Hotel Taiko

The onsen was really good, and there’s a huge shopping mall nearby, plus a couple of places to eat right across from the hotel. Staff were friendly and professional. As a bicycle tourist, I appreciated that they let me and another cyclist store our bikes in an unused conference room, though they seemed fairly strict about check-in times. My room was nice overall, but there were some odd stains on the wall and carpet. It wasn’t the hotel’s fault, just a bit weird.

I stayed in February 2024. The room was quite small, and there was no bottled water, though free water was available in the lobby and near the onsen. Breakfast was a little lacking, but the onsen was spectacular, and the staff were professional and helpful. In Iwamizawa, it makes a good stop between Sapporo and Asahikawa or Furano.

The food was delicious and there was plenty of it. At breakfast, the ladies served a tray with salmon, assorted pickles and squid sashimi as part of the dining package, though you could only have one serving of that. Everything else on offer was all you could eat. I was up at 6:30am the next morning for another relaxing soak in the onsen, which had a nostalgic feel. The night before, I’d enjoyed a few cold beers back in my room after about an hour in the bath. Hotel Taiko gave me the friendly, helpful service and value I’ve come to expect from hotels in Japan. My room was neat, clean and just right for my needs, and there was a huge supermarket within walking distance where I picked up drinks and dinner snacks. I was lucky to stay here, and had a truly excellent experience.

If you have a car, this new hotel extension is definitely worth staying at. It’s extremely good value for money, and the onsen is massive, with four large indoor baths, two sauna rooms and two large outdoor baths.