The holidays are just around the corner and many are looking for that perfect place for a romantic getaway.

Just in time, hotel review management and marketing company TrustYou has announced their top ten romantic destination rankings for both Japanese and foreign travelers.

Based in Munich, TrustYou collects and analyzes customer reviews and ratings from over 250 travel sites around the world. The review summary one sees on Google? That’s actually the analyzed sum of TrustYou’s big data. The compiled data also appears in real time on numerous major travel agency sites, including SkyScanner (Japanese version), travel.jp and Hotel.jp (Japanese version), and TRIPCON. Thanks to the huge amount of data, which all comes from customers who have actually stayed at the hotels or inns, the list gives us a look at what fellow travelers truly had to say about an ideal romantic getaway. Here are some of the top destinations for a romantic stay in Japan:

1. Japanese Cottage Sen no Ie (Yakushima, Kumage District, Kagoshima) – Trust You score: 96
2. The Ritz-Carlton Okinawa (Nago City, Okinawa)  – Trust You score: 95
3. Yoshimatsu (Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanazawa) – Trust You score: 94
4. Yamakyu (Tenshoji, Takayama City, Gifu) – Trust You score: 93

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No. 1:
Romantic Inn:  Japanese Cottage Sen no Ie

One of the hit features of the inn, the Goemon buro (a small cauldron-shaped bath) is an extraordinary experience hard to even imagine in most visitors’ daily city lives.

Surrounded by the vast nature of southern Japan, the cozy yet sophisticated Japanese Cottage Sen no Ie takes the lead in the most romantic destinations for Japanese reviewers. Looking through the names listed, it seems that Japanese travelers are looking for hotels or inns that have specific romantic features: open-air baths, extending ocean views, or homey locations just by the riverside. Something that’s unique and special – something that will make the stay unreal and extraordinary –  seems to be the key for a truly romantic stay for the Japanese.

Meanwhile, the top romantic hotels and inns in Japan according to foreign-language reviews:

1. Jinpyokaku (Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano) – Trust You score: 98
2. Yadoya Manjiro (Kiyomizu, Higashiyama District, Kyoto) – Trust You score: 97
3. Japanese Cottage Sen no Ie (Yakushima, Kumage District, Kagoshima) – Trust You score: 96

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No.1:
Romantic Ryokan: Well-established Ryokan Jinpyokaku

Located near one of the most famous ski resorts in Japan and with the chance to stumble upon cute snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs, the traditional Japanese-style inn offers a memorable, activity-packed stay.

Covering locations such as Kyoto, Takayama, and Hakone, TrustYou’s destination rankings for a romantic stay reveals foreign travelers’ preference for indulging in and exploring Japanese culture. Ryokans offering seasonal Japanese meals, established inns with history, and locations near sightseeing sites are some of the key features to a romantic and memorable stay.

According to TrustYou, 95% of travelers scroll through customer reviews before they pick their stay, and if two hotels are around the same price range, there’s over a 3.9 time-likelihood that they’ll go for one with higher customer rankings. We’re no longer opting for opinions from the so-called “masters of traveling,” and are shifting towards being rather subjective in what we want. Everyone has their own ideal of a trip – their own definition of “romantic” – and relying on the specifics of big data may be the way to get you to your ultimate hotel experience this upcoming holiday.

For more information, visit, PR TIMES (Japanese Only)