Hotel Nagisa

Lovely, substantial breakfast (Japanese style). Pretty good location behind Beppu tower and near bicycle rental place. The teapot and saucer with not just a single teabag (3 or 4 are given with a biscuit) laid out on a little table was a nice touch in the room. The woman in charge is nice enough once you speak a little Japanese, apart from one situation. Woman who seems to cook or serve breakfast is friendly enough too (her watching you eat or use chopsticks is a bit annoying but is something a lot of foreigners in Japan report to have experienced :-P !!). The other two staff members, one just a part-timer, were not up to much.

Room a bit tattered looking and worn (furniture and so on), also somewhat stained. I have seen worse though and otherwise facilities are good enough. No shower curtain for shower/bath which is annoying but not crucial. The hotel is a bit old fashioned so maybe boutique, but not modern, luxury or design as the other bonus question options suggested. This is not a bad thing as the breakfast set-up will show you. One staff member (just a part timer not even a professional hotel staff member) was a bit complacent about key security already having my key laid on the reception desk which I saw when I came back one evening while he was watching tv - who knows who could have picked it up (I should maybe not say this as it might attract the wrong type of guest but it is only fair to more honest or anxious guests). Other staff members do not always man the reception desks either. One staff member was disrespectful to me making a derogatory comment about my looks in Japanese as soon as my back was turned clearly assuming I would not understand it. I did. I spoke to the woman in charge who I am not sure understood (or maybe did not want to). I thought I explained it clearly enough (in Japanese). I hope she has since had a word with him. They could do with more careful (with keys) and respectful (towards women) staff members. The hotel is small by comparison with others I have stayed in but not that small and could do with at least one more staff member who should also speak or at least understand a little English, if not generally then in preparation for a certain sports tournament next year (which will draw in even more tourists to beppu who might not care to learn any Japanese in advance). Bicycle rental is NOT offered by the hotel as you might think reading on booking.com but by a shop around the corner (under beppu tower itself). Hiking and fishing the same.