I had decided to stay in a ryokan in a relatively small town, and Takayama is a beautiful, quaint place in the Japanese Alps with much edo-style architecture. I had called 2 days before to confirm my reservation for ONE person since I was asked how many and what gender.
I took the very convenient shuttle just minutes after arrival of the 2:30 train. I presented my passport and a bellperson showed me to my room. The building itself is Japanese style though it appeared to be new construction. My room was, by far, the largest I had seen in Japan-much larger than the other two ryokans I stayed in Nara and Kyoto. An entry with a sink and separate “booths” for shower and toilet led to a large living area with low chairs and a table for four. Sliding screens led to the bedroom area with a small table and chairs and two queen sized futons about 2.5 feet in height from the tatami mats. Before leaving for town, I was shown the little room where I would take meals and told that I would eat at 6 PM. I was told that that was the only time available; although, I would have liked 7 PM better.
There is a shuttle with a regular, published schedule in the morning and id/late afternoon. Getting into town at other times by shuttle is dependent on factors unclear to me, so I took a taxi (1100 Yen) to explore. Bicycles can be rented in town and it’s a 20-minute walk .
I returned and showered for dinner. The shower, toiletries, A/C, noise, and light, and available outlets are more than adequate. There’s a mini bar/fridge with adequate personal space and the customary tea making supplies. There is a TV and two other machines that made noise. I had to call and ask what they were and was told that they are “air filters.” Apparently, this is what they use to make a room “non-smoking.” There is NO in room internet, and the free” wi-fi downstairs in the lobby is not much better than none at all. The dinner was the usual, elegant 11-course delight that featured grilled seafood, sushi, sashimi and other goodies. My dinner was great and the service fast through the first 7-8 courses when, suddenly, with 4 courses remaining, the service just stopped. After calling and receiving no answer from reception, I walked out and yelled, “hello.” No one was there and the place seemed empty. I walked downstairs and finally found someone to bring the remainder of my meal to my room. Inexplicable.
At just about this moment I had onset of a respiratory infection. In spite of the medicines I had brought with me, I did not sleep and at 0800, a half hour before the appointed time, I called to cancel my breakfast and I love Japanese breakfasts. The next day, the staff was very helpful in locating a pharmacy to buy an albuterol inhaler, but like the US though it’s the safest drug on the planet, it requires a prescription. When I returned from the most charming town, The desk clerk asked me if I wanted dinner at 6 or at 7 PM. Tonight I had a choice. As I was trying to communicate, a young Japanese couple entered and lit up in the middle of the lobby-apparently this was OK. The dinner was fabulous and in spite of being sick, I ate almost everything. The meal featured a seafood hot pot and different items for the previous night, but as I had requested, no red meat. I had no appetite the next morning so, again, I canceled breakfast. Since I was leaving by rail later that morning, I asked if they could prepare a small bento box. They either didn’t understand or they ignored me because nothing materialized.
The checkout was unexpectedly ugly. I was traveling alone; I made a res for one, entered by myself, and had no one else in my room. On my bill, I noticed two identical charges, each day, for 24000 Yen and some tax and service. The desk clerk told me that each charge was a person occupying the room so I was being charged for a room, breakfast, and dinner for two people. A manager was summoned who explained that their minimum was two people and that had they known, I wouldn’t have been able to stay. I recounted the phone conversation and the fact that I walked in by myself, presented one passport, and never had any plan to have a roomie. As I waited for the hour-long consultation, I had been trying to access the lobby wi-fi. They set and reset it, but it just didn’t work.
I was too fatigued to argue with the manager (who was the only person I encountered in 3 days who spoke passable English), but he deducted 8400 Yen for each day for the meals for the second person. The meals are an often predominant cost in a ryokan; the staff had simply ignored the issue as they did with all the issues I had-due to a language barrier or indifference. But, please don’t nod at me as if you understand when you do not.
There’s no excuse for no wi-fi. I happened to need it because I have a close relative who’s sick. In a place costing > $350/night, there’s ,again, no excuse. Mext, if you advertise on English-speaking websites, in English, then please at least provide some written instructions on the operation of equipment in the room and direction on a simple page in English. The two previous ryokans that I stayed did a much better job at this. The staff at this place was kind and courteous; they just could not communicate and didn’t expend much effort trying. Several times I offered a Google Translate translation of something I wanted to say, and each time the person nodded like I was from another planet.
I am a very experienced traveler, and I very much respect the customs and culture of the place I am visiting. I always try, at least, to learn enough words to fulfill basic requests. I booked this place, in English, on a US website (that advertised the place as “non-smoking.” The manager actually chastised me for booking for one person! Bottom line: Don’t go here unless you speak Japanese or are with someone who does. Ryokan Bettei, first, get wi-fi everywhere in your hotel. It’s worldwide standard these days. Second, make more of an effort at communicating with your foreign guests-guests you pay travel websites to market and book your facility. Third, how can you allow smoking in a beautiful, revered accommodation when It adversely affects the health of other guests. Disability and death from second hand smoke has been known since way before the discovery of the internet.