Hotel Eminence

The low price is a plus, and I suppose you can't expect much service at that rate. Still, I wish someone had been at the front desk or able to respond right away. It'd also help if the elevators worked when guests have a lot of luggage. Skiing and snowboarding mean carrying quite a bit. For a simple overnight trip, it's fine.

We had everything basic we needed, including towels, toothbrushes, and hair dryers. The bath only had shampoo and body soap, though, so I should've brought conditioner. The staff were friendly, and I liked the spacious room and comfortable bed. Both dinner and breakfast were delicious, and I was very satisfied. The shared dining room was chilly, but it was winter, so I guess that's to be expected. I was fine once I got back to my room and sat by the heater.

There were four of us, all men. The pickup from Kurumayama Kogen Ski Resort was in a Hiace, which threw us off, and when we called, the explanation came across as pretty abrasive. It left a bad impression. Our room only had a kerosene stove for heat. It barely warmed the place and stopped working partway through, so we had to keep our down jackets on. The large public bath was closed too. Nobody told us the boiler would shut down at 9 p.m. and leave us without hot water. For a hotel, that kind of thing is unacceptable. We were angry, not just disappointed. It was a terrible stay, with no hospitality at all.

The view across Lake Shirakaba at night was lovely, and the service was good. I stayed here before, and could put up with the room's worn, somewhat dirty walls, but the toilet was broken. If you can accept those issues, it's a place you can stay.