Hakuba Sunvalley Hotel

The owners made us feel at home even though we were far from our own country. They were generous and caring, always smiling, and drove us to and from the station and helped us shop for groceries. Hakuba Sun Valley Hotel itself was cosy and peaceful, surrounded by Hakuba's beautiful nature. That warmth and human connection made this one of the most heartwarming parts of our trip, and we left with lovely memories and a lot of gratitude. Highly recommended if you're looking for more than just a place to sleep in Hakuba.

The hotel is close to the slopes, just a short walk, which is a huge plus on a ski trip. We stayed in the second building and expected little, but were pleasantly surprised by how kind and helpful everyone was. The gentleman at reception welcomed us, explained where the ski school was, and helped us get our day passes. There's a ski rental shop directly below the hotel, so getting gear was easy. Our room was simple but very clean. For our family of three, it had a comfortable double bed and a separate area with floor beds for our son, who loved that fun change. Yukata, fleece robes, and local slippers were provided too. For skiing, this clean, basic, well-located place worked perfectly.

We left Sun Valley Hotel in Hakuba Valley within an hour of arriving and didn't stay the night. The photos and online expectations didn't match the hotel's condition. A strong smell filled the property, and there was visible mold and dirt on the walls. The first room was very small. Compact rooms are common in Japan, but this layout would have been uncomfortable after a day skiing; the bed was a box spring on the floor, up a very narrow set of stairs. That room might have been acceptable if the rest of the property had been clean and maintained, but the smell and condition made it feel unwelcoming. We asked to see another room because of the cleanliness concerns. The annex room was larger and laid out a little better, but still smelled strongly of mold and looked dirty. The hotel promotes itself as ski-in, ski-out, but the ski lift wasn't running and appeared to have been out of service for a long time, with all the lifts off the line. Staff said skis could be rented in the basement, but we didn't feel comfortable using the equipment given the musty, dirty, poorly maintained surroundings, even as experienced skiers. The location also felt isolating. On the drive up, we were told there was nothing around, which proved accurate. Taxis and Ubers struggled to reach the area, making it difficult to get anywhere. The hotel failed to meet our expectations, so we chose to leave almost immediately. Hakuba Valley has other hotels that offer clean, maintained rooms, convenient slope access, and friendly, professional service; travellers will have a much better experience at alternative accommodation nearby.

The hotel uses winter-only photos to advertise the property. In summer, the grounds around the building looked neglected, abandoned, and very worn. Inside, there was a musty smell. After check-in there was no support, just a direction to go to the second building. The bath curtain had mold spots. It's far from any restaurant, so a taxi is needed. I left 20 minutes after checking in and couldn't get a refund for the unused stay.