I Looked Into Unzen Sky Hotel

In my Komorin Fantasy Travels series, I've been looking into day-trip hot springs and inns that even I, without a car, might be able to visit.

This time, I looked into Unzen Sky Hotel, located in Unzen Onsen in Nagasaki. When I found out it has two large baths fed with natural hot spring water piped directly from Unzen Hell, I figured even an indoor type like me might find this interesting, so I organized what I found.

A Hotel Proud of Its Large Baths Fed by Unzen Hell's Waters

Unzen Sky Hotel is apparently located in the Unzen Onsen hot spring town, in Obama-cho, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture. It reopened after renovation in October 2022, and it seems the rooms are designed around themes of family gatherings, friend gatherings, and couple gatherings.

The first thing that caught my eye as a distinctive feature was the large baths fed directly with hot spring water piped straight from Unzen Hell. One of them, called Kinugasa-no-yu (capacity 40 people, 11 shower stations), reportedly comes with an open-air bath overlooking Mount Kinugasa, and azaleas are said to be at their best there in spring. The other, called Hakuun-no-yu (capacity 20 people, 7 shower stations), switches between men's and women's use in the morning and evening, so it seems that if you stay overnight, you can use both baths. I couldn't find the specific classification of the spring water on the official website, but just knowing it's piped directly from Unzen Hell made me feel it was worth looking into for the hot spring alone.

For overnight guests, there's apparently also a private bath available from 11:30 PM to 12:30 AM (1,000 yen per person), which seems handy if you want to soak at your own pace without worrying about others around you.

Komorin

Having the two large baths swap in the morning and evening is a quietly nice touch, isn't it? If it were me, I'd probably want to conquer both.

Checking Out the Rooms and Day-Use Bathing Plans

There appear to be several room types, including the special room called Sachi Kaoru no Ma, which comes with a cypress bath, as well as Japanese-Western style rooms such as Danran no Ma, Wakei no Ma, and Unkei no Ma. Among these, the room called Kaede no Ma is introduced as offering a full view of Mount Yadake, one of Unzen's three peaks and five summits, along with Unzen Hell, so it seems designed so you can enjoy the scenery right from the room. Room rates apparently change depending on the date and number of guests, and are shown when you enter your conditions into the reservation search system on the official website. I couldn't find specific check-in and check-out times stated on the official website.

Day-use bathing is accepted from 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM, apparently, and there are two meal-included plans available for individual guests (from 2 people). The Otegaru Gozen plan is 5,500 yen, and the Manpuku Gozen plan is 6,600 yen (both tax included), and both seem to include a meal, bathing, and use of a room from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On Saturdays, there's an additional 1,000 yen charge, so that's worth keeping in mind when planning your visit. Reservations are accepted until 12:00 noon the day before, either through the official website's reservation search system or by phone.

Komorin

Getting room use included even for a day trip is a nice touch. With meals included on top of that, this feels like it could totally work as a nice little detour.

Nearby Strolls Look Like a Nice Addition Too

In terms of access, it's apparently about a 1-minute walk to Unzen Hell and the Onsen Shrine, about a 2-minute walk to Unzen Spa House, and about a 5-minute walk to reach the Unzen Mountain Information Center as well. If you have a car, it seems you can get to Nita Pass in about 10 minutes, making this a location where you can easily enjoy the views too. That said, I couldn't find the specific walking time from the Shimatetsu Bus 'Unzen' bus terminal to the hotel on the official access page. As someone who barely drives despite having a license, I felt it might be reassuring to check this in advance by contacting them directly.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this location's address using the official "My Area Communication Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as a "C." The actual usability on-site could differ from this, but at least on the official tool, this is what showed up.

Given that it's a hot spring area nestled in the mountains, this might be a spot where signal conditions tend to vary. If you're planning a longer stay, whether for an overnight visit or a day-use bath, it seems like a good idea to check the signal on your own device beforehand.

Komorin

Honestly, that C rating is a bit of a concern. If you're planning to go, I'd recommend checking it yourself with the official tool too, just to be safe.

Wrapping Up

To sum up my impression, Unzen Sky Hotel is a hot spring hotel where you can enjoy two large baths fed with natural hot spring water piped directly from Unzen Hell, switching between morning and evening. With scenic views from the rooms and day-use bathing plans available, plus easy access to strolls around Unzen Hell and the Onsen Shrine nearby, it seems like a comfortable location to spend time. Since the Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating, if you're concerned about connectivity during your stay, it might be reassuring to check with the official tool beforehand.

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Related Links

• Official Site