This property is owned by two chefs. The food was beyond excellent. In addition, although it was 15 minutes outside of the main part of the town, they graciously drove us back and forth. In addition, you can choose to add on their chefs menu for dinner and /or the wine tasting. Both were fabulous-comparable to a NY restaurant quality at 1/3 the price. The ambience here is zen. The rooms are amazing. The service is superb. They have two small private baths which were lovely and adequate. This was the highlight of our trip to Japan by far! Do it!

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Amazing property, very thoughtfully designed and cozy. Although it is a little far from the train station, the free shuttles were perfect and always available to bring us back and forth when we needed them. The breakfast and dinner were unforgettable. The wine pairing with dinner was one of our favorite experiences in our entire 5 week trip in Japan. We never had to wait to use the shared shower/bath either. The family running this place are incredibly kind. I would 100% recommend this property, thank you so much for an amazing stay!

This has been my favorite place to stay in all of Japan. I absolutely loved the decor and the meal service. There are two private baths that you can use on a first-come, first-served basis and they were great. The hotel is extremely minimalist which goes with the theme of "letting the time pass by slowly". The dinner and breakfast are incredible and for only 7000 yen extra I would definitely recommend it to anyone staying here. They also have an extensive wine library and for a few thousand more yen you can include wine pairing with your meal. This was one of the best meals I've had in Japan, and I've dined at over a dozen Michelin-Starred places in Tokyo. It's also a brief drive over to Hida no Sato (Folk Village), and you can get a shuttle to take you there.

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If I was able to give this hotel and restaurant 6 stars I would. Starting with the hotel aspect, this place is one of the most comfortable relaxing places we've stayed, even when compared to other 5 star hotels in Japan and Europe. The finishes in all of the rooms were expertly done with such a beautiful focus on immersing yourself in the nature and serenity all around you. It may be further from the main town, but it is because of that distance that it is able to showcase everything which makes the Hida region so special. For days you do want to go to town or the train station they offer a very nice shuttle service that can take you there and back. You have your own toilet in the room, and there are private showers which are shared between the guests with a very relaxing environment and beautiful tub, and although it was quite foreign coming from America, I wouldn't have it any other way. The restaurant portion was amazing in every single way. After eating at Michelin star restaurants throughout Europe, I can easily say that this restaurant surpasses everything those places attempt. Every dish appears to be so effortlessly crafted, but every bite showcases the deep intricate understanding of flavors behind it all. Every single dish was beautifully presented and memorable to the point we had dinner two days in a row there and somehow were able to enjoy a completely different menu on back to back days which is unheard of in the restaurant industry in America. Breakfast was simple, nutritious and delicious. I can not rave enough about the chef and the entire family team at Auberge Hida No Mori. They all were so welcoming and kind, and this stay was easily one of our favorites during our 6 week trip throughout many of Japan's towns and cities. I wish we had more time to spend lounging and enjoying the atmosphere they have set up at Auberge!

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This is a very special property in Takayama. The atmosphere is crisp, clean, minimalist, a bit Scandinavian inflected. Entering at night is magical with wood fired stoves blazing, artfully arranged naturalistic flower bouquets, and pools of light spotlighting wineglasses. So warm and welcoming and the couple who runs the place are likewise. The dinner and wine pairing are a must. The chef/owner acts as sommelier and selects and pours the wine, coming up with unique choices and approaches. His warm ebullient personality enlivens the experience.

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This is my second time here, and man... they never cease to blow away my expectations. Breakfast, first of all, is 5 stars when it comes to what you expect from a "breakfast included" kind of situation. I mean, you get a breakfast bowl, followed by some lovely 2nd course (all accompanied with a perfect brew of coffee). Honestly better than any top hotel you could find. Usually alternates so you won't have the same thing day to day. As for the dinner... it is an add on, but Auberge is — if you ask around town and beyond — famous for the dinner experience. I can't actually say I have had a better experience, and I have been to fine dining restaurants that are in the top 10 Worlds Best... I can't stress more, that you must have this experience. With the wine paring. I have never had such a unique and exciting experience dining. The location is perfect! I love going up into the serene mountains and hills there while passing bear warning signs (this isn't sarcasm, I love being in real nature, not man-made). Transport is also great! They take you back and forth to anywhere in Takayama as you need. Lastly the staff are the nicest, kindest people ever! They have such depth and realness to them. It doesn't feel like there is a put on kind of courtesy or anything fake, they are all authentic and wonderful people!

A small stay discount on the dinner (maybe 5%) would be a great incentive to get people who are just staying a couple nights and don't know about the amazing dinner to give it a try! Otherwise I really can't complain about anything.

The staff is so kind and the place is very serene. We had a good resting time in the very comfortable beds and enjoyed the bath and all the delicious food.

For people who would like to be close to the city this might not be the perfect place, we didn’t want that and so for us it was great to be out of the buzzing center. Also they helped us with pick up services to enter the city, which was very kind.

This place and the whole team were exceptional. The setting, the interior design, the nice beds, the onsen- like bathroom experience all adds up to a unique atmosphere. The staff is amazing , speak English well, and always ready to help or to drive us to takayama station (10 minutes drive). And i saved the best for last : the food is amazing. Toshi the owner is a trained chef and worked many years in Italy. This results in Michelin star quality food, including home made bread. The value for money -7000 yen for 5 course dinner- is really good (don't bother trying to go into the city, this is probably better anyway). We just found the wine pairing very interesting, but a bit pricey (13000 yen per person). But then again, lots of high quality imported wines served with a lot of passion. Absolutely recommend this place if you want to visit takayama. Just to be able to experience the best of auberge, book at least 2 nights.

The location is out of town but they have a free car service to collect and drop off. The hotel is a great building. Breakfast is superb. Recommend getting the dinner. I had it two nights and there is some variety but a standard pattern - intro, risotto, pasta, meat, pudding. The Hida beef cheek was one of the best things I’ve eaten.

Exceptional - the location is stunning, the owners so warm and friendly, the dinner was truly an experience - the paired wines really elevated the experience. The decor has been carefully thought out. The onsen was really enjoyable. Probably one of the best meals/experiences I have had. The owners and staff deserve real credit for how much attention to detail, creativity, love and perfection they have put into this place. 10/10 experience, we hope to come back!!!