Hakuba Tokyu Hotel

We checked in today, and it’s been a disappointing experience. The rooms are nice and the hotel looks good, but staff seem uninterested or unwilling to help when we ask, so service feels almost nonexistent. There’s no proper lunch service, and every restaurant is fully booked, leaving nowhere to eat on site during the day. That’s a big problem with family, since just going elsewhere isn’t easy. The hotel also isn’t very close to the ski resort, so getting there requires a car, taxi, or shuttle if one is available. Don’t count on renting skis at the hotel. We went to the rental shop three times, found no staff, and waited 20 minutes with nothing happening. They have a rental shop, but in practice we couldn’t rent equipment there. There’s a very nice shop just 200 meters from the hotel that I’d recommend instead. We honestly felt we weren’t treated the same as Japanese guests. Whether that was intentional or not, it left us feeling the hotel wasn’t especially welcoming to families or foreign visitors. I wouldn’t choose to stay here again. The price doesn’t feel worth it compared with other Hakuba options, and it feels more like a basic lodge than a proper full-service hotel.

The rooms are big and the Onsens are nice, and the service was ridiculously good. It’s expensive, though Hakuba is expensive in general. Breakfast was pretty average, with no healthy options, and the coffee sucks. Buffet breakfasts are usually pretty average anyway. You’ll need a car to get around: buses are infrequent, and without one the place would feel very isolated.

The lodge feel was lovely, and our room had a decent amount of space with a great view of Happo One slopes. Breakfast was cosy, the amenities were convenient, and soaking in the onsen after a big day outside was a treat. From the moment we arrived, the hotel staff were welcoming and helpful. Tokyu Hotel made it our best ski holiday, and we’d definitely come back.

You can see Hoppo from the hotel, which is spacious and well located. The onsen is excellent too. They rent ski equipment at good prices compared with shops outside, and the gear is newer as well.