Inawashiro Kanko Hotel

We had a great early-spring ski stay and would gladly return. The place has an old-fashioned feel, but the facilities are excellent and well maintained. The food stood out most, among the best we’ve had at a hotel this season.

The bath was just the right temperature, and I enjoyed a long soak. The food was quite good, though a little salty. The building is old, so I could accept aging facilities, including dirty plumbing and leaks. Parking was the real problem. I planned to stay overnight in the lot at the slopes, but when I mentioned that, I was directed there and then moved to the hotel lot. Once I arrived, I was told hotel parking was only allowed between check-in and checkout, so I had to move back to the slopes. At 3:00 PM, when check-in began, I moved to the hotel lot again, then after checkout I had to return to the slopes lot. I’ve used hotel parking in Japan and abroad, but this was the first time I’d been told I couldn’t park before or after check-in. Getting the kids and everyone else out of wet clothes and boots took time, and there was no advantage to staying at a hotel directly connected to the slopes. I wish the website had made the parking rule clear before I booked. It’s a shame because the hotel itself was great. If you’re driving, be aware this place handles parking differently from a typical hotel connected to the slopes.

After snowboarding, I paid 700 yen for a day visit, then another 400 yen to rent a towel. I hadn't been told what to expect, and the receptionist didn't check whether I needed one. I only realized there was no changing room after I went in, so I had to return to the desk. The single indoor bath had moldy chairs, blackened showers, and a slimy floor. I nearly slipped several times, which seems especially risky for older visitors. I also worried that the changing area had no lockers that lock, and wondered how well the place is cleaned. For 700 yen and this condition, I'll try another hot spring next time.

The staff were warm and very polite, and the food was delicious with plenty of amenities. The bath is downstairs in the basement. I visited through my high school's Regional Future Study Abroad program, and would happily come back in ski season. A couple of things were less convenient: guest rooms don't have many outlets, which is fine for a night or two but not for a three-year stay, and one faucet in the big bath was broken. Some floors also had their lights off during the off-season, though that couldn't really be helped. Thank you very much.