Premier Hotel Nakajima Park Sapporo

The park behind the hotel, Nakajima Park, is pretty, and Exit 3 of the metro is there. The hotel is about 500m from the metro and 300m from the circle streetcar line, with convenience stores and restaurants nearby. We borrowed sledges from the hotel and played in the park. The lounge had free drinks each night, and we also ate at the Japanese restaurant one evening. The Chicken Sukiyaki and Shrimp & Seafood Tempura set meals were both excellent. We stayed seven nights in mid-December 2025, my wife, our two children aged 10 and 13, and me. Our twin-room apartment was between the lift and stairs, so we didn’t have neighbours to worry about. It had two rooms: the kids’ room had two beds, a table, chair and TV; through the connecting door, the main suite had two beds, a desk, TV, coffee machine and a small sofa area. There were three huge wardrobes, plus a bathroom and WC with a separate twin-basin washing area. It was a bit dated but clean and comfortable, and the rooms were the biggest we’ve had on any Japanese holiday. The staff were friendly and helpful, even when they didn’t speak English. The AC was set to heat and wouldn’t cool, which is how winter heating works in many places. Reception explained this at check-in and gave us two fans when we asked. I used Google Lens to translate the wall control and got the AC fan running without heat. Within an hour, the temperature was comfortable and stayed that way for the next six nights. Breakfast came with a buffet and a changing main dish. One example was Hamburg steak with four kinds of Hokkaido cheese, pickled purple cabbage, grilled bacon, and flounder fritter with porcini and enoki sauce. When we explained via Google Translate that we didn’t eat pork, the server brought dishes without pork, with other items instead. After that, they brought us a pork-free main dish each day without us needing to ask. The buffet ingredients were clearly labelled. I had the local chicken curry soup every day, and the kids loved the waffles. I saw the chef make them from raw all-butter croissants in a waffle maker, an idea we’ve copied at home. This hotel was fantastic value and gave great service. I strongly recommend it.

We had a great three-night stay, and this was our second year choosing the hotel when visiting Sapporo. The room was fairly large, with a lovely view of the park. Guests can also use the lounge, which has free drinks and a view over the park. The problem was the toilet bowl in our room, which seemed to clog every day. We had to use the common toilet in the lobby in the mornings. Staff were quick to send a handyman, but the issue wasn’t permanently resolved.

The deluxe twin was roomy and very comfortable, with a huge bathroom and little extras like a coffee machine. Breakfast was superb, with lots of Hokkaido specialties. It was a cozy place to return to after a day out, especially with the free wine, juice, coffee and soup in the guest lounge. The location is ideal, right by the park and very quiet. It’s a short walk to the station, or about 15 minutes on foot to Susukino. One of the best hotels we’ve stayed at in Japan. Highly recommended.

The winter heating made the room uncomfortably warm. The hotel uses central heating, so the AC only has a heater setting, and switching it off didn’t seem to help. There was a fan, but it couldn’t cool the room properly. I wish the window could be opened a little for fresh air. On the plus side, our twin room felt spacious, which is unusual in Japan, and comfortable. We could see Nakajima Park on one side and the mountains on the other, a beautiful view to wake up to. The design is a bit dated. Breakfast was excellent, mixing French and Japanese dishes. I still think about the potato gnocchi, and the Uji matcha dessert with black honey was memorable. The free lobby drinks at 1pm were a nice touch.