I Looked Into Suginoi Hotel

On this blog, I've been researching accommodations centered around hot springs and campgrounds that seem accessible even without a car. I've covered small day-use hot spring facilities before, but this time I looked into a much larger resort hotel than usual.

This time I looked into Suginoi Hotel in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. I'd seen photos somewhere of an open-air bath with tubs arranged like terraced rice fields, and it had been on my mind ever since. Even as an indoor type, I find myself drawn to hot springs that put this much emphasis on scenery.

The Tanayu Open-Air Bath, Spread Out Like Terraced Rice Fields

What could be called the signature feature of Suginoi Hotel is apparently the panoramic open-air bath called Tanayu. Five tiers of tubs are arranged like terraced rice fields, and on clear days you can supposedly see Beppu Bay, the city's night view, and even Cape Sada on Shikoku in the distance. Just the photos gave a real sense of scale, and I imagine actually soaking in the tub while taking in the view must have its own kind of appeal that's hard to capture in pictures.

There also seem to be plenty of facilities beyond the tubs themselves, including barrel-shaped and box-shaped tubs for individuals or small groups, a steam sauna using aroma water, a cool-down space combining a cold bath with outdoor relaxation, a sound-and-light bath called 'Oto no Yu,' and a covered walkway designed to evoke a bamboo grove. Capacity reportedly exceeds 700 people combined for men and women, which gives a sense of just how large this place is.

The water quality is apparently a sodium chloride-sulfate hot spring, classified as hypotonic, alkaline, and high-temperature. The official website clearly states that water is added, heated, circulated and filtered, and treated with chlorine-based disinfectants for hygiene management. So rather than being purely natural hot spring water, it seems to be provided in a carefully managed state.

• Tanayu (day-use bathing): apparently open 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM, with last entry at 10:00 PM
• Hours for overnight guests: seems to vary seasonally between 5:00 AM and midnight
• Day-use bathing fees: roughly 2,000–2,400 yen for adults and 1,400–1,700 yen for children, apparently varying by day of the week and season
• For overnight guests, the usage fee seems to be included in the room rate, with no extra charge

Komorin

With a sauna and outdoor relaxation space on top of the tubs themselves, it seems like you could easily spend half a day in this Tanayu area alone. Even as an indoor type, the view alone makes me want to push myself to give it a try.

Plenty of Other Baths and Entertainment Facilities Beyond Tanayu

Besides Tanayu, Suginoi Hotel apparently also has a panoramic open-air bath called Chuyu, private baths called Oita Goyu, and an "Aqua Garden" that includes an indoor heated pool. There also appears to be a spa facility promoted on a separate website, so there seem to be plenty of ways to enjoy the place beyond the hot springs. Overall, it gives the impression of a facility lineup that wouldn't get boring even if you stayed all day.

The guest rooms are apparently split across several buildings—Hoshikan, Nijikan, and Sorakan—each with its own multi-story parking structure. Free parking totals around 900 spaces, and some EV charging spots are also available (though registration through a dedicated app is apparently required). For anyone visiting by car, parking doesn't seem like it would be much of a worry.

It Seems Fairly Accessible Even Without a Car

Personally, what I most wanted to know was whether someone like me—who has a license but doesn't drive—could actually get there. From what I found, there's apparently a free shuttle bus from the west exit of JR Beppu Station, and the trip takes about 10 minutes whether by taxi or shuttle bus. Pickup and drop-off points seem to include the area near the hotel parking lot on the west exit side of Beppu Station, as well as the entrances of the Hoshikan, Nijikan, and Sorakan buildings.

There's also apparently an information desk inside a commercial facility within JR Beppu Station, which seems usable as a rest area as well (though it doesn't sell food or drinks or offer luggage storage). Overall, it feels like there's a system in place that lets you get there using public transportation alone.

• By car: about 5 minutes from the Beppu Interchange on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway, apparently
• By public transportation: seems to be about 10 minutes from JR Beppu Station by shuttle bus or taxi
• Reservations: for overnight stays, apparently bookings can be made either through the availability search on the official website or by phone

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked the location of Suginoi Hotel using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "C." The hotel itself is a large facility, but perhaps due to its location, there seems to be a possibility that signal conditions could differ depending on where exactly you are on the property.

Since it came back as a C rating, I think it's best to take it as meaning there could be some variation in connectivity depending on your exact location or position within the building, rather than a large dead zone. If you plan on watching a lot of video, it might be reassuring to also check whether in-house Wi-Fi is available.

Komorin