Grand Mercure Yatsugatake Resort & Spa

The night observatory on the 7th floor was a highlight. A staff member let us stay ten minutes past the end, patiently explained the constellations with his flashlight, and showed us Jupiter through a proper telescope with an amazing view. The nightly session is only 1.5 hours and ends at 9:30pm, so be sure to plan for it. I didn’t catch his name, but he deserves a “Star” himself. Breakfast was fantastic, with lots of variety. They close promptly at 9:30, and the friendly, efficient breakfast staff make sure everyone leaves on time. Checkout at 11am was nice too. Getting there takes some planning. The hotel is up in the mountains, reached by local roads, and it was dark at night. I missed the entrance because I didn’t expect the GPS to send me onto a gravel road. There aren’t many nearby restaurant choices, and many close early or by 8pm. Laundry costs 200 Yen in the common laundry area. The laundry is in the hot spring area, so it closes at 11pm. When I went in at 10:45pm to pick up my wash, my key card didn’t work and I had to ask the front desk to let me in. Also, the room was a little too warm even with the air conditioning set to 20*.

I’m staying here now. The children’s playground and onsen are nice, and the hotel has potential, but the old rooms are badly dated and need renovation. Some floors have been nicely updated while others still look stuck in the 90s, even though the hotel advertises itself as new. The hallway photos aren’t exaggerated. Priority check-in for Gold and Platinum members took us an hour, which felt very slow for a 3 pm check-in. There were fewer receptionists for the priority line than for the regular one, which was odd. I wasn’t in a rush, but expected faster service. Our first room smelled like pee, so we had to change rooms. I’d give it at least 4/5 for its potential and child-friendly amenities, but the old rooms bring it down by three points. 2/5.

Great views of Mt. Fuji, and plenty of games and activities to keep little ones busy. It seems ideal for couples with children from 0 to 7 years old. Breakfast and dinner can get pretty busy, so I’d recommend lining up about 10 minutes early.

There’s a huge amount of space here, and the hotel feels grand. The ballroom has been turned into a large children’s playground, which makes it quite worth the stay. There’s also a good-sized bathhouse for showering, though the rooms are a little smaller because of the shared bathhouse. The location is out of the way, and a slow driver ahead of you can make the trip feel endless. The price is good for the hotel. The room air conditioning was dirty and clogged, though, so I couldn’t give full marks for cleanliness. Japan is usually exceptionally clean.