A-Brand Hotel&Golf

The hotel is a bit run down in places, but the woodwork throughout is beautiful, and our room, its location, and the views were wonderful. It's outside town, though the driver kindly took us where we wanted to go using the shuttle service. Breakfast wasn't anything special, but we had a very nice stay otherwise.

The view from the window is spectacular, and the place has a retro look like a movie set. It's a shame the management seems so uninterested, because the building has real charm. The architecture is lavish, a legacy of the bubble economy, and it feels like an old Scottish castle. Its heavy classical interior has the sort of atmosphere where you'd expect an aristocratic murder mystery to unfold. Mystery fans would enjoy it, and it could be a great setting for horror events or Goth cosplay photos. We visited during autumn foliage season, but in winter it apparently turns into a snow-covered old castle. There may be just one staff member at the hotel at a time, and sometimes only one guest. It sounds like being inside "Shining". Despite the sloppy management, there's something magical about the place that makes me want to return. I hope a company like Hoshino Resorts might take it over and make the most of this magnificent, beautiful hotel. It's a fantastic location for golfers, so perhaps it could become a golf resort, Mr. Hoshino? The service and facilities, though, are worse than a manga cafe. The bathtub drain in our room didn't work, so we couldn't use the shower. Our two-person, two-meal plan came with catered bento boxes for dinner. There was only a tea table in the room, so one of us ate there and the other at the dressing table, which felt surreal. The restaurant only opens for breakfast now. Dinner was served there until four years ago, so I wonder why they switched to delivering bento boxes to rooms. The retro bar by the entrance is lovely too, though it looked like it hadn't been used in a long time. Some earlier reviews mentioned no refrigerator and a terrible breakfast. Our room did have a refrigerator, and breakfast was British style, actually better than what you'd get in England. It seems some things have improved. There's no shuttle from Yoichi Station to the hotel, but they partner with Tsubame Taxi, so the ride costs 2,000 yen. I called to check about a shuttle back to Yoichi Station, and although they said there was one, it turned out to be a regular metered taxi fare. The shuttle to the station is only included if you have a shuttle plan.

It feels like a remnant of the bubble era, and the building could be a movie set. But the rooms were old and had an odd smell. Breakfast both mornings was about like a fast-food breakfast set. I don't think I'll come back.

Our family stayed here in March 2025 and loved the castle-like exterior and spacious room. It had an exotic feel that got everyone excited. The view was great too, and we took some lovely photos of the snow that was still on the ground. One thing to know: the large public bath isn't open in the off-season. We hadn't checked, so we couldn't use it, which was disappointing. Dinner wasn't part of the plan during the off-season either. We were already planning to eat in Yoichi City, but keep that in mind if you want dinner at the hotel. Breakfast is still available then. It may depend on the season, but there were no bugs at that time of year, so it was very comfortable.