Premier Hotel Cabin Asahikawa

The hotel is only a 3-4 minute walk from both Aeon mall and Asahikawa JR station. It’s also right in the entertainment area, with lots of restaurants and eateries nearby. The attendants provided great service, and the hotel parking prices seemed standard. Staff speak very little English, but they were professional and keen to help. The morning buffet was great value too. There didn’t seem to be many non-smoking rooms, unfortunately.

I tried the breakfast buffet once and was surprised by how much variety and quality you get for the price. I ended up eating a hearty breakfast over three rounds, though I couldn’t manage more because I was so full. Big eaters should give it a try. The view from the top is lovely, with an open look across the city skyline. I didn’t take any buffet photos because I was too busy eating, ha ha! The hotel is very popular. Every day when I got back from sightseeing, I saw a long line of people waiting to check in. Its convenient location near the station was my main reason for choosing it, since there aren’t many onsen options nearby. Guests can use the basement onsen for free. It’s small and dark because of the tile color, with one small bath and no view. They switch the men’s and women’s baths only once a week, rather than every day, so I missed my chance to use the jacuzzi. I didn’t mind the lack of scenery, but if you want a view from your onsen, this isn’t the place. Even local Asahikawa residents use it. During one visit, I met another Japanese girl who said her mother brought her there to help her get used to the cold. There was an earthquake at 11 p.m. on the day I stayed. I was just about to go to bed when I felt a slight tremor. I stayed calm, but my child’s father panicked, which stressed me out and made it hard to fall asleep.

Our traditional Japanese-style room was spacious and clean, and having an onsen bath in the room was a big plus. The staff were helpful, and the location was convenient. Breakfast wasn’t fancy, but it had a good range of choices, and I enjoyed it. Room cleaning is done every second day. Drivers with larger cars should know that their vehicle will be parked at Times parking across the street, and they can take it out only once a day. Smaller cars parked at the hotel can come and go without limits.

The buffet breakfast had good choices. In our twin room, though, the little skinny sofa wasn’t really somewhere you could put your feet up.