Six best hotels for a couple’s special stay in Kusatsu

If you are wondering where to spend a special day such as a wedding anniversary or birthday, why not go to Kusatsu? I will introduce you to luxury inns and hotels in Kusatsu where you can spend your special day. Kusatsu has many types of accommodations, so please choose one which suits you best.

Naraya, a long-established inn with Yumori

Naraya is a long-established inn near Yubatake (the center of Kusatsu). The inside of the hotel has tatami flooring, displays historical furniture and paintings. Most of the guest rooms have futons, but there are also some rooms with western style beds. Although it is a historical inn, the guest rooms have been renovated and are very comfortable to stay. There are no rooms with a hot spring bath, but there is a large public bath and three private baths, all of which have Shirahata as the source (Only 10 inns have this source in Kusatsu!). The temperature of the hot springs is kept at an appropriate 41 to 42°C (105 to 107 °F) by the “Yumori”, which means a person in charge of keeping the baths temperature. The strong acidic hot spring water makes your body smooth.
Meals are Japanese Kaiseki cuisine course served in the guest room or at a private dining room. There is also a plan where you can enjoy a sushi of wagyu (Joshu beef), and you can enjoy a hearty and satisfying dinner with seasonal ingredients. The inn also has a stylish cafe and bar where you can enjoy a relaxing time.

• 1 minute walk from Yubatake
• Meals: guest room or private dining room
• Guest rooms: Japanese-style (futon), Japanese-Western style (bed)
• Rooms with open-air bath: None
• Private bath: Available
• Price: ¥¥¥¥

Tokinoniwa Hotel, 23 types of baths

Tokinoniwa Hotel is located on a hill a little away from Yubatake. They have free shuttle buses from Kusatsu Bus Terminal to the hotel and the hotel to Yubatake, so it is accessible. This hotel has a large public bath. The hot spring bath has two sources, Watano-Yu and Yukawa, and you can enjoy hopping between 23 types of hot spring bathtubs! For those who want to enjoy a private hot spring, all rooms have an open-air bath, and there are also private hot springs available. The spacious Japanese style guest rooms have a mountain view. For meals, enjoy Japanese kaiseki course at the restaurant. Also, they have other snacks such as ice cream after bathing and night noodles. If you have interest in yukata (casual kimono), there is a free rental service, so you can enjoy strolling around Yubatake wearing it.

• 10 minutes by shuttle bus from Yubatake
• Meals: Restaurant
• Guest room: Japanese style room (bed)
• Rooms with open-air baths: Available
• Private bath: Available
• Price: ¥¥¥

La Vista Kusatsu Hills, four types of private hot spring baths

La Vista Kusatsu Hills is a Western-style hotel, rare in Kusatsu, located on a hill. The guest rooms are based on the theme of Grimm’s fairy tales, with the concept of Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Snow White, each with a cute interior. All rooms have an open-air hot spring bath, but there are also a large public bath, four private baths, and a private bedrock sauna. Their hot spring sources are Yubatake, Bandaiko (PH of 1.6! enjoy the tingling feeling!), and Yukawa source. The large public bath and private baths are located on the top floor, so you can see the mountains in the distance. You can also enjoy bathing in different types of private baths, including rock bath and ceramic bath.
Meals are a Western full course of local specialities at the restaurant. They also have a full service offering drinks such as beer after bathing and light snacks. La Vista Kusatsu Hills stands out with its Western concept in Kusatsu, where there are many Japanese-style inns. Children under elementary school age cannot stay at this hotel, so this is a hotel you would want to visit as a quiet date for adults.

• 15 minutes walk from Yubatake (shuttle bus is available)
• Meals: Restaurant
• Guest room: Western style
• Rooms with open-air baths: Available
• Private bath: Available
• Price: ¥¥¥

Hotel Ichii, Right next to Yubatake

Hotel Ichii is located right next to Yubatake and has 25 rooms with a view of it. The guest rooms are mainly Japanese-style rooms. There are no rooms with an open-air hot spring bath, but the large public bath was renovated in 2021 and is very comfortable. The temperature of the public hot springs are different depending on the bathtub. So whether you like hot or lukewarm water, you can pick your favorite temperature. The large baths have two types of hot spring sources, the Shirahata and the Bandaiko source.
In terms of dinner, you can choose from Japanese course in your guest room, course in a restaurant, or buffet style. Japanese Kaiseki course includes wagyu (Joshu beef sukiyaki). It’s the closest hotel to Yubatake, so it’s convenient for walking around town. The shop on the first floor has a variety of goods, so you can get souvenirs here.

• Right next to Yubatake
• Meals: Course in guest room, course in a restaurant, or buffet
• Guest room: Japanese-style (futon/bed)
• Rooms with open-air baths: None
• Private bath: None
• Price: ¥¥¥

Hotel Sakurai, Yumomi performance and drum show

Hotel Sakurai is a large hotel where you can choose from Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and rooms with private open-air baths.
You can choose from Japanese course meals and buffet including Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine, so you can choose from a variety of plans to suit your budget and purpose of your trip.
The large public bath is about 100 feet long and is one of the largest baths in Kusatsu. Their hot spring has three sources: Bandaiko, Sai-no-Kawara, and Wata-no-yu. Wata-no-yu is the source with mineral deposits, and is a rare source not found in public baths.
A recommended point of Hotel Sakurai is that events such as Yumomi (singing and stirring hot water) and taiko drum shows are held every night. There are also plenty of other facilities such as a pool (only available in summer) and a Japanese garden. The Yumomi performance is participatory, so Hotel Sakurai is recommended for those who want to enjoy entertainment.

• 9 minutes walk from Yubatake
• Meals: Private dining room/Restaurant
• Guest rooms: Japanese-style room (futon), Western-style room (bed), Japanese-Western room (bed)
• Rooms with open-air baths: Available
• Private bath: None
• Price: ¥¥

Kanemidori, Good value for the price

Kanemidori is a Japanese-style inn that was established 120 years ago. Their hot spring has two types of sources: Yubatake and Bandaiko (I love these sources!). There are no rooms with hot spring open-air baths, but there is a large public bath and two private open-air baths (for a fee). The private bath was renovated in 2022 and is now even more comfortable.
The dinner is a nine course Japanese set menu served in the restaurant or in a private dining room, and both dinner and breakfast have a reputation for being unique and high quality. The inn is very hospitable and the friendly staff are very attentive.

• 3 minutes walk from Yubatake
• Meals: Private dining room/Restaurant
• Guest rooms: Japanese-style room (futon), Japanese-Western room (bed)
• Rooms with open-air baths: None
• Private bath: Available
• Price: ¥