Nozo Hotel

The staff made our trip special, with every person we met being helpful, accommodating and cheerful. The hotel was fantastic too, with very clean rooms, comfortable beds and great facilities for ski gear. After skiing, the onsen was wonderful to use. It was extremely clean, and they provided hair and beauty products. Thank you to all the staff for making the trip so memorable.

I like the hotel's modern feel, and the brown leather on the bed headboard and buffet seating gives the space a warm, comfortable touch. There are a few areas that could be better. The room's electrical controls are confusing. Some switches don't seem to do anything, while others turn on several lights even though they look like separate controls. The bathroom has hand towels, but no lower hooks near the sink to hang them on. Parking is limited in front of the hotel, and those spaces fill quickly. The nearest alternative is about a five-minute walk away, which is inconvenient in the rain, especially at night. There's also no large enough covered drop-off area for passengers to get out without umbrellas. Check-in could use more care. I handed over three passports and said I was checking in for three rooms, but the receptionist first treated them as if they were all for one room. After returning the passports, he had to ask me again about the second room. I also had to remind him to record the plate number for our second vehicle. More attention at check-in would improve that first impression.

I love Furano, and of the places I've stayed on this Japan trip, it's been my favorite area. Nozo Hotel has been my favorite hotel on the trip too, aside from any Ryokan I still have planned. I stayed here from 15-18 December. The hotel is away from downtown, and I actually find this area more beautiful. It's close to the Kitanomine ski area, though that was closed during my visit. Shin Furano Prince's ski area is only about a five-minute drive away, and the hotel has a shuttle. The room was very clean and felt luxurious for the price. The service was top notch, with very friendly staff. I also met someone from my country working there and could ask her for recommendations around Furano. I used the gym, modern indoor and outdoor onsen, and sauna every day. It was so peaceful. After skiing or snowboarding in snowy rain, soaking in the onsen was especially nice. Google lists the hotel as three star, but I think it deserves at least four.

The kids' room was a fun extra, with cool books and dinos to lounge on. The breakfast was above average, though it could be better. My parents liked the Western option, but Japanese or vegan breakfast seemed like the stronger choices. The hot spring area was well maintained. We knew it was artificial, but still really liked the space. They also have a gym, which you don't find everywhere. And the shampoo and conditioner were so good that nothing we tried at other hotels during our Hokkaido trip beat them.