Minakami Kogen Hotel 200

We came in summer to celebrate our anniversary with our almost 2 year old daughter. The room had a lovely view, and we had a great time walking around the golf course. The kids' playroom was good for toddlers and babies, and there's a small Game Center/arcade for older kids. The pool was a bit small and didn't seem suitable for younger children because there's no shallow end. The bathroom was small too, and at 5'7" and 125 lbs, I found it a bit claustrophobic. The gift shop has souvenirs and snacks, and there's a Doctor Fish for 500 yen for 7 min. The breakfast buffet was better than dinner, in my opinion. Dinner had a 90-minute All-You-Can-Drink Alcohol option, but the service was slow. My husband could've had more, but beers and highballs took a while to arrive.

It only takes a 5min walk from the hotel to the ski resort, which I really liked. The staff at Minakami Kogen Hotel were kind and compassionate, and their customer service was outstanding. They safely packed and sent an item I'd left at the hotel, and I received it in just 1day. I'd definitely visit this hotel again if I have the chance to come to Japan.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and there are lots of activities for kids. In winter, the ski resort next to the hotel is nice for beginners and families. Rentals are available, and the equipment was in good shape. The baths were nice, especially the outdoor one. The buffet was okay. The restaurant on the 1st floor is a bit nicer and more spacious than the one on the 11th floor, though the upper floor has better views.

For a first ski resort trip, with nothing to compare it to, this wasn't worth 20k yen a night. The food was really only so-so, especially the 1st floor lunch buffet. The Curry cafe wasn't any better: large servings, but bland curry. The 11th floor dinner buffet was the best of the three, and still not very good. Don't expect much. The hotel has a rotenburo outside for guests, with separate baths for men and women, plus an onsen inside. Towels aren't provided at the indoor onsen, so bring your room towel. There's also a very outdated game center. Ping pong on the 1st floor is available until 12:00mn, while the fancier 11th floor area closes at 10pm. A 30min game in the lobby costs 500yen, and billiards is the same price. Ski wear rentals are available, but the women at the counter were snobbish and judgemental with us. They really shouldn't work in service if that's how they treat people. Most rentals include everything, but check that they have your snow boots size first. XL sizes are very limited. A set costs about 5k yen. There are lots of snow activities too, like snow mobile and dog sleigh. I'm guessing this is a budget resort. It's very near Tokyo, so lots of people come for day trips. The hotel needs to clean itself up: the carpets were dirty, there were water stains on the ceiling in the food area, and the dining tables wobbled. As a hotel, it was terrible, but it's great if you're just there for snow. Do yourself a favor and go for a day trip.