Abashiri Kanko Hotel

Really good hotel, especially for people who want to stay away from the town’s hustle and bustle and enjoy wonderful nature.

The view was what won me over in the end. When I opened the curtains in the morning, I just stood there staring for a good while. From our eighth-floor window we could see Lake Abashiri, rolling hills in the distance, birds taking flight and forest all around us. In the sunshine it was magnificent, and I was glad we’d chosen Abashiri Kanko Hotel. We’d booked a Japanese-style room, but the futons weren’t laid out. I realized we were meant to set them up ourselves. The room was okay, though the long, silent, carpeted hall and the age and decor gave the place a bit of a "The Shining" feeling. We were tired and there wasn’t much around, so I drove to the nearest convenience store, maybe 15 minutes away, and we had cup noodles for dinner. Getting there at night wasn’t a great introduction. It was pouring, the nearby roads had little lighting, and looming trees enclosed both sides. The hotel was literally glowing green as we drove up the steep road. A gruff but kind man explained that parking was limited and took our key in case he needed to move the car. There was only one staff member visible in the lobby, and after the first two staff we met, we didn’t see anyone else in the hotel. We’d picked it because we were arriving at night and wanted to be near Memanbetsu Airport, about a 20-minute drive away.

The public bath, at least the men’s, was quite nice, available for guests to use freely and closed only for a few hours of cleaning. Breakfast was decent, although the menu stayed the same during our three-day stay. The staff were a mixed bag. Our Japanese-style room fit two futons and felt old, as if it hadn’t been revamped. The bathroom was small and poorly equipped, and one room’s air conditioner remote was difficult to use. The hotel is right in front of Abashiri Lake, though there wasn’t any activity on the lake when we visited in late June.

I had a relaxing morning at the onsen, with a gorgeous view. The room window also had a great view, and the big windows on the 2F made breakfast especially nice. You can have as much seafood rice as you want, and I loved the porridge too. There are comic books and massage chairs, and you can play ping pong for free on the 2F. My skills got better 🏓.