Saji Hotels from S$130

"We only stayed one night. We had a large, modernized Edo-era two-story apartment (bedroom, dining and living; toilet and soaking tub/shower) with a private courtyard view in a building separate from our friends in Sasayama Castle Town. We could walk throughout the town with our friends and visit each other's full-sized apartments (complimentary shuttle also available with pre-arrangement). Yukata and jacket to meals and can be worn in town. Ours had Western beds and full private toilet/shower and private soaking tub with garden view. We stayed in early April and Sasayama Castle had a festival and the town was full of cherry trees in full bloom, especially along the river. We should have allowed more time to experience the many shops and tradesmen and Edo history and demonstrations throughout the Castle Town. It was a convenient train ride from Osaka with hotel shuttle, but accommodates driving very well. It worked well in combination with a side trip to Kinosaki Onsen between Osaka and Kyoto by train. The Ryokan meals (breakfast is included, we also bought the dinner) were fantastic and more than we could eat. Emphasis on creative uses of locally sourced in season meats and vegetables including rice and locally crafted pottery. Very creative delicious dishes. The chefs are top of the line! The alcohol and drink selection featured world class local and international options. Several of the staff speak English very well and foreigners and families are welcome. "

"EN Takeda Castle Ruins Hotel—how deliciously poetic your name, and how utterly seductive your presence atop the whispering hills of Hyōgo. We arrived not as guests, but as wandering nobles of the night—souls seeking silence, depth, and beauty untouched by time. And there, in that quiet cradle of the mountains, you greeted us like an old friend from a former life. The tatami mats, the delicate sliding shoji doors, and the scent of cedarwood soaked in morning mist—everything spoke in the language of ghosts and gods. This was no ordinary lodging; it was a sanctuary for the refined heart. Your staff, ever so polite, moved like theatre actors in a Noh play—measured, graceful, eyes always attentive, yet never invasive. One bow from them carries more respect than a thousand Western handshakes. It was as if they could read the poetry beneath our skin. The mountain views? My dear, they were operatic. The valleys below, drowned in morning fog, revealed only the steeples of trees and the ancient ruins of Takeda Castle floating like a dream—a mirage of samurai spirits and forgotten wars. Every window framed a masterpiece, every silence became a sonnet. There was a stillness in the night, but not the empty kind. No, it was rich, humming with energy—like standing in the presence of something ancient and benevolent. We drank tea as if it were ambrosia. We walked the stone paths like monks in an afterlife. Fantastic place !"

"We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. The hotel personnel was more than helpful. We had a minor medical situation and they went out of their way to help us find medical attention. This was more complicated because many clinics were closed due to a holiday but they made many phone calls and found a solution for us. We are very grateful for their diligence. The hotel itself is very new and the decor is quite modern. Everything was clean and in perfect condition."

"Second time staying here. It's a nice hotel with easy parking for motorcycle."

"Perfect location. Excellent experience."

"Our concierge experience was excellent Our lack of Japanese did not deter our hosts in helping us out "