Niyama Onsen Hotel NK Vila

Nice place.

There were a lot of problems during my stay. The refrigerator wouldn't cool, the air conditioning didn't work well, and there was no hot water in the bathroom. The futon was thin, and the signal was poor. I used SoftBank Air for Wi-Fi and could barely watch videos. The bath was lukewarm when I went at the scheduled time, and the shower water was lukewarm too, almost cold. Bath times could only be set until 10pm. Even though it was July, breakfast had been prepared the night before, and by morning it was covered in ants. I had planned to stay several nights, but when I changed accommodations, I was charged a cancellation fee that was higher than the standard.

The tatami in the room was clean, and the owner, or someone who seemed to be the owner, was incredibly nice. We chatted about our travels. The person who showed us where to park later turned out to be the same cheerful staff member who served our meals. They were so helpful, thank you! When we arrived, we wandered up and down the hills looking for parking until a staff member asked if I needed help. I said I was staying the night, and they showed us the lot. Then they mentioned they'd forgotten to fill the women's bath with hot water and would contact me when it was ready. They never got back to me. The bath was a surprise. The large tub was overflowing with water, but it was extremely cold. The showers varied too, some were warm and others cold. A woman already there said it was so cold, and the bath I tried before bed was even colder. We had Genghis Khan for dinner, with a huge amount of meat and vegetables. I wondered if I could finish all the vegetables, but the sauce was delicious and we ate everything. We were allowed to bring our own food, so we grilled some alcohol and seasonal asparagus. I could barely eat breakfast. The dining hall had a line the day before, and there were cobwebs everywhere, which I just couldn't handle. So much of the stay felt unfamiliar, and I was left surprised and unsure what to do.

For 7,200 yen with breakfast and dinner, I was glad to get a large public bath too, especially with accommodation prices rising. There were just two other groups of three guests including us, even though it was a weekend. If the low prices and food continue, I'd likely return. The meal portions were huge, almost like a student training camp. We got a generous serving of Genghis Khan, a mountain of vegetables, and unlimited rice refills. One caveat: breakfast is prepared the night before, so it may not suit everyone. The baths were disappointing. The open-air bath listed on the website was closed, the sauna was closed too, and just one of the three hot tubs was open. I remembered hearing the baths were open until 9pm, but when I left the accommodation building at about 8:20, it was pitch dark. They seem to turn on the lights only during daytime bathing hours. When I got there at around 6:30, the lights had been on. The room was a typical Japanese-style room facing the city, with a view of Mount Hakodate and the million-dollar night view, worth about $100,000. The room itself wasn't shabby, the air conditioning worked well, and the toilet had a warm seat. It's fine for relaxing, though the limitations outside the room are obvious, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for a "proper lodging." PS: My breakfast was prepared the night before, which might not be for everyone.