Beppu, JapanHorita
Galleria Midobaru
Brutalist onsen lodge
Horita Beppu, Japan
Opened
2020
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Wellness LocalOutside the door
The house
SEKIYA RESORTBrutalist onsen lodge
The lodge replaces traditional ryokan woodwork with raw concrete, centering each stay on contemporary art commissions and private volcanic baths.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Monolithic concrete walls poured with local cedar formwork frame contemporary art installations.
Listed
Elevated cliffside balconies frame rising geothermal steam plumes across the historic onsen district.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Each room comes with its own hot-spring onsen, plus a furnished balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows with overwater views.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Above Horita Onsen, looking out over the thermal steam plumes and waters of Beppu Bay.
The rooms
Each room has a stone-carved, semi-open-air bath fed by natural sulfur springs, looking out over Beppu Bay.
The spa
Soak slowly.
Therapists perform lymphatic drainage massages using essential oils, and private suites accommodate full-body and facial sessions.
The onsen
Free-flowing, weakly acidic spring water continually refreshes the stone tubs, with rising steam drifting past raw concrete.
Restaurant
The Peak
Chefs grill Kyushu wagyu in a stone oven beneath a beaten copper dome, overlooking city lights across the bay.
Hot Spring Bar
Locally brewed craft beers and cocktails are poured over a solid walnut counter set beneath sulfur-aged brass panels.
How it began
Sekiya Resort has operated traditional inns in Beppu since 1900. This hotel is their contemporary alternative to the classic ryokan.
Beppu
More like this
ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa by IHG
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Sanso Kannawaen
“Geothermal garden ryokan”
Terrace Midoubaru Beppu Onsen
“Terraced thermal cove”
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.