Umitamago
Family-Friendly Hotels Near Umitamago: Aquarium and Beppu Hot Springs
A family trip combining Umitamago and Takasakiyama with a relaxing stay at a Beppu hot spring inn
10 family-friendly hotels in Umitamago, verified by Kids Stay: 7 with tatami rooms, 4 with private onsen baths, 5 with toddler meals and 3 with allergy-friendly meals. Every listing is checked against the official hotel website or Rakuten Travel.
When you pick a family hotel near Umitamago, it can be hard to decide between easy access to the aquarium and the kind of stay a hot spring inn offers. Umitamago is an aquarium on the shore of Beppu Bay, and just across the road is Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden, famous for its wild Japanese macaques. Both are big hits with kids, so you probably want a hotel close by to keep travel time short.
There are 10 hotels listed for the Umitamago area, mostly around Beppu Onsen (hot spring) and Beppu Station. Umitamago sits along the coast on the Beppu side of Oita City, so it works well to stay in Beppu's hot spring town and head out to the aquarium and zoo during the day. Within the prefecture you can also choose between areas such as Beppu Onsen and the Beppu Port area, depending on whether you prefer the center of the hot spring town or the waterfront.
The first things to check when choosing a hotel are the rooms and the meals. 7 hotels offer Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms, and tatami floors are comfortable for babies who are crawling. On the food side, 5 hotels have toddler meal menus. Places like Beppu Onsen Tenku Yubo Seikaiso, which has kids' tableware and private dining rooms, or Beppu Onsen Hotel Shiragiku, which offers in-room meals, let you eat without worrying about the people around you.
When you stay in Beppu, how you choose your bath matters too. 4 hotels have family baths or private baths, including Beppu Onsen Nogami Honkan and Beppu Onsen Shinhorii. A bath just for your family is easier at ages when a large public bath feels awkward, and it is something parents often praise in reviews. To prepare for the time before dinner or a rainy day, hotels with a kids' room, such as Beppu Onsen Takatsubaki no Oyado Hanabeppu and Kamenoi Hotel Beppu, are reassuring.
As a rough guide to the seasons, spring and fall are comfortable for walking around the outdoor zoo and the Beppu Hells (Jigoku Meguri, a tour of steaming hot spring ponds). In summer you can spend the hottest hours among the aquarium's indoor exhibits, and in winter the warmth of the hot springs is especially welcome. With an aquarium, a zoo, and hot springs all close together, it is an area where you can easily plan a relaxed itinerary to suit your children's ages and the season.
Highlights
- checkUmitamago and Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden face each other across the road
- checkStay at Beppu hot spring inns with family baths and private baths
- checkHotels with toddler meals and Japanese-style rooms suit little ones
Family-friendly features in Umitamago
Recommended hotels (10)
Beppu Onsen Shinhorii
Beppu Daiichi Hotel
Beppu Onsen Takatsubaki no Oyado Hanabeppu
Beppu Onsen Hotel Shiragiku
Beppu Onsen Tenku Yubo Seikaiso
Kamenoi Hotel Beppu
Beppu Onsen Nogami Honkan
Super Hotel Beppu Ekimae
Beppu Onsen Hotel Yell
Hotel Arthur KITAHAMA BASE
See all hotels in Umitamago (10)expand_more
Nearby attractions
Travel tips
If you visit the aquarium and the zoo on the same day, you will likely spend a lot of time walking outdoors, so having both a stroller and a baby carrier is reassuring. To leave time to relax in the hot springs back at your hotel, try not to pack the afternoon too full. If your family likes a slow morning, choosing a hotel that offers late check-out is another good option.
Best season
As a rough guide, spring and fall bring mild weather and are comfortable times to walk around the outdoor Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden and the Beppu Hells. Summer sunshine is strong, so it is easier to plan around the aquarium's indoor exhibits and your hotel's hot springs. Winter can be chilly, but warming up at a hot spring inn is a big part of the fun and gives you a real taste of Beppu.
Getting there
Umitamago is on the Beppu side of Oita City along Beppu Bay, and you can reach it by local bus from Beppu Station or Oita Station. By car, the route runs along the coastal road, and it is easy to reach from both Beppu's hot spring town and downtown Oita. For visitors from far away, the main gateways are Oita Airport, plus Beppu Station and Oita Station on the JR Nippo Main Line.
Frequently Asked Questions
From what age can kids enjoy the Umitamago area?
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An aquarium is easy to enjoy at any age, and even just watching the big tanks gets a big reaction from little ones. On the hotel side, places like Kamenoi Hotel Beppu lend cribs and baby baths and provide gentle baby soap, so it is an easy area to stay in with a baby. 5 hotels have toddler meal menus, which also takes some of the worry out of mealtimes at ages when sharing adult food is difficult.
Which hotels are good for traveling with a baby?
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For a baby, we recommend choosing by amenities and by the type of hot spring water. Kamenoi Hotel Beppu lends cribs and baby baths, has diaper disposal bins, and has simple-type hot spring water (a mild, low-mineral type) that is said to suit babies. Beppu Daiichi Hotel lends cribs, allows you to bring baby food and have it warmed up, and does not charge for a child sleeping in the same bed as parents. In dry seasons, picking a hotel that lends humidifiers is reassuring.
Is it inconvenient without a car?
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Umitamago and Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden face each other across the road, so once you arrive you can see both on foot. You can take a local bus from Beppu Station or Oita Station, so if the aquarium and zoo are your goal, it is an easy area to get around without a car. However, if you want to go farther into the mountain side of Beppu, such as the Beppu Hells or Kijima Kogen Park, a car makes getting around much easier, including with your kids' luggage.
What should we do on a rainy day?
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On a rainy day, it is easy to plan around the aquarium, which has indoor exhibits. If you want to make the most of time at your hotel, places with a kids' room, such as Beppu Onsen Takatsubaki no Oyado Hanabeppu and Kamenoi Hotel Beppu, are a good fit. Super Hotel Beppu Ekimae has a concept room with a slide, so kids can have fun even inside the room.
When is the best season to visit?
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As a rough guide, spring and fall bring mild weather and are comfortable seasons, including for the outdoor zoo and strolling around. In summer, focus on the aquarium's indoor exhibits and your hotel's hot springs, and in winter, warming up in a hot spring is a special treat. 4 hotels have family or private baths, so you can enjoy a hot spring just with your family in any season, which is one of the great things about staying in Beppu.