A Complete Stay Guide to Beppu Bay
Hello : ) Today, I’m sharing a detailed stay and dinner review of Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa, one of the hotels I visited during my Kyushu road trip. This resort is part of Accor, a global hotel group that also operates many properties in Korea, so I felt reassured about the overall service and hospitality before arriving. Since it is an onsen resort, it also comes with a large public bath, relaxing facilities, and plenty of food and beverage options. I booked an all-inclusive plan for this stay, and I hope this review is helpful for anyone looking for a hotel in Beppu.
About Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
The resort is located about 15 minutes by car from Beppu Station and around 5 minutes from Kamegawa Station. Since we were traveling by rental car, parking was easy, and the on-site parking lot was spacious and free to use. The hotel also operates a complimentary shuttle bus around check-in and check-out times, but advance reservations are required. Reservations can be made through the official website, so it is worth checking before your visit if you plan to use public transportation.
After arriving, we headed straight to check-in. Since this is an international chain hotel, many of the staff members spoke English comfortably, which made the process smooth. I also noticed a separate counter near the check-in desk for golf package guests.
One thing that caught my eye in the lobby was this small kids’ area with little chairs and tables where children could enjoy different activities. Resorts often attract families, and this property also offers various events and activities. For the latest details, it is best to check the official website before your stay.
Most of the basic amenities needed for a stay are already provided in the room. However, the indoor loungewear comes in different sizes, so guests can pick up the size they need from the lobby.
Guest Lounge
On one side of the lobby, there is a lounge available for hotel guests. The large floor-to-ceiling windows make it a lovely place to enjoy the scenery, and during operating hours, guests can enjoy unlimited complimentary alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.
Outdoor Pool, Garden Pool
Just outside the lounge, you will find the outdoor Garden Pool. The main pool is 1.1 meters deep, and there is also a shallow 35-centimeter pool for young children, making it a family-friendly facility. Guests can swim while looking out over the beautiful Beppu sea, and use of the pool is complimentary for hotel guests.
The 2026 pool operation dates and hours are listed below. If you are planning to use the pool during your stay, this schedule should be helpful. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the official website.
📅 Golden Week Period, Early May
Operating period
May 2, Saturday ~ May 6, Wednesday, public holiday
Operating hours
Morning: 09:00 ~ 11:00
Afternoon: 14:00 ~ 18:00
Notes
May 2: Afternoon session only
May 6: Morning session only
📅 Weekend Operation in May and June
Operating dates
May: 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31
June: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
Operating hours
Morning: 09:00 ~ 11:00
Afternoon: 14:00 ~ 18:00
Notes
Saturdays: Afternoon session only
Sundays: Morning session only
📅 Peak Season Operation, July to September
Operating period
July 1 ~ September 23, public holiday
Operating hours
Morning: 09:00 ~ 11:00
Afternoon: 14:00 ~ 19:00
Notes
July 1: Afternoon session only
September 23: Morning session only
Rooms at Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
Because the hotel sits on a hill facing the sea, even the hallway had a lovely ocean view. If you book an ocean-view room, you can enjoy this kind of scenery right from your room as well. Unfortunately, it was rainy and very cloudy on the day we visited, but I imagine the view would be even more beautiful on a bright, sunny day.
Room Overview
After walking through the clean, wide corridor, we arrived at our room. I expected the room to feel a little dated, but it looked fresh and modern, possibly thanks to a recent renovation. Hotel rooms in Japan are often on the smaller side, but even the standard rooms here are 36㎡, which feels quite generous. The room can accommodate up to three adults and two children, making it a comfortable option for family trips.
The room was not only spacious, but the bed was large as well. It was a Hollywood twin setup with two twin beds placed together, so it felt much larger than a typical double bed. The bedding was also soft and cozy, the kind that makes it easy to fall asleep right away : )
Near the entrance, the room had a nice selection of amenities and practical items. There was an air purifier with a humidifying function, an electric kettle, tea set, and fabric deodorizing spray, all of which came in handy during the stay.
The bathroom layout was convenient, with the toilet and shower area separated. The toilet also came with a bidet, and the bathroom itself felt roomy with a large bathtub. That said, since this is an onsen resort, I would recommend using the large public bath instead of only showering in the room.
Room View
I booked an ocean-view room, so I could enjoy the sea right from the window. Since the view was filled mostly with water, it almost felt like being out at sea on a ship. It was not just an ocean view either. From the side, you could also see roads and buildings, so the night view had its own charm. I only wished the weather had been better, because the scenery would have looked even more impressive.
Facilities at Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
There is a large souvenir shop in the lobby. Since Beppu is famous for its hot springs, the shop had plenty of bath-related items along with snacks and local treats. Many of the products had that charming, cute Japanese design style, so it is a fun place to pick up souvenirs.
Onsen Public Bath
On the first basement floor, the hotel has a large public bath, open-air bath, and sauna using natural Hiji Onsen water, a sodium chloride hot spring that wells up from the property grounds. Hotel guests can use these facilities free of charge.
Hours: 6:00~10:00, last entry 9:30 / 15:00~24:00, last entry 23:30
Photography is not allowed inside the bath area, so I used photos from the official website here. The open-air bath was especially memorable because it looks out toward Beppu Bay. In the morning, you can start the day feeling refreshed as the sunlight rises over the sea. At night, you can unwind in the hot spring while listening to the sound of the water outside.
There is also an onsen lounge where guests can take a break with light drinks, as well as paid massage chairs and coin-operated laundry machines.
The Lounge
At The Lounge, guests can enjoy unlimited drinks depending on the time of day, including red wine, white wine, beer, coffee, black tea, herb water, and other soft drinks. This is one of the signature services offered at Mercure and Grand Mercure resorts in Japan. Personally, I really enjoy this benefit, and it is one of the reasons I find myself looking for Mercure hotels more often. It is a great way to slow down at the resort and enjoy drinks at your own pace.
I had beer at the lounge and later made myself a whisky highball after the onsen, which made for a relaxing evening. The Lounge operates twice a day: Evening Social from 15:00 to 18:00 and Nightcap from 21:00 to 23:00. It is complimentary for hotel guests with lounge access. Guests without lounge benefits, including visitors from outside the hotel, can use it for an additional fee of 4,500 yen per person. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Dinner at Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
The restaurant is located on the second floor, and the interior is clean, open, and very spacious. Both dinner and breakfast are served here. The high ceilings and ocean-facing windows create a wonderful sense of openness. The restaurant has around 290 seats in total, so it is quite large, but because the space feels so airy, it did not feel overly crowded even when there were many guests.
At the restaurant entrance, staff check your room number before you enter. Once seated, you place an “in use” sign on your table and then head to the buffet, which made the experience easy and convenient. Please note that buffet dining is limited to 90 minutes.
Operating hours
Breakfast: 7:00~9:30, last entry 9:00
Dinner: 17:30~21:00, last entry 20:30
Food Selection
There were so many dishes that it would have been hard to try everything in one meal. I actually missed quite a few items myself. With that much variety, I think most guests will find plenty to enjoy.
There were also many local specialties from Oita. I saw monaka sushi, squid, shrimp, sashimi, and a variety of other seafood dishes. I have traveled to Japan many times, but it was my first time seeing sushi served inside monaka wafers. I liked that the buffet included dishes that felt unique to the region.
Beyond seafood, there were plenty of familiar crowd-pleasers such as fried chicken. The live cooking stations were also well done, with more premium dishes like Oita Wagyu steak and eel shabu-shabu.
The dessert section was also nicely prepared. I especially enjoyed the freshly made Mont Blanc, which is one of my favorite desserts, so I ended up going back for it more than once.
Alcohol and Drink Station
Just like at the lounge, dinner included unlimited drinks, including draft beer and other alcoholic beverages. The draft beer machine pours automatically, so it was easy and fun to use. In many Japanese buffet restaurants, all-you-can-drink alcohol often costs an additional 3,000 yen or more, but here it is included, which is a great perk for guests who enjoy a drink with dinner.
Dinner Review
I brought back a plate with fresh seafood, Oita Wagyu, and a little bit of everything else. Overall, dinner was excellent. The seafood tasted fresh without any unpleasant smell or aftertaste, and it had a nice savory depth. Making my own seafood rice bowl gave the sashimi a different kind of appeal compared to eating it on its own. The steak was also tender and flavorful, likely thanks to the Oita Wagyu. If you stay at this resort, I would highly recommend trying the dinner buffet.
Breakfast at Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
Breakfast is served in the same second-floor restaurant where we had dinner the night before. The menu was quite different from dinner, with a wide range of breakfast dishes and local Oita specialties. There were so many options that I ended up eating more than I had planned in the morning. Since I booked the all-inclusive package, breakfast was included. For guests paying separately, breakfast is 3,800 yen per person and dinner is 9,200 yen per person.
There were also several dishes I do not usually see at hotel breakfasts. The live cooking stations were memorable, with items like mini hot dogs and eggs Benedict made with smoked salmon. You can find salmon and grilled fish at many hotel breakfasts in Japan, but the quality here felt noticeably better.
Breakfast Review
For me, breakfast is one of the best parts of a hotel stay. This breakfast was generous from the start of the day, with a wide variety of fresh and tasty dishes. It was the kind of breakfast that leaves you full and ready for a day of travel. If you stay at this resort, I would recommend making time for breakfast as well.
Final Thoughts
The biggest downside of my stay at Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa was that I only stayed for one night. If possible, I think spending two or three nights here would be even better, giving you time to explore the surrounding area at a slower pace and enjoy a full resort day. From the room condition and onsen public bath to the lounge and meals, this was a resort that left me satisfied in every way. It is definitely a place I would love to visit again : )
