Rockwood Hotel & Spa

The main drawback is getting here: there's no public transport, so you'll need a car or taxi. Once you're there, it's a modern ski-in, ski-out resort with roomy rooms and a nice onsen. The small outdoor section is lovely when snow is falling. The buffet has plenty to choose from at breakfast and dinner, and dishes are topped up quickly. Try the apple pizza. There's also a gym and games room you can use for free. Staff were friendly and efficient, and the front desk helped translate and coordinate when I needed a ski accident report.

The location is great for skiing, though there's not much nearby in the way of restaurants or shops. The hotel feels dated but was comfortable enough, and dinner at the restaurant was delicious. Breakfast was just adequate, with some cold food and a noisy dining room. One server was sniffing and coughing, which wasn't pleasant. We could never tell when the cafe was open. Fine for a couple of ski days, but nothing special.

The onsen water was nice, but the facilities are just as worn out as the rest of the hotel, including useless hair dryers that look like they're from the 1980s. It's clean, but extremely tired. The rooms badly need renovation, and everything feels old: kettles from the 1990s take about 30 minutes to heat and still don't boil, and there are no USB ports. Breakfast and dinner were terrible, with most dishes barely edible. The only fresh fruit was banana, and those were nearly rotten. Staff seemed unhappy and unfriendly; the check-in staff were okay, but otherwise nobody said good morning or smiled. I'd stay in Hirosaki for a quarter of the price and travel to the ski field. This isn't quality accommodation or good value. Avoid.

Being close to the gondola and slopes is the only real plus here. I wouldn't recommend staying at this hotel. The staff showed no compassion or flexibility when I was unwell and asked to stay in my room until 1 pm instead of checking out at 11. They simply refused. The breakfast and dinner buffets were a joke: too many guests, poor hygiene, empty dishes, and a limited selection. There's no working bar or coffee shop, and the shop selling beer and other drinks opens at unpredictable times. Even though our room was a twin share, we got just one key. I asked for an itemized invoice for the room I paid for because I needed it for travel insurance, but was told to contact the tour company I booked through. They still wouldn't provide it after I explained why. The billiards room charges 1,800 yen for an hour. It should be free; no one was using it, so the hotel is missing a chance to offer a fun activity. The ski hire staff also seemed unable to recommend skis suited to the mountain and conditions. They tried to give me carving skis for groomed runs when I needed powder skis, and weren't flexible about it. If you do rent skis here, I'd arrange it before arriving.