La Vista Akangawa - Adults only

The restaurant needs reservations, but the set meals for both dinner and breakfast were delicious and carefully prepared. The hotel feels tucked away beside the Akangawa Kushiro, with animals around and an exceptionally quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Each room has its own private onsen, though it's pretty small, so I went to the public baths too. The public facility is modest compared with other onsen hotels in Hokkaido, but it's thoughtfully done, and the view makes up for the size. I especially liked soaking early in the morning as sunlight gradually came through the forest across from the hotel and snow fell. From the outdoor bath, the view is lovely. Once, three deer were less than a meter in front of me, playing and picking grass. Everything about the stay made it relaxing and restorative.

The room was spacious, clean, and had a warm, home-like interior with a sensible layout. The river side costs more, but I'd choose it. Drinks in the fridge are limited to two types. The private bath is roomy and good, though it looks a little aged while still feeling elegant. The toilet is quiet, including the flush, but the paper is hard and tears easily. The private onsen itself is small. Meals were very good by hotel standards, with lots of variety, though some sashimi wasn't great in either quality or temperature. Dinner portions were small, such as just one small piece of shellfish in my shellfish curry. Breakfast fish was the one thing I didn't enjoy. Drinks were limited, and there weren't many local ingredients, even for milk or other drinks, which made it feel a bit commercial. It's a new luxury hotel in the area with beautiful views and a lot going for it. The onsen, though, felt ordinary and small compared with others. The water quality was nothing special, and the view is limited since the baths are on the ground floor. The open-air pool isn't large, but it is beautiful. The interior design is nice, but other parts of the hotel had raised my expectations.

There were plenty of deer around the resort, which was nice. The resort itself seemed pleasant, but be aware the counter staff may be discriminatory. A young, slightly plump woman treated us less kindly than the other Japanese tourists. For example, our check-in time was different from that of the Japanese groups.

We stayed for two nights and had excellent dinner and breakfast. Our friendly staff member Honda spoke good English and Mandarin. The room had a separate bedroom and living room, with a full-window view of the forest and river. There was also a wooden bathtub in the room. We watched birds and spotted an eagle.