Cultural Resort Meihodo

Location: 熊本県阿蘇市永草字堤1943番28, Matoishi, jp

Star Rating: 9.7 Stars

Property Type: Villas

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Check-out: 11:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Air conditioning
• BBQ facilities
• Luggage storage
• Non-smoking throughout
• Private check-in/check-out
• Kid meals
• Fruits
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Sanitized tableware & silverware
• Invoice provided
• Smoke alarms
• Guest room sealed after cleaning
• Property cleaned by professional cleaning companies
• Physical distancing in dining areas
• CCTV outside property
• Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
• Face masks for guests available
• 24-hour security
• Delivered food - securely covered
• Television in common areas
• Front desk (limited hours)
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Wine release events
• Covered parking
• Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
• Vegetarian menu options available

Rooms Available

• Three-Bedroom Villa

  This villa provides a fireplace. This villa consists of 1 living room, 3 separate bedrooms and 1 bathroom with a bath and free toiletries. The well-equipped kitchen features a stovetop, a refrigerator and a tea and coffee maker. The villa comes with tatami floors, a sofa, air conditioning, a washing machine as well as garden views. The unit offers 2 beds and 2 futons.

  Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Washing machine
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Kitchen
  • Fireplace
  • Sofa
  • Dining area
  • Stovetop
  • Bidet
  • Dining table
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Three-Bedroom Villa

  Guests will have a special experience as the villa provides a private open-air bath. This villa consists of 1 living room, 3 separate bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a bath and free toiletries. The villa is equipped with tatami floors, a sofa, air conditioning, a washing machine as well as garden views. The unit offers 3 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Washing machine
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Bidet
  • Dining table
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• One-Bedroom Villa

  This villa consists of 1 living room, 1 separate bedroom and 1 bathroom with a bath and free toiletries. The villa features tatami floors and provides air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker and a sofa. The unit offers 1 bed.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Bidet
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Two-Bedroom Villa

  This villa is consisted of of 1 living room, 2 separate bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a bath and free toiletries. The villa's kitchen, which has a stovetop and a refrigerator, is available for cooking and storing food. The villa features tatami floors and offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker and garden views. The unit offers 2 beds and 2 futons.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Kitchen
  • Dining area
  • Stovetop
  • Bidet
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Two-Bedroom Villa

  This villa consists of 1 living room, 2 separate bedrooms and 1 bathroom with a bath and free toiletries. Among the room amenities are air conditioning, tatami, a tea and coffee maker as well as a patio and garden views. The unit offers 1 bed and 2 futons.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Bidet
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Three-Bedroom Villa

  This villa features a private open-air bath. This spacious villa features 2 living rooms, 3 separate bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a bath and free toiletries. The air-conditioned villa features a flat-screen TV, a washing machine, tatami, a tea and coffee maker as well as garden views. The unit has 2 beds and 2 futons.

  Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Washing machine
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Dining area
  • Bidet
  • Coffee machine
  • Dining table
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• One-Bedroom House

  The air-conditioned holiday home features 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom with a bath and a shower. The holiday home is equipped with tatami floors, a sofa, a tea and coffee maker, heating as well as garden views. The unit offers 1 bed and 2 futons.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Shower
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Shower cap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Smoke alarm
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

Guest Reviews

• Stephan (8/5): -
• Marta (10/5): Luxury, traditional resort with an exceptional service. - The place is stunning. Luxury and unique. Nothing. It’s perfect.
• Dirk (9/5): Waldidyll - Sehr ländlich und leise. Nur die Geräusche der Natur. Sehr großes Gelände mit vielen Angeboten, wie Bogenschiessen und Ikebana, die wir nicht genutzt haben. Leider ohne Abendbrot.
• Yvan (10/5): Un moment suspendu - Le cadre, la décoration, le lieu, les prestations, le personnel Rien.. si ce n’est la pluie qui s’est invitée au programme.. mais le lieu est sublime
• Veronika (10/5): Best stay in Japan - We had an amazing time in Meihodo. The room was amazing, the staff spoke perfect English and the experiences were above expectations - we highly recommend booking a couple of cultural experiences that they offer. Would recommend to anyone.
• Alvar (10/5): Great stay - Loved everything Expensive
• Nina (7/5): Leider eine Enttäuschung kein authentisches Erlebnis - Das Personal war super nett und sehr bemüht es uns so angenehm wie möglich zu machen. Sie haben uns sogar noch einen Tisch gebracht, den gab es nämlich vorher auch nicht. Wir hatten leider Pech mit dem Haus. Auf den Bildern war die urtümliche Küche wie es sie früher gab abgebildet aber wir hätten für den Preis niemals mit so einer schlechten Ausstattung gerechnet. Es gab lediglich Plastik Teller. Das Geschirr war mäßig sauber und stand neben der Spüle als wir kamen. Das Wasser im Onsen war noch nicht abgelassen. Überall waren Spinnenweben. Es gab keine Fenster! Wenn man das Holz zur Seite schob sah man direkt zu den Nachbarn und hatte keine Privatsphäre. Es war alles sehr konstruiert. Keine schönen echten Holzmaterialien außer im Bad. Kein Reinigungsservice nur auf Anfrage frische Handtücher. Und es konnte kein vegetarisches Essen angeboten werden. Das ist für eine Unterkunft mit diesem Preis nicht angemessen. Die Bilder auf Booking täuschen extrem.
• LIPING (10/5): 鳴鳳堂是日本武士文化體驗渡假村，帶喜愛看日本時代劇的爸媽來住一晚，他們很喜歡，房間很大很舒服也很乾淨，水質很讚泡烏龍茶超好喝，火山石能量很舒服，大家都睡得很好！ 員工都很熱情、友好，帶我們參觀園區、體驗活動，喜愛日本武士文化一定要來這裡住 - 房間很大很舒服也很乾淨，水質很讚泡烏龍茶超好喝，火山石能量很舒服，大家都睡得很好！ 員工都很熱情、友好，帶我們參觀園區、體驗活動!
• Yen (10/5): -
• Kim (10/5): Fantastic stay on all accounts. - Fantastic experience all around. Very friendly, attentive, flexible staff, fantastic dinner and breakfast, amazing room with very comfortable bed, beautiful grounds. We did the Taiko drumming and Kendo experiences and loved them both. Would definitely recommend. Nothing.
• Andrew (10/5): Utter perfection in the heart of Aso, with the added delight of learning ancient Japanese arts. - It is difficult to adequately praise this and still give an idea of how fabulous it is. A location dedicated to keeping the martial arts of the Edo era alive. Probably the best hotel room I have ever stayed in Worldwide. The attention to detail, and meticulous interior design and superb restaurant make this stand out from anywhere else I have stayed in in Japan. The staff unfailingly helpful and delightful. Samurai experiences extremely well taught by well qualified people. Could have stayed for weeks. That tiniest of suggestions: an espresso machine in each room rather than just some?
• Lawrence (6/5): I think there is an element of faded glory here. A grand idea, but faltering. - I’m struggling a little with reviewing this resort as the people were nice, but it did not come across as a well ran place. It was not what we were expecting, we were originally considering leaving, but in the end, it mostly won us over. First off, as is in the name, this is a resort that is trying to do more than just be a place to lay your head. It wants to be a cultural center, where you go to immerse yourself into Japanese culture. It had a number of activities, and in some ways, it was like an adult day camp. And this might be where it has an identity crisis or, may clash with what you are expecting. For us, we had a car, and we were not in Aso to stay on a resort, but rather explore the 1000 things that are in the area. And the Aso area was one of our favorites in our visit to Japan for the reason it is less busy and less touristy. Our initial impressions were not great. To get to it, you drive up towards an industrial area (well, one large building I think), then follow what is a little more than a small rotting paved road through an unlit forest, with little or no signage to let you know you are going to a resort. As you get closer, it looks like someone is planning on building some homes in a small clearing, ruining the feeling that you going to an enclave (may be built by the time you read this). Eventually, you roll into the compound, a cluster of authentic old-style buildings. But for us, it seemed kind of deserted. No one around. I don’t even recall seeing any major signage that said this was Meihodo. We did find the “reception” building, but when we walked in, there was no one there. What we saw was a cluttered reception area with knickknacks, and a small dining area where they did breakfast. Neither seemed very welcoming, in particular, the lack of people. Considering how expensive the stay was, we were very worried that we had signed up for a zombie hotel. I guess it was at this point where our opinion started to change on the place. The interesting wooden tub/shower with lots of hot water, falling asleep to the amazing rural tree frogs/crickets, some really nice and personable staff, and an amazing Kaiseki dinner in their historic dining building (not the breakfast area). And while the cabin still had all of the failings I note above, we started to warm to it. Feeling like we were getting a different experience and had our own little home. When we checked out, we noticed that they had charged us more (a lot more) for the Kaiseki dinner, and had to wait for someone to come sort that out (I had to pull up an email in which they offered us the dinner at a certain price as proof). We also noticed that booking.com (who was horrible on this booking) had charged us a city tax that as far as we could tell, was not actually there. The staff offered to help us with this, and to their credit, did help us with by communicating with booking.com confirming that there was no city tax in Aso (although they did not seem sure when we were checking out). I had also asked them to help with a booking.com price match which they did not help us with.
• Jens (10/5): Great, unique stay - Wonderful, very unique place. Great cultural experiences, huge room with lovely hotspring bath, fantastic staff that went above and beyond to ensure we have a great time during our stay. Next to Aso mountain and various national parks with amazing countryside and nature views. Good food from two on-site restaurants. The restaurants weren't open during our whole stay as it fell into the holiday period post new year.
• CHIACHENG (9/5): 很棒，有機會再去住第2次 - 服務人員很友好親切 服務周到 沒有電視及音響
• SERGEI (10/5): Лучшее воспоминание о Японии - Прекрасный отель, замечательные сотрудники и собственник! Встретили нас на станции и отвезли на вокзал при отъезде. Также порекомендовали нам онсэны, также свозили туда и обратно Номер - замечательный!!! Просторный, чего только стоит ванна из настоящего дерева!!! Замечательный сад!!! А каков барабан!!!
• Nicolas (10/5): -
• PAWILAI (10/5): -
• Li (10/5): -
• Michael (10/5): Incredible!! - Cultural Resort Meihodo was truly the best thing we've done in Japan, we stayed for 5 days in the 1 bedroom house which was so much bigger than the pictures show. Under floor heating was wonderful a huge bath and seperate shower. The bed was huge and comfy and the little kitchen over looked the woods. We asked for breakfast for the 5 days we we're there and had an evening meal cooked for us. The breakfasts and meal was outstanding with incredible tastes and flavour and I would highly recommend trying if you are staying. We thank Momoko for looking after us and we will truly miss her, such a ray of sunshine in the morning. We did the Samuari experience while we we're staying here and wow it was an experience we will never forget. Matt and Daishi are so passionate in what they teach it certainly shone through. Thank you to everyone for the memories we will be back. Nothing
• Aurélie (10/5): Felt like a dream - We absolutely loved our stay! The place was calm and peaceful, offering an incredible immersion into Japanese tradition. We had the privilege of sharing a special moment with a samurai master ; truly unforgettable. The staff spoke excellent English, making communication smooth and easy. The samurai experience itself was wonderfully organized and deeply inspiring. We felt like we were living a dream from start to finish. The resort is beautifully maintained and absolutely worth the visit. Nestled at the foot of Mount Aso, it offers a one-of-a-kind experience that leaves you feeling suspended in a dream. Needs to add more furniture to hang out in the living room.
• Chan (9/5): It was a really nice stay in the Aso area! - The grounds were beautiful and the staff was very friendly. The room was very unique and ours included a Japanese style kitchen. It didn’t seem like restaurants at the hotel was operating. It wasn’t a problem because there was a 7 eleven nearby and also a few restaurants a few min drive away. Although note that one of the restaurants they recommended need reservations ahead of time.
• Ilia (10/5): - Great experience, best staff so attentive and very kind, there are also loads of traditional activities such as samurai experience, tea ceremony and many more If you like Japan traditional culture, this is number 1 place for that -
• Yasmin (9/5): Amazing experience - We booked a last minute stay at Meihodo and it was one of the highlights of our trip! It's located in a very quiet environment, there's dogs, horses and lots of cultural activities to discover. We tried archery and it was very interesting. Good location for day trips around mount Aso. A breath of fresh air after after 2 weeks spent in Tokyo!
• Uri (10/5): מקום לינה מושלם בדרך לאבו - וילה מקסימה דרך גישה למקום נסתרת וקשה לניווט
• Jennifer (10/5): Step back in time, unique and personal hotel that I hopetp revisit - A very welcoming and special place with staff that cares about sharing the cultural heritage with you and gorgeous facilities. The personal experiences they offer elevate your stay (we did Taiko and Kiyodu), and the kaiseki dinner in the tea house is delicious. Very friendly & unforgettable staff - Matt, Roy San, Daishi San and Momoko… Peach face :) That we only stayed two nights
• Tomoe (10/5): - 施設に入ると、非日常な空間でもどこか懐かしく落ち着く感覚になります。スタッフの方々もおもてなしが素晴らしいです。また帰りたくなるような場所です。
• HUI (10/5): - 都是独栋套房 面积很大，家庭居住非常适合。 房间都极具日本特色，能感受在地文化，景色优美。 提供丰富多彩的文化活动，很有趣
• Fabio (9/5): very special - This is originally not a hotel, nor is it a camping site - it is a place where people live or stay longer term to study japanese art forms such as Karate, Kyudo, or Bonseki, among others. We were told that they only recently opened up to external short term visitors, so we were apparently lucky. As short term visitors for only 2 nights, we were able to visit the Mt. Aso volcano in the morning and participate in an archery class and tea ceremony in the afternoon. The day was rounded by a very delicious dinner (we chose Sichuan hotpot, but also Japanese dishes are available). The hosts were outstandingly helpful and friendly, arranging everything to suit our needs (incl. picking us up from Ichinokawa station and arranging taxis for an excursion). Besides Japanese they speak fluent English and/or Chinese. Our room was beautifully designed in traditional japanese style and equipped with modern technology for convenience. Except for some small details, like no good place to hang wet towels, this was all very positive. The prices are high, but these people are serious. So if you do not mind to pay a little more than usual, the experience is worth it. Some details reveal that the place isn‘t targeted at independent travelers, e.g. no self-service laundromat or similar (you have to ask them, they will help). How it is to stay there for longer time, we can not evaluate. If you consider doing so, you would probably want to talk to the staff in advance.
• Julia (10/5): -
• Dang (8/5): -
• Yi (10/5): The best hotel/resort we stayed at during our 9-day trip to Kyushu! - The best hotel/resort we stayed at during our 9-day trip to Kyushu! My 11-year-old daughter especially enjoyed spending time with the dogs and horse, as well as participating in the Samurai experience. A big shout-out to the wonderful staff who accompanied and supported us throughout our stay. We will definitely recommend Meihodo to all our friends planning to visit Kyushu or Aso！
• Shi (10/5): Exceptional - Love the villa and the jap cultural experiences Nil
• David (10/5): Exceptional -
• Jan (10/5): Incredible, outstanding, just perfect! - This is magical place, beautifully decorated with lots of antiques and artwork. Very clean and comfortable striking a perfect balance between tradition and luxury.

Photos