Heiseikan Kaiyotei

The volcanic spa facilities were fantastic and relaxing. This traditional Japanese hotel sits near a volcanic site, in a quiet 'village' setting with only a couple dozen small shops nearby. Evening walks along the hilly streets can feel surreal when the moist air turns to mist.

We stayed as part of a flight package, and the staff were welcoming and very sincere. The standout for me was the viking dinner, especially the local produced seafood section, which seemed to be the most popular. From the onsen on the upper most floor, you get a breathless view of Hakodate. The outdoor bath is especially good in winter, when snow and cold breeze hit your upper body while the rest of you stays submerged in the hot water. I highly recommend it and would come again.

My favorite onsen resort in Hakodate. The rooftop onsen is wonderful, with spectacular ocean views from the open air area. Rooms are simple but comfortable, and there’s a convenience store with lots of local sweets. The dinner and breakfast buffets are excellent, with fresh food changing daily. Seafood is the main attraction, as you’d expect in squid city, but the other food is very good too.

I booked this hotel mainly because the fine print didn’t mention that guests with visible tattoos were banned from the onsen. After I made the reservation, staff told me that they do apply such a ban, even though they hadn’t bothered to mention it on their Web page. They asked me to “understand the rules,” as if it were my fault they’d forgotten to publish the house rules on their site. How can I “understand” a rule I couldn’t even know about?