Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Yatsugatake

The wave pool was a lot of fun for the kids, and the restaurant was fantastic. There are plenty of activities for a family, and having a conbini right at the entrance was handy. Dinner buffet was decent, though nothing amazing. The onsen didn’t impress me, and it can be entertaining if you enjoy sharing the experience with local insects. The place is a bit dated and could use better maintenance. It’s expensive, but worth trying once. I wouldn’t repeat it.

There’s plenty to do for kids of every age. We especially liked the tree climbing, sky lessons, and heated pool. The onsen could be better, but with so much going on, you’ll be too busy to miss it. There are lots of shops nearby. My favorite was a burger place just beyond the shopping street. The Keith Haring museum is also not far away. What a lovely stay.

The wave pool was fun for the kids, and dinner buffet was pretty good, though breakfast was really basic. But take a look at my pictures and compare them with the website for a reality check. The beds were terrible, and I couldn’t sleep well at all. It was a good experience overall, but I won’t be back.

The room was very spacious, though the bathroom was a letdown, with a small shower and small bathtub for the price. The spa also felt tiny for the number of guests, while the big pool was great for all the children. We brought our two dogs for a two-night stay because the website said it was a place to enjoy with dogs. That didn’t match our experience. The hotel was packed with children, which isn’t ideal for most dogs, and there was no dog run or other facility for them. The restaurant has a table for guests with dogs, but after our dog barked once when a child ran toward it, we were told to take the dogs back to our room. I understand barking can bother other customers, but there were screaming, crying, running children and nobody asked them to be quiet. Families may like this hotel, but I can’t recommend it to dog owners.