Ikeda Life Kan

From outside it looks cramped, but inside there's plenty of room and it could easily fit five or six people. We had a room for two nights and two days while snowboarding in Hakuba. For the price, the overall quality is quite good and economical, and there's cutlery and plates if you need them. The railway tracks right beside the property were the only drawback, since they can be annoying when you're trying to sleep early.

The only thing going for this apartment is its location near plenty of amenities. We booked two bedrooms, but left within minutes and gave up the USD161 we'd paid so we could book another place straight away. It smelled musty as soon as we walked in, and the grime and dirt put us off. We were trying to talk ourselves into staying the night when we saw two cockroaches. In under five minutes, the kids said they'd rather sleep in the car, so we left. I didn't even bother taking pictures. If zero stars were an option, that's what I'd give.

The instructions were clear, and the train didn't bother us much. We booked a room for a weekend trip and had a good stay overall. Great value.

An absolute hole. The location is bad, right next to the train, which rattles the whole place, and the tiny heater couldn't even warm the room. I'd give it zero stars if I could.