Condominium Hakuba Goryu

The hotel shows its age, but being right on the piste made the stay really enjoyable. From the first lift opening to the last closing, the ski-in/ski-out location is hard to beat. They can pick you up at the bus or train, which makes things convenient.

A main Goryu run passes right by the back door, so the location worked perfectly for skiing and snowboarding. The rooms are basic and self-contained, but they suited us, and there’s a dry room plus laundry and drying facilities. Shuto, the manager, made us feel welcome and put a lot of time into helping guests have a good stay. There’s a shuttle to the local supermarket each night, and he offered to drive us to nearby restaurants and arrange bookings.

The manager Marcos was really friendly and helpful, and I’d stay here again on future Hakuba trips. The place is right beside the ski slope, so I could gear up without the crowds. There’s a deck where smoking is allowed, which meant I could take a smoke break after every run, and the heated indoor drying area for gear was great. The rooms aren’t luxurious, but that didn’t bother me at all for the price, especially since I was here to snowboard.

Being right by Escal plaza on the Goryu slopes is a great location. The room itself was disappointing, though. It seems the hotel hasn’t been updated in decades: the wallpaper was peeling, and the beds and couches were very old and hard. Our room had no table or chairs, just a folding TV table and a futon-like couch. It might be fine if location is all you need and you aren’t expecting much.