Hotel Hakuba Powder Republic

The basement onsen is fantastic, so make sure you try it even if your private room has its own shower. There’s also an amazing Chinese restaurant in the building next to the hotel. Alan and his family are lovely people, and that’s a big part of why this was such a good stay. He made sure we knew how to get in and out of Hakuba, which can feel a bit nerve-racking for a first-timer because there aren’t many ways in. He met us at the bus stop on time, then helped arrange our rental gear and load it into our truck. When we got back, he helped bring everything into the hotel too. Our room was simple but elegant, with a private bathroom, and it was comfortable for us. The breakfasts were fantastic, and they drove us to and from the ski hill each day. On our last day, Alan got us to the bus depot for an easy trip back to Nagano. The hotel is outside the Hakuba resort towns, but that gave it a peaceful, serene feel, which we liked. I’d love to stay here again.

Host Alan went out of his way to make us comfortable. The beds were comfortable, and we had a private onsen, breakfast included, and a great lounge for relaxing. It’s not right in the middle of the bars and restaurants, but it’s well placed for getting to Iwatake and Tsugaike mountains. I’d recommend staying here.

The owner was great and really tried to help, but the room and hotel were another story. There was nowhere to put our clothes. No shelves, wardrobe, cupboards, or wall hooks, which made sharing one room between three skiers really difficult. The room was bare, like a prison cell, and we ended up leaving our things on the disgusting floor. The carpets in both the room and hallway were disgusting too. Please replace them. The hotel is very, very basic, which could be fine, but not when it’s marketed as a three-star hotel and priced that way. Value for money was zero. Breakfast was poor, though okay, and there was just one toilet for the whole hotel.

We were two guys over six feet tall sharing a small room, but it didn’t feel too cramped. The breakfast was fast and exceptional every morning, and the shuttle bus for the ski resorts was only a five-minute walk away. If you’re heading to Iwatake snow field, the hosts can drive you there themselves. Our shuttle didn’t get us to the hotel until 2am. I messaged the host when we arrived, and he got up to let us in. That’s service. On our way out, he even drove us to Yamato postal service to drop off our ski and snowboard bags. We had four days of shredding and a great time. I’d recommend it if you want a quiet place to stay while skiing Hakuba Valley.