Hotel Cerulean Alpine

The storage room for snowboards and gear was huge, with lots of space, benches, screwdrivers for adjusting bindings, and lockers. There was even a toilet downstairs, which was handy. The walk to the Gondala was only about five minutes, and our room was ready early, so they let us check in ahead of time. Staff were kind and used a translator for more complicated questions, since they didn't speak much English. We had a spacious room with a desk, chair, and couch. The heating worked so well we barely needed it, even in snowy weather, and the shower pressure was good. The pillows were uncomfortable enough that after three nights my neck was stiff and sore. If I stayed longer, I would've asked for another pillow. We tried the breakfast buffet on two mornings, arriving 45 minutes after it opened the first day and 30 minutes after the second. The food was still cold or lukewarm, even though it was on warming trays. There was plenty to choose from, but we didn't eat much. Other guests seemed to be eating, so we didn't say anything because we didn't want to seem ungrateful. It covered most of what we needed for a snow holiday in Tsuagike.

We were six in one room, and it was a tight fit. The rooms are basic, though the price was cheap for ski accommodation. A few more hooks for clothes and maybe a small couch would help. The snow machine was running while we were there, so road noise was pretty heavy. The ski facilities are easy to get to, with a heated room for boots, jackets, and gloves. Breakfast costs about $15 a day. For Hakuba, take the bus for 800 yen, which is included with a multi-day ski pass. Getting around after dark is difficult, and a taxi back from Hakuba station costs around 4400 yen, so keep that in mind.

We had a nice breakfast each morning, and there are several places to eat dinner nearby. The hotel has public onsen baths separated for men and women, though we didn't try them. We were here for three nights of skiing at Tsugaike, and it's a very short walk to the gondola. There's also a drying room for gear, plus a discount card for Arai sports next door if you need to rent equipment. We'd happily stay again.

Breakfast was awesome, and the hotel's in a really convenient spot.