Guest User
November 9, 2021
We returned to Arcana a mere seven months after our first stay... that in itself says something, because we rarely - if ever - visit the same place twice. The property itself is in a stunning locations, and all rooms feature picturesque views of the river and valley below and the mountain and forests beyond. The rooms are comfortable, and all of them have their own Onsen hot springs bath. It's all good when staying here, but it doesn't stand out when compared to other top-flight luxury ryokans in Japan (and even the Izu area.) The reason to stay here is for the food. As we were a party of four, we booked two rooms - "The Suite" (the same room we stayed in last time), and one of the River Wing Suites. "The Suite" is the top room category at Arcana, and while it's a comfortable place to relax and unwind, at just over 85 square meters it is not particularly spacious when compared to the best rooms elsewhere. The River Wing Suite is slightly less roomy at 75 square meters. Again, nothing to sneeze at, but if you're looking for massive, villa-style accommodations, you won't find it at Arcana. Still, it's tastefully furnished and decorated, has all of the amenities that one would expect in a ryokan of this caliber, and the setting will lower just about anyone's heart rate by a few notches. Two nitpicks: first off, there is no TV in the room. While I understand and appreciate Arcana's philosophy and ethos, I disagree with being forced on us without offering us a choice. It turns out that my mother-in-law is not a "streaming" person, doesn't carry a laptop PC, and likes watching "standard" TV programs. After a few hours in the room, she became thoroughly bored. Secondly, Arcana's age shows in a few small areas. The bathroom and shower tiles look like they're from the turn of the century - Arcana is not a historic or traditional property, so it needs to keep up with the times, and renovate frequently. While they've done a decent job keeping the look fresh and well maintained, I feel that they're a bit overdue for a refresh of their lower category rooms. All of the minor annoyances quickly evaporate once you get seated at the dining table in the restaurant. As an Auberge property that serves fusion Japanese-French cuisine, Arcana has no peer. It's simply a spectacularly lavish and unforgettable affair. The menu changes seasonally (unless you stay for consecutive days or return during the same season, in which case they'll definitely alter the menu for you), and once it's over, the executive chef will NEVER offer the same dishes ever again. He's so confident in his ability to tinker with ingredients that he's always looking ahead, and never backwards. This speaks to his magical ability to dream up super creative offerings that will astound you. As spectacular as the dinner was, in some ways breakfast was even more noteworthy - it's generally much more difficult to differentiate breakfasts, but at Arcana, they put out all the stops to give you a taste of