Zaoonsen Hotel Oakhill

We spent four nights here over Christmas 2025 and were very glad we chose Oakhill. Our renovated Japanese-style room had fresh wallpaper, and while the beds weren’t traditional futons, they were very comfortable. The place was clean and tidy, with a quirky European lodge look mixed with Japanese touches. The main lounge was welcoming, with high ceilings and a fireplace. There were free tea and coffee, and apparently beer at 6pm, plus a dry room and plenty of parking. The staff were friendly, though their English was limited. The ski field and town were both close, about a five-minute walk. We didn’t eat at the hotel. It was a little pricier than the other Japanese-style rooms we stayed in during our four weeks in Tohoku, but we were still glad to be there.

The staff were super friendly, and the location was convenient, even if a little uphill. Everything was walkable. The public bath and onsen are open 24 hours and have a nice outdoor pool, though they’re dated. The hotel itself has seen better days. Free amenities and hot and cold water, tea, and coffee are available around the clock. Breakfast was decent for 1000 yen, but there wasn’t variety across consecutive mornings, and starting at 7:30 felt very late. My biggest issue was the cleaning. During our four nights, they never cleaned the room, bathroom, or toilet. The room wasn’t spotless when we arrived either, just superficially cleaned. We had to take out the trash ourselves, and towels could be exchanged at reception, but it wasn’t staffed before 7am. Since we got up at 6:30, we couldn’t get fresh towels in the morning. None of those things is a major problem by itself, but we paid 39000 Yen/225 Euro a night during OBON week, and I didn’t feel it was worth the money. We’ve been traveling around Japan by car for eight weeks, changing hotels every two to four nights, so I’ve had plenty of other places to compare it with.

We were picked up from and driven back to the train station. The slope was a five-minute walk away, even in ski boots. The onsen, indoors and outdoors, was lovely after skiing, and there were free amenities, including tea and coffee around the clock. The reception had a good vibe, with a fireplace and free drinks. Our tatami room was standard, with mattresses rather than proper futons. The breakfast buffet had a decent range but wasn’t outstanding, and dinner didn’t meet Japanese standards. 4.0/5.

We spent one night here in autumn, from 19 October 2024 to 20 October 2024. The staff went out of their way to make things comfortable. We needed cutlery to prepare some fruit we’d bought, and they brought us utensils along with trays, wet towels, and even a cutting board. We really appreciated that thoughtfulness. Thank you so much. We didn’t get the staff member’s name, but we’re very grateful for the service.