Kinugawa Royal Hotel

This is a grand dame of a ryokan hotel next to a beautiful river with a scenic view of a suspension bridge and cliff. The hotel is very worn and in real need of a renovation, but the staff keep it as clean as they can. This is not a glamorous hotel and is definitely past its prime. However, that's not why you come here. You come to this ryokan for the hospitality, the well-maintained spa, the family activities, which are numerous (outdoor pool, manga reading room, mahjong, billiards, table tennis and karaoke) and its convenient location to the train station and the river. The buffet breakfast and dinner are delicious, the staff is very friendly and hard-working and there is an endless supply of choose-your-own yukata by the front desk. This is a quiet town and the sidewalk rolls up early as well as the activities in the hotel, which makes it a good, wholesome place for a family with young children or teens.