Brocken Hutte

I wouldn’t come back. I couldn’t get anyone on the phone to clarify my reservation, and emails went unanswered until I contacted Booking.com. When I arrived, they couldn’t pick me up, and no one had explained the roughly 800 meter snowy driveway I’d have to walk up carrying heavy bags. The woman who handed me the key kept saying how busy she was, then left me to figure things out. There’s one shaded women’s toilet for the whole lodge and two showers. The dining room, despite having a lovely fire area, was locked. I sat there to read and was told to leave because it was the manager’s work area. I’d injured my ACL, so the uphill walk was hard. My room had a mattress on the floor that was awkward to get up from, and there was nowhere else to sit, so I spent much of the day in the foyer. I wasn’t allowed to use the lounge in the dining room either. This place is simple, definitely not five star, and that may be fine if you know what to expect. I was disappointed there wasn’t more communal space, especially as only three people were eating in the large dining area at a time. I asked whether I could have a meal without meat or chicken and was told no. With my ACL injury, not being able to eat there wasn’t helpful.

The owner was super nice, and it’s a typical Japanese ryokan/lodge. Rooms are simple and the shared bathroom was very clean. They also offer ski rentals for much less than a regular rental shop, though we didn’t try them because communication seemed difficult. The lodge is up a hill, so be ready for the walk. It’s beside the temple, but we had trouble finding it at first.

We were 22 people, and although the owner kept the place very clean, she was too rigid for us. The common area closed at 8:30pm, and hot showers were only available from 4-9pm. Extra towels weren’t available, you had to return the old one to get a fresh one. Breakfast was served at 7:30am, so if you wanted to sleep in a little, you got cold food. There were lots of bugs, including one I woke up to in my bed, maybe because the lodge is in the woods. It was quiet and peaceful, but I wouldn’t recommend staying here with a big group.

The owner really goes above and beyond. It’s spotlessly clean, good value, and just a seven minute walk to the Adam Gondola. He gives discounted rates for Happo-one, recommends good restaurants and several local onsens that cost 400-600, and keeps tea and coffee available for free all day and night. He makes sure you know the area and what you can do. I didn’t try dinner, but breakfast was delicious and filling, usually fresh baked bread, some kind of egg, pork, salad and fruit, with tea or coffee. Great find and a really nice place to stay.