the infinity pool, but it was cold and windy outside, so we returned to our room and the children and I warmed ourselves in the indoor bath in the bathroom and then enjoyed the private onsen on the balcony. The night view of Beppu City from here was not as flashy as Tokyo’s, but simple yet elegant and somehow very poignant.
The next morning, we woke up around 6:00 am. It was still dark outside. We decided to make coffee in a coffee machine and wait for the sunrise on our balcony. Gradually, the sun rose over the horizon of Beppu Bay, the sky was tinged with a morning glow, and Beppu Bay shone in the pale gentle pink color as it caught the morning sun. Then the hot spring water rising from various parts of Beppu City gave the city an even more quaint atmosphere of a hot spring resort, bathed in the morning sun. Also, beyond the cityscape of Beppu, we were moved by the sight of the spectacular mountains sitting majestically as if they were protecting the city of Beppu from afar.
For breakfast, we had a choice of the club lounge on the 3rd floor or the restaurant on the 4th floor. Breakfast hours were 7:30-10:00 in the restaurant, 8:00-11:00 in the club lounge. We had ours at the restaurant on the 4th floor. We wanted to sit on the terrace of the restaurant and have breakfast with a great view of Beppu City and Beppu Bay, but it was cold outside, so we took seats in the indoor area. Breakfast was a semi-buffet style with appetizers, salads, soups, fruits, danish, and other Japanese and Western dishes. For the main dishes, we could choose from omelets, fried eggs, eggs benedict, poached eggs, porridge, etc. There were not many buffet dishes, but I thought the lineup was sufficient for breakfast. By the way, if you have breakfast at the club lounge, you can also have a free beer in the morning.
After breakfast, we checked out before 11:00 a.m. in the club lounge and were taken to Beppu Station by the shuttle bus. Although the resort was far from the city center and the hot spring resort area, there was a full range of services and amenities that could be completed entirely within the resort hotel. Besides, the staff was very friendly and courteous. We left the resort, hoping to visit again in a different season.
Check Availability and Pricing for the hotel on Agoda
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Is the location easy to access?
Free shuttle service is available from Beppu Station at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30. It takes 25-30min by car. If you take a taxi from the station, it costs JPY3,000
It takes 50min from Oita Airport by car.
Where is the best accommodation for anniversaries?
If you are looking for a good place for a special occasion in Beppu, the resort hotel would be one of the best. The staff arranges flowers and cakes to celebrate an anniversary at additional charges if you request in advance.
Rooms I would recommend?
If you stay here, I would recommend a room with a private hot spring and a view of the city of Beppu.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including enough toiletries, yukatas, pajamas, bathrobes, Japanese-style sandals, baskets to use when going to hot springs, a coffee machine with capsules, TWG tea bags, a Japanese tea set, bottled water, welcome sweets, fruits, bath salts, etc. There were HARNN bath amenities in our bathroom. There were KOSE skincare products. There were four kinds of pillows which we could choose from. The Free Wi-Fi reception was excellent. A BOSE speaker was placed. Netflix and Youtube were available on TV. Room service was available for 24H. There is no convenience store nearby and no vending machine on the property.
Then the hotel is child-friendly. Staff provides baby cots, slippers, bath amenities for children if you request in advance. Also, an extra bed is available at JPY8,000.
When we stayed, this hotel allows children of elementary school age and younger to stay for free if they co-sleep with their parents, but the conditions for co-sleeping with children change, so it would be advisable to check each time. Also, if you stay in a room with club lounge access, children can use the club lounge together for free.
How about In-house Facilities?
There is an amazing infinity pool, jacuzzi, gym, saunas, and communal hot springs. If you have tattoos, you may not be permitted to use the above amenities, so you may want to book a room with a private onsen.
The communal hot springs are open between 5:00-24:00. Also, there is a wonderful private family onsen. It costs JPY10,000 and you need to book it in advance. It’s open between 9:00-21:00.
The infinity pool is open between 9:00-21:00. The water temperature in the pool is set at 28 degrees Celsius, so you can swim even in the winter season.
The fitness gym is open between 7:00-19:00. A minimum age requirement of 16 applies
You can rent swimwear, sportswear, shoes, etc. at JPY550.
Then there is a great spa treatment shop. You need to make an appointment in advance if you have a spa treatment service. The spa shop is open between 7:00 and 21:00. A minimum age requirement of 13 applies
Then the resort hotel is a universal design. There is a universal room. Wheelchairs are available for borrowing. If you bring someone with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they arrange a room near the lift.
Then there is a complimentary art tour. For more information, visit the staff at the reception desk.
Finally, if you want a great view, remember to check the weather forecast before booking a room. That is the most important thing. Have a nice trip! Welcome to receive any questions about the resort hotel from the below space. Check Availability and Pricing for the hotel on Agoda
Info about ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel
| Style | Luxury Resort Hotel |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 70,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact E-mail |
concierge.icbeppu@ihg.com |
| Internet Connection | Free WiFi in the property |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The parking lot is available for free Valet parking is available |
| Location | ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel’s MAP |
| Access | a 25min car ride from Beppu Station |
| Address and TEL | 499-18 Oaza, Kannawa, Beppu, Oita 874-0000 Tel +81 977661000 |
| Official Homepage | ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa, an IHG Hotel’s HP |
*All information above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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