We’re happy to recommend this hotel if you’re looking for economical accommodation in a great location, so long as you have your expectations set that this is not a fancy hotel with high levels of service.
Pros: great location at Tsugaike; rooms have private bathroom.
Cons: ensuite bathrooms are tiny; grumpy owner; lots of cost saving strategies in place.

LOCATION
The location was perfect for days when skiing at Tsugaike as it was completely ski-in ski-out. The only downside of the location was that the laneway next to the hotel was covered in snow, so there was no easy way to wheel luggage to and from the hotel.
The location was also good for those using the bus service to get to other ski resorts as it was just a short walk to the bus stop to get to other ski resorts. However we had a car and the car park was about 300 metres away.

ROOM
We stayed in a Japanese triple room. Thankfully there was only 2 of us because it would have been a really tight squeeze for 3 people. As is common in washitsu, the cupboards that store the futons were massive, so at least there was plenty of space to store our gear. The small window provided nice views across to the chair lifts and the beginner slopes.
It was a bonus that our room had a private bathroom because an ensuite is not something you take for granted in a Japanese inn, especially considering the price point. However the bathroom was so tiny that we had to back in to sit on the toilet, and it was lucky that we didn’t need to use the shower because we were driving to a different onsen each afternoon.
Despite the compactness of the room and the bathroom, it did the trick and was adequate for our needs.

FACILITIES
The facilities were not abundant. The hotel didn’t have a lift, which was to be expected for a basic Japanese style hotel. There was a “drying room” downstairs with the ski and snowboard storage, but the heater never seemed to be on. Similarly the shoe storage near the entrance had a heater that was never on, and the breakfast dining room was also cold. The Chinese restaurant was not operating and the bar was also closed. The onsen baths upstairs had not been operational all season either.

STAFF
The hotel is owned by a Chinese lady and staffed by various gaijin, so despite it being a Japanese style hotel, it didn’t provide any traditional Japanese cultural experiences.
The staff were nonchalant during the few interactions we had. Check-in lasted about 20 seconds and pretty much consisted of handing over the key and letting us know that breakfast was at 7am. However we arrived at breakfast the next day at 0715 to get chastised for arriving early because breakfast didn’t start until 0730. We explained that it was a powder day and the gondola opened at 8am, so we needed to at least get some toast and coffee (which was already out on the table). This angered the owner, but other groups joined us in starting on breakfast. Turning on a heater during breakfast made her grumpy too. On subsequent days they reluctantly agreed to start breakfast earlier, but this didn’t include any of the eggs or other set items being served prior to 0730. This wasn’t really a big deal as we knew that we weren’t paying for 5 stay service.
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