Livemax Resort Echigo Yuzawa

The largest suite, the "Modern Japanese Suite Japanese - Western Rooms," had plenty of space. There was an entry area for shoes and winter accessories, a bathroom with a double vanity and toilet plus a separate bath and shower, and another shower and private onsen on the semi-open-air balcony. The Japanese futons were large, and housekeeping helpfully put them away each day. The Western beds were comfortable and made up daily. The coin laundry was convenient, and the vending machines sold beer and premixed alcoholic drinks. There didn’t seem to be a bar separate from the restaurant. Getting around was awkward. The hotel has no shuttle to the station or ski resorts. The ski rental business attached to it can arrange a ride to and from the resorts each day. The station is about 600 metres away, but in snowy weather that felt too far to walk with luggage and kids. We managed to get a taxi on arrival, but for departure we had to ask the ski rental place for help after hotel staff said taxis weren’t answering the phone. Communication was another problem. Front desk and restaurant staff spoke limited English. Our emails before arrival went unanswered, and when I called with a question, I was told they didn’t speak English and then the call was hung up. There was a bit of a “we just don’t care” feeling from the front desk. Some support beams in the room were about 5'10" above the floor, so taller people have to keep ducking. The toilet ventilation wasn’t good. It was separated from the bathroom by a wall and a door that didn’t reach the ceiling or floor, and there was no door to the bathroom.

The room had a traditional Japanese feel and was spacious. During ski season, a room with a bath cost reasonably little compared with nearby hotels, and the station was a 6-7 minute walk away. The room and its amenities were old and worn. The front desk service was terrible and hard to communicate with, even though language wasn’t the issue. We confirmed luggage storage on arrival, then staff on the next shift refused it the following day.

The location was convenient, about a 10-minute walk from Echigo Yuzawa station. The onsen and sauna were great when working, and the breakfast and dinner buffets had a decent selection, though the food quality was mediocre. Our four-person room had just one toilet and wasn’t cleaned properly. There was dust in the cupboard and on the floor. The fire alarm went off falsely several times during the night, until around 1 a.m., and staff didn’t know how to shut it off. After checkout, a rude staff member initially wouldn’t let us leave our luggage to collect later that day.

We were told the water would eventually come back, but nobody could say when. After about 2-3 hours, it finally returned and they announced it over the speaker. In the meantime, there was no water anywhere in the hotel. We couldn’t wash our hands or shower, and I was wary of flushing the toilet in case it wouldn’t work. At dinner there was no drinking water at first, so they closed the drink machine. Staff gave us one bottle of mineral water and said repairs might take 1-2 hours, but after two hours there was still nothing. They didn’t tell guests about the outage at check-in, even though I suspect they already knew: when another couple asked about booking the private onsen, staff suggested trying the next day because they weren’t sure the water temperature would be fixed. I was disappointed they didn’t inform guests or keep us updated. We’d travelled all day and couldn’t even shower. The hotel had apparently just been revamped and had its grand opening in October 2025. A few other things from our stay: the staff could communicate in English fairly well, and some Thai and Hong Kong staff could speak their native languages. Service was generally fine and helpful. Our room had several long strands of hair, even though we all had short hair, but the toilet and shower were clean and spacious by Japanese standards. We skipped the onsen because of the water shortage, worrying that other guests might get in without showering. That was a letdown since the onsen is our favourite winter activity in Japan. The food was acceptable on the first day. The buffet was unusual in that you could cook hotpot or pan-fried meat at your table. I’d heard the dishes might be the same each day, but couldn’t confirm that yet. Not having drinks available, possibly because of the water shortage, was a downside. If you’re staying more than one night with meals, bear in mind that after two days the breakfast and dinner dishes were exactly the same. I still had two more nights to go. Most hotels seem to alternate or rotate at least some dishes.