{"id":2060,"date":"2018-03-25T23:21:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T03:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jennsfootsteps.wordpress.com\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2018-03-25T23:21:26","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T03:21:26","slug":"review-terrace-midoubaru-a-modern-onsen-ryokan-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jennsfootsteps.com\/?p=2060","title":{"rendered":"[Review] Terrace Midoubaru: A modern onsen ryokan experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

While planning the hike of Yufu-dake<\/a>, I had the choice of staying in the nearby small village of Yufu or drive a little further and stay at the popular onsen town of Beppu. I was a little last minute so the accommodation options in Yufu were becoming very limited and pricey. I therefore decided to book a stay at Terrace Midoubaru in Beppu.<\/p>\n

Terrace Midoubaru is a modern establishment but offers a tradition ryokan experience. As with the original concept of a Japanese inn, guests are offered sleeping accommodation with meal services. There are several large public areas where guests can sit and chat, or simply enjoy the view as the hotel is built on top of a steep hill. Yukatas and slippers are offered for every guest. Female guests can even choose a number of different styles yukatas depending on how many nights you stay!<\/p>\n

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Hotel facade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Complimentary self-park area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Beautiful lobby area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Library<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Welcome tea and Japanese mochi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Yukatas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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OUR ROOM<\/span><\/p>\n

The hotel has a total of only 14 rooms, all of which have a private bathroom and onsen. They are called half-open air onsen because the bathing area is technically inside the room, but is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that you can open, making it almost like an outdoor experience.<\/p>\n

You have the choice of staying on the first or second level. Having tried both, I would say the size and views are pretty similar, but obviously you’ll be less bothered by the neighbours’ noises when staying upstairs. As with most ryokans, there isn’t much soundproofing between the levels and units.<\/p>\n

After the quick check-in, we were escorted to our room by the hotel clerk, who showed us the way to the restaurant and the larger onsens for men and women separately. \u00a0I was extremely impressed with the cleanliness of the amenities inside and outside the room, as well as the attention to details. It was early december at the time of my visit and the weather turned quite chilly. The heating was on full-blast as we enter the room and the onsen was already steaming and ready.<\/p>\n

The beds are actually futon cots placed on the wood floor, but it really felt as comfortable as a bed! The sleep quality was great, probably both because the futons were soft and fluffy and also because we were exhausted from the hike.<\/p>\n

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Two thick and soft futons placed side by side<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Separate sitting area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Semi-outdoor onsen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Clean washroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A sliding door separates the toilet from the main washroom area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Outdoor sitting area great views<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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View of the clouds from balcony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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TRADITIONAL MEAL: KAISEKI<\/p>\n

The option of having breakfast and\/or dinner at the hotel is available. Either plan ahead and choose to have the meal option at the moment of booking the room or, like me, decide when you check-in for the next evening.<\/p>\n

Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. It is an experience that both your palate and your eyes will enjoy. The cuisine involves fresh local ingredients, meticulously prepared to give guests both flavourful and colourful dishes. Even though most of the time I had no idea what I was eating, everything tasted delicious! The set menu was exclusively written in Japanese. The waiter did explain every dish to me but as there were more than ten of them, I really couldn’t remember most at the end. So put on your yukatas and let the chef’s art pieces mesmerize you!<\/p>\n

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Appetizers and plum wine for starters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Grilled fish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Grilled salmon and lotus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Traditional sukiyaki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Cr\u00eame br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The overall experience was very enjoyable and I would not hesitate a moment to recommend this hotel to any traveler looking for great comfort after a day of exploring. The only inconvenience is its location, as the city centre of Beppu and most stores are a good 10 minutes drive away. If you plan to have a rental car during your visit, Terrace Midoubaru is certainly a good option, offering a great experience of Japanese hospitality in an impeccable setting with wonderful views.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Terrace Midoubaru<\/a> [8.5\/10]<\/p>\n

5 Horita, Beppu-shi,<\/p>\n

Oita Prefecture<\/p>\n

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+81 977-85-8841<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While planning the hike of Yufu-dake, I had the choice of staying in the nearby small village of Yufu or drive a little further and stay at the popular onsen town of Beppu. I was a little last minute so the accommodation options in Yufu were becoming very limited and pricey. I therefore decided to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[26,65,72,103,120,143,146],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.jennsfootsteps.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/img_08572.jpg?fit=1952%2C1464&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":391,"url":"https:\/\/www.jennsfootsteps.com\/?p=391","url_meta":{"origin":2060,"position":0},"title":"[Review] Ayana Resort and Spa, Bali","date":"February 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Formerly the Ritz-Carlton Resort, this hotel has been rebranded as Ayana in 2009. 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