Hakuba Mominoki Hotel

I’ve been to Japan throughout my life, and this was the worst hotel I’ve stayed at. The hotel was nearly empty at the tail end of off-peak season, yet staff seemed intent on charging a late checkout fee. They told us a charge applied after we were 15 minutes past checkout, so we assumed we’d have to pay and took our time. Later we learned we could have avoided the fee by leaving the room straight away. A staff member named bobo, who I think may not be local, struggled to communicate with us but still insisted on charging us. I found the hotel overrated. It didn’t seem to be run by Japanese people, and there were hardly any Japanese guests. The onsen had also been spoiled by improper use. If you want somewhere that feels more Japanese, I’d suggest staying elsewhere.

We’d gladly return. The hotel felt cozy, the service was friendly, and we liked the traditional tatami room and the great onsen. Our room had a private terrace, toilet, sink, and four futon mats with bedding. Breakfast each day was very good, and happy hour was a nice touch. The location was great too.

I was disappointed by how this was handled. The room smelled really strong and unpleasant, so staying there was uncomfortable. I asked the front desk about changing rooms or getting a refund, but they wouldn’t help.

The hotel has a comfortable ski-lodge feel, and we enjoyed the quiet at the end of March, when it felt like we had the place to ourselves. It’s a little dated, but everything was clean and well cared for. The onsen and its tidy locker room were nice, and the shuttle to the ski lifts was very short. Staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. WiFi cut out now and then, and we even spotted some monkeys hanging around the hotel, which was pretty neat.