Toya Sun Palace Resort & Spa

We spent three days and three nights here, and all of us ended up using the basement spa instead of the bathroom in our room, even early in the morning and late at night. The traditional Japanese tatami room looked as though it hadn’t been renovated since the 1980s. Its bathroom was cramped, with water leak stains and mold. The lobby, by contrast, had a magnificent view of Lake Toya and seemed recently renovated. Breakfast and dinner buffets were fine, but there wasn’t much variety across our stay.

The Lake Toya view and onsen were the best parts. The buffet breakfast and dinner were average, and our Japanese-style room was a real letdown. It was in rough shape and needed urgent maintenance. The bathroom had mold and black stains all over, and the ventilation grille was heavily dusty. We’d requested a non-smoking room because of allergies, but the room we got smelled strongly of cigarettes and other unpleasant odors.

The resort may be dated, but it’s beautiful, with a striking view from every window. Our room was comfortable and clean, and the onsen was clean too, with a great view. The dining experience was unusual and offered plenty of variety. Service was excellent. There’s a car park and a bus stop across the street. I’d recommend staying here in such a beautiful area.

The buffet breakfast and dinner had a huge range of mains and desserts, the best I’ve had in Japan so far. The indoor and outdoor pools in the onsen area were fantastic, especially with snow around. They’re open from 0600 until midnight. What a lovely hotel, I can’t wait to come back. A++++