Hanamomiji

The food was the one part that didn’t stand out for us. The kaiseki dinner and buffet breakfast weren’t especially memorable to our taste, though that may just be personal preference. We still had a great stay at Hana Momiji in Jozankei. We booked a Premier Room with an indoor hot spring, and the hotel floor felt luxurious and comfortable. We loved the two onsens in the property and all the free snacks and drinks on the premier floor, where we ended up spending quite a lot of time. There were complimentary snacks and drinks in the lobby as well. We’d love to return, and would probably book at least two nights next time to enjoy everything.

The lobby’s free snack and drink area was a standout. Guests can have alcohol, coffee, and traditional onsen steamed buns for much of the day, unlike at many ryokans where these are only available before dinner. There’s also a high-quality sound system, nice for sitting with a drink and music after a long day. You even get free onsen manju in your room, which you can steam yourself for a late-night snack if you’re still hungry after dinner and dessert, which is available for purchase. There are two main public baths, one on the 12th floor with a great view and another on B1. Men and women rotate between them at different times in the morning and evening. There’s another bath in the annex, but it took me about 10 minutes to get there over the connecting bridge on the 4th floor. Dinner started for me at 17:45. The restaurant has Western-style tables and chairs, which is comfortable and senior-friendly, though it gives up some of the traditional Japanese atmosphere. Breakfast is a buffet with different famous Hokkaido foods. This is a large onsen ryokan right in the heart of the Jozankei Onsen district, with the Sapporo bus stop and a souvenir shop right at the entrance. I visited in the off-season, when it was relaxing and not too crowded. Given how big it is, I imagine it could get busy and congested in peak tourist season. For a peaceful stay, try a weekday or an off-peak month.

The hotel is smaller than many of the huge ones around here, which I liked. The mood was calm, and the onsen and dining areas didn’t feel crowded. We were comfortable in our enormous room, and there were three different onsens to try. We enjoyed winding down in the music lounge, making our own cocktails and listening to music. The room manju were a favorite too. They replenished them every day, and we could steam them ourselves and eat them hot. We had red bean and seasonal chestnut ones, yum! Breakfast was a decent spread, but exactly the same on both mornings. Dinner was filling and pretty good. On our second night we upgraded to the Miyabi dinner with seasonal ingredients. There seemed to be less food than in the non-upgraded meal, but it was still enough and nice. The server did his best to explain the dishes and how to eat them in English, and I appreciated his effort. My only feedback is that the receptionist could have been more welcoming. At other ryokans in Japan, staff typically go out of their way to make you feel cared for. The receptionist at Hana Momiji seemed to be just doing his job, which is fine too.

Our family loved every minute here, especially the spacious room and the private hot springs on the top floor. The dining experience was excellent. The woman serving us was passionate, used a digital translator, and had such a lovely smile and manner. We also loved the little sweet buns we could steam in the room. This was simply the best hotel we stayed at in Hokkaido. I’d happily return if I visit Hokkiado again 👍