Riverside Hotel Sapporo

Snow beside a quiet river was the view from our window, just like the photo. In the morning, sunlight poured into the room, a lovely way to start the day. The room itself was warm, cozy, and comfortable, with everything we needed, including a washer, dryer, and two bathrooms.

The main concern I had before arriving was that the hotel is unmanned. They left an emergency phone number, but reviews about guests having trouble reaching someone made me uneasy. In the end, everything was so clean and well maintained, including the amenities and washer/dryer, that we never needed to contact management. We had a very good stay and hope to return. We were a family of four in a superior room for four winter nights, and the space was a huge relief after a Susukino chain hotel. That one had a great location above a mall, but the room was tiny, with barely any room to move and no window or view. In Hokkaido, the sun sets at 4pm in winter, and with kids and the cold we spent a lot of time indoors. Here there was plenty of room, four beds plus bunk beds the kids loved hiding out in, and a proper table and chairs where my husband and I could sip coffee and enjoy the spectacular winter view. We both felt rested, and the price was much lower than hotels in the city centre. It is farther from the centre, though not too far. We sometimes took a taxi, which cost around JPY1k.

The room layout was spacious and would work well for a family, and I've stayed in plenty of unmanned hotels in Japan without trouble. This one was different: they asked guests to message if they needed anything, but never replied, even after days. They don't even have WhatsApp. The toilet wasn't properly cleaned when I checked in. On the second night, there was a problem with the PowerPoint/lights, and nobody responded at all.

There was lots of room for our family of five, and we had a great stay. We got locked out once, but called the number and someone helped right away. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from two of the Snow Festival venues.