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Cubicle Dreamin'

Cubicle Dreamin', Part II: Bathing in A Japanese Onsen

January 4, 2007 at 3:05 PM | 0 Comments

Cubicle Dreamin' is a feature in which we ask the hotel mavens to take some time out of their busy work day, surf the Internet, and tell us what hotel they wish they could beam themselves to right that very second--all on the slave driving companies dime, of course. Oh, like these people aren't surfing aimlessly anyway--at least now their purposeless clicking will be cobbled together into useful hotel stories--we hope. Have a destination hotel you are just dying to leave your cube for? Send the story our way.

In our second episode for the day, Hotel Maven AmandaK let's us know where she wants to drop her skivvies. Enjoy.

As the new year begins and the restfulness of the holiday season is swiftly forgotten, as the entire working year looms ahead and the aches and pains of working hard all day return, I'm dreaming of a relaxing stay at a Japanese hot spring resort. It was in a Japanese spa hotel that I lost my fear of public nudity (as the only Westerner, plenty of people were interested in what I looked like - it was a time to get over it or melt and die). Now I'm ready to strip off and sink and soak in one of those scalding scenic baths, as scenic as possible, please.

That's why I'd like to head to the Kansuiro Ryokan in Hakone, not far from Tokyo and with views to Mount Fuji. It even makes it onto a Lonely Planet Bluelist of perfect places to propose, so it must be good. A 400-year-old inn in a heritage building, it comes with all the best of ryokan life: an amazing meal is served to you in your room, and your bed is made up for you (on the floor, probably near where you at your meal) while you're away in the baths. And all of that while you're wearing your bathrobe. Relaxing luxury at its best. Take me there!

[Photo: Erik Jaeger]