Diamond Shiga

The room was worn out and needed repairs. Our seven-day stay passed without the room ever being serviced, and I don't think it had been cleaned before we arrived. The futons were old and had no cushioning, while the tiny toilet smelled of urine, as if cleaning wasn't done there. The heater banged and clanged noisily, waking us every morning at 6am. The restaurant was very basic and the staff showed no hospitality. It felt more like a school camp than a hotel for tourists. Unless skiing is all you care about, I'd stay away.

The room gets really toasty once the heating is on, and the onsen is good, with a small sauna. Our western room had a private bathroom and was clean and comfortable. We found the breakfast basic but reasonable, though we didn't eat dinner there because there were no vegetarian options. The hotel is very convenient for the ski lifts, bus stop, and Shiga Kogen's only bar, and I'd stay again. Some things mentioned in other reviews could make for a poor first impression: the heating and lights are off from 10 to 3:30, which took getting used to, and the 1980s decor is dated. Reception is on the second floor, so the cold, dark entrance made it seem closed when we arrived. We stayed at Christmas, when there were large school groups, but they were directed to one breakfast area and it wasn't a major issue. WiFi worked very well, with no problems. It's Shiga Kogen, where even the Prince Hotel can be a bit weird, so I'd come back. Bring a pillow if you can't manage with a hard Japanese one!

We stayed eight nights with friends and had a wonderful time. The food was great, the staff helpful, and the chairlift is very close. With enough snow, you can ski in and out. The hotel seems to take customer feedback seriously and keeps improving its service. I agree it's a little old, but so is all of Shiga. I enjoyed the stay, would return, and thought it was great value.

The dinners were fabulous, usually hot pot with plenty of other buffet choices. The couple running Diamond Shiga were adorable and super helpful, and our basic room had a toilet, which was all we needed. There's an onsen for washing and relaxing after skiing, and the lifts are very close. The reason I didn't give five stars was the large school group staying there, around 100-200 children. They were loud and disruptive at meals, filled the lifts, were rude, clogged the WiFi, and were inconsiderate about leaving food for others. The hotel can host large groups, which is useful if you're part of one, but management could consider separate meal times or a dining area for them.