Review of the ANA Intercontinental Beppu Resort & Spa

100   Recommended
January 24, 2020 by

 Map | 2 Reviews | 100% Recommended
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ANA Intercontinental Beppu Spa & Resort
 Map | 2 Reviews | 100% Recommended

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Check In

When we drove up to the hotel entrance, we were immediately met by staff who asked our name, unloaded our luggage and ushered us to the check-in area, and also parked our car for us. The lobby is a very modern and austerely designed stone structure that leads to a large and bright windowed area with a magnificent panoramic view of Beppu, which is renowned for its many onsen. We were asked to sit down on a sofa overlooking this view and were given o-shibori towels and served tea. The person who checked us in spoke both English and Japanese. I was told that since I had reserved the room through Expedia (Chase Ultimate Rewards site), I would not receive any IHG Rewards points for any hotel charges. Since we arrived about an hour and a half before the 3pm check-in time, we were checked-in quickly and taken to our room. Since this was the middle of the week, occupancy appeared to be low.

 

1_DSC00777.JPGFront door of hotel

1_DSC00778.JPGLobby

1_DSC00812.JPGCheck-in area

Room

We reserved a Premium room, which is 68 sq. meters (732 sq. ft.), but since the balcony space is factored in, it is not quite as large as it sounds. Still it is plenty of space and the bathroom in particular is very spacious and luxurious. The Premium rooms are a step above the smaller Deluxe rooms (62 sq. meters), which I understand are on the parking lot side of the hotel, while the Premium (and Club) rooms are on the mountain- and bay-view side of the hotel. Construction of the hotel was completed in late August 2019, so the facilities all look spanking brand new. The room was very nicely designed and appointed with wooden floors and an intricately designed bamboo see-through façade between the bed and bathroom areas. At the push of a button, a screen can be lowered in the bathroom to block the view into the bathroom. There was also a console between the two beds for push-button control of the room curtains. There’s a Japanese-style cabinet containing a drawer-type fridge with assorted drinks (a Heineken beer costs a stratospheric \1,200, enough to buy a six-pack in many stores) and snacks. Above the fridge are shelves with coffee-maker, teapot and cups, glasses, and wine glasses. Next to the cabinet is a curved sofa with table that comfortably seats three people, and a separate chair and table near the TV. The large LCD TV is built into the wall and can be pulled out at an angle for easier viewing from the beds. Below the TV is a Bose sound bar for enhanced audio that you can connect your mobile phone to via Bluetooth (using the TV remote controller) and play music on. The balcony, long and spacious with a small sofa/chain and table, offers an excellent view of Beppu and the many billowing clouds of steam (called the Seven Hells) that dot the landscape. If you didn’t know you were in an onsen area, you might think you were in a war zone seeing clouds of bomb smoke instead.

1_DSC00761.JPGPremier room

1_DSC00763.JPGLCD TV with Bose sound bar

1_DSC00755.JPGBathroom

1_DSC00754.JPGBathtub and shower 1_DSC00760.JPGView of Beppu and the Seven Hells from the balcony

DSC00828.JPGView of Beppu bay

DSC00827.JPGView from the balcony

Service

Staff were all very polite and attentive. We were always politely greeted whenever we passed through public areas of the hotel. Since Beppu is not a major international tourist destination like Kyoto, I was especially surprised to see such a diverse and multilingual staff. According to the hotel website, their staff speaks 10 different languages (I doubt that there are many Tokyo hotels that provide service in these many languages). If there was any weakness, I would say that some of the wait staff in the Elements restaurant do not appear to be well trained or professionally polished, but overall, the effort is there, and the main personnel are attentive, polished and professional. Since the hotel is very new, I think there is some pressure on staff to deliver outstanding service, so I did sense that some staff were tight or tense, but that is sure to wear off with time and experience.

2_DSC00811.JPGThird-floor hallway2_DSC00810.JPGCheck-in area and lobby

Dining

The dining area consists of two restaurants, Elements, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served, and Atelier, which only serves a pricey set course dinner. At Elements you can order either a la carte or a set main course accompanied by a salad, appetizer, and dessert buffet. Our first night, we ordered a la carte such exotic dishes as Wagyu Beef Burger, Turkey Club Sandwich, and Sirloin Steak. The portions were substantial and my burger and fries dish was tasty and filling, so I had no desire for desert. The all-day a la carte menu can be seen here: https://anaicbeppu.com/wpdata/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Elements-All-Day-Dining-06.26.pdf

  For breakfast, you can order one item off of the menu and then everything else is buffet style. There are Japanese, Western and Chinese menu items, and the buffet is fairly extensive with salad bar, cold cuts, breads, vegetable dishes, miso soup, and assorted Japanese breakfast items such as tofu, natto and rice. There is also yogurt, a selection of cut fruits, pastries and juices.

  For lunch, we had the buffet, which allows you to order one item from the main menu. The buffet consist of appetizers, salad bar, cold cuts, breads, and assorted small desserts (cakes, tartes, mousse, etc.). I found the assortment of food adequate and tastily made, but I was surprised by a number of reviews by Japanese guests who thought the buffet lacked variety. Compared to the breakfast and lunch buffets offered by many large hotel chains, you could say that it falls short, but I’ve never been a fan of gigantic buffets that entice me to eat more than I want, which I could even do at this buffet.

  Elements is a comfortable space with warm and attractive furnishings made of bamboo. There are also tables in a balcony area behind glass doors where guests can enjoy open-air dining in the summer with a magnificent view of Beppu and the bay.

DSC00817.JPGElements restaurant

Onsen

The onsen is undoubtedly the central attraction around which this resort hotel has been built. You can wear your regular clothing or put on a yukata to go down to the onsen, which is on the first floor (the lobby is actually on the second floor). However, unlike a Japanese ryokan, you cannot wear your yukata to the restaurant, you must be normally dressed. Like most onsen, the men’s and women’s sides are separate, but the sides are reversed each day so that guests can try both onsen. The changing rooms have lockers with programmable locks to keep your clothes and personal items in. One of the onsen consists of a personal washing area and also has a couple of standup showers, one indoor hot bath, a cold water bath (mizuburo), a dry sauna, and outdoor baths (rotenburo). The other onsen consists of the same except it has no cold water bath and has a steam sauna instead of a dry one. The outside baths are surrounded by rocks with plenty of nooks and crannies to disappear into. There are also two small hot baths submerged into the flat outdoor stone floor that offer excellent views of Beppu bay. However, when I was there, even on clear days, the view was always a bit hazy. Overall, the onsen is very attractive and stylishly designed. There is even a family bath that I believe can be reserved for free by those staying in suites or Club room, and rented by others.

  Just outside the onsen is the AQUA Lounge, a relaxation area with sofas, chairs, tables, music, and even a bar so that you can further unwind from your bath. It is also right next to the outdoor swimming pool, which oddly enough was open for use because it is heated as was the jacuzzi next to it, but I never saw anyone using them.

  On one day, when I entered the changing room from the bath only carrying my towel, I ran into the ubiquitous cleaning lady doing her work. She looked up at me, but I had my towel strategically placed in front of me to avert her wandering eyes. She said nothing and went back to her work of cleaning the men’s locker room. Having lived in Japan for decades, I’m quite used to this Japanese custom of having women clean the men’s locker room and bath when men are present, but newer visitors may not be, so I thought I should mention it. 

DSC00802.JPGAQUA Lounge outside the onsen

DSC00798.JPGAQUA Lounge

Gym

Near one end of the pool is a gym with a few treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical aerobic equipment (with built-in TV with international channels such as BBC and CNN). There are also dumbbells and a couple of very effective stretching machines I’d never seen before. In the center of the room is a very large piece of weight resistance equipment consisting of handles with pullies for lifting, pulling and pushing exercises. The aerobic equipment are positioned against the glass windows and while using them you have an excellent view of Beppu and its bay, not to mention the outdoor pool. We were the only people using the gym at that particular time.

DSC00784.JPGView from the Gym

DSC00782.JPGFree weights

Spa

The spa is near the onsen and gym, but you must pass through a long and attractive corridor to get to it. The reception area is very spacious and attractive. At front of this area are four reclining seats that serve as a post-treatment relaxation space. The spa staff were also multilingual. The treatment room was reasonably spacious with a changing room with shower off to the side. I was to receive a foot massage and was presented with four options for scenting my hot foot bath, and four oil options to use for the massage. The treatment lasted 60 minutes and I slept (and snored) through almost all of it, it was that comforting. Afterwards, I was taken to the relaxation space and spent another half hour decompressing. The spa prices were pretty much in line with what you’d pay at most 5-star resort hotels, but lower than what you’d pay at a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons. 

DSC00768.JPGEntrance to spa

DSC00767.JPGPost-treatment relaxation area

Location

I’ve read a number of reviews of this hotel that complain about the location. While the resort is located some distance outside and overlooking Beppu, the distance and elevation of the location are what give it its great view. The main issue is whether you come by car or must be picked up at Beppu station and driven to the hotel, as well as how many days you plan to stay. Since the hotel is some distance from central Beppu, if you want to sightsee, you’re at a disadvantage without a car, but there are some things to see nearby. But if you are only staying 2 nights, like we were, I think you’re best off just enjoying the onsen and other activities that the resort offers, and then go sightseeing after you check out.

DSC00804.JPGPool area overlooking Beppu

DSC00796.JPGInfinity pool & Jacuzzi

DSC00790.JPGLounging area next to the pool

Overall

I really liked our stay. The design and aesthetics of the hotel are well thought out and implemented. The rooms are spacious and attractive and the view is excellent. Since stays at onsen tend to be short in Japan, there is plenty to do onsite during a short 2-3 night stay. It’s great to be able to use the onsen multiple times from morning till night, exercise, get a massage, and take a coffee or tea break while admiring the view. Overall, it’s a great place to enjoy a short relaxing vacation in a warm and luxurious atmosphere. However, I think I’d enjoy it more during the summertime when the pool and balconies can be comfortably used. In that case, having a Club room with a private onsen on the balcony and having access to the Club Lounge would offer an even more enjoyable and relaxing experience, which I think would be worth the extra cost.    

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