We really enjoyed our second stay at the Lotte Arai Hotel. It’s a lovely deluxe western hotel and considering that at many Japanese ski resorts there are dated Prince-type hotels sitting at the base, Lotte Arai is a delightful breath of fresh air. And the cost is only a little more than these hotels from the 80s.

Not surprisingly, the hotel has changed somewhat since it opened when we visited 2 years ago, and it has tried to find its groove and the right balance of operational costs versus price point. The extent of amenities has shrunk, probably because they realised they were way OTT. The day spa has rather limited hours and the amenities housed over near the day spa are no longer in existence or not accessible to hotel guests such as the large gymnasium, the 2nd swimming pool and sensory pool, and the 2nd set of onsen baths (which are now only for day spa guests).

The pool over at the main building now attracts a hefty fee which seemed unusual. The main onsen baths were immaculately clean and aesthetically stunning, and we used to rate it as one of the top Japanese ski resort hotel onsen, but it seems now that they are using some chlorine in the spring water so it’s not 100% natural.

As to be expected, the hotel was much busier than the last time we visited. The service levels have improved significantly, and there also seemed to be more staff that spoke some English. We heard some other guests complaining about the lack of English spoken by staff – the guests must have forgotten they were in Japan! One exception to great service was the Korean restaurant (staffed by Koreans) where the service wasn’t just lackadaisical, but the staff were also rude.

On our last visit the food quality was absolutely exceptional. It was still mostly very good to excellent, but we noticed a major change in the western restaurant in particular. Perhaps this was due to the change in demographic, whereby nearly all the guests there were western and Asian (non Japanese) families with young children. The Plate used to be a sophisticated restaurant, but now it seems it’s moved to more simple family friendly fare without a corresponding reduction in the meal prices. A great change has been the addition of a few more options for dining that are reasonably priced including the sports bar, and they also provide shuttles in the evening to a nearby town where there are izakayas for dinner.

Our hotel room was a little smaller than our last stay, yet it was still rather spacious by Japanese standards, especially the bathroom, but not as big as you’d expect for a deluxe hotel. The beds were incredibly comfortable and the pillows were the proper plush kind. Sleep quality was 10 out of 5!

We would highly recommend the Lotte Arai Hotel with the provisos that you have the right expectations for the hotel. It’s not the same as a North American 5 star hotel with true 5-star service, and it also doesn’t have the same price tag. Not all the staff will speak perfect English (it is Japan after all). As is the case at a lot of Japanese ski resorts (not the high profile westernised resorts like Niseko and Hakuba), there is just the hotel buildings at the base and it’s not a town or village. You have to go with the understanding that you’ll mostly be dining at the hotel and many of the meals may be costly, but then if you want to stay at a deluxe hotel you probably wouldn’t be expecting budget priced meals. Overall, it’s a very nice hotel at a great ski resort.
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The Arai Resort Hotel is very unique for a Japanese ski resort. In a country where many hotels and ski resorts were built in the bubble era and are now looking rather dull and dated, the Arai Resort Hotel offers very modern and delightfully luxurious lodgings. It is a very grand hotel and no expense has been spared in renovating and building this super luxe hotel. The staircase in The Lodge building is fit for a princess, the day spa complex is exquisite, and the other onsen facilities are simply beautiful.

The hotel had only been operating for a few weeks, and there were a couple of facilities not open yet, but otherwise the hotel was fully operational and the level of service was very impressive, especially considering how new the hotel was. Many of the staff speak some English, which makes life easier for Anglophones without compromising the Japanese experience.

The hotel buildings are very conveniently located at the base of the ski resort, right near the gondola station, the beginner chair lift, and the magic carpet for the tubing hill.

We stayed in a lovely superior twin room which was reasonably spacious (especially the bathroom) and offered lovely views towards the ski slopes. The beds were incredibly comfortable and we didn’t hear any noise from the corridor or adjoining rooms, allowing for a blissful sleep.

The hotel had many great amenities but the two (yes one wasn’t enough!!) spa, pool and onsen complexes would have to be one of the major highlights. There were multiple onsen baths to choose from, our favourite being the outdoor jetted onsen with lovely water cascading down illuminated steps and a little sassa grass planted near the bath for good Japanese effect. The swimming pools were also impressive.

Then there was the food – oh my! Much of the dining comes at luxurious prices and for that, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of culinary choices of exemplary quality. The western style buffet was the best buffet we’ve ever had (and we’ve done a lot of buffets!) but the piece de resistance was the Japanese restaurant that offered amazingly exquisite cuisine.

The value for the hotel is currently great (food and accommodation are pricey but of superb quality), and as the ski resort and hotel are in its infancy and the prices discounted, it wouldn’t be surprising if the rates increase as more people discover Lotte Arai.
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