Lodge Oka

The host did help us at checkout, refunded the last day’s ski activities after heavy snow forced their cancellation, and helped us when we were stuck in the snow. Even with that, the poor service and facilities left us feeling bad about the stay. The ski gear rental was in rough shape, with skis and boots scattered around. Staff seemed to take little responsibility for the shared equipment, so I had to search for what I needed and sort things out myself. The staff were often missing from the front desk and rental room, and when they were around they weren’t very helpful. Communication was difficult because their English and Japanese weren’t strong. We also found shared restrooms and a shared shower room with a dirty bath. Towels, parking, and other services all came with extra charges. When heavy snow kept me from parking in the lot, I asked for help but got none. It seemed like they weren’t concerned that guests were having trouble. Most of the guests I saw were Chinese, as were the host and staff. I can see why some Chinese tour groups seemed to be enjoying themselves, and only now did I realize that most of the positive reviews may have come from Chinese guests. Maybe it suits those groups, but I wouldn’t recommend this hotel unless your main concern is finding a cheap price.

At the end, the host helped us with checkout, refunded the ski activities canceled on the last day because of heavy snow, and pitched in when we were stuck in the snow. Still, the poor service and facilities made the stay a bad one for us. I rented skis there, but the gear looked damaged and wasn’t maintained. Skis and boots were left scattered about, and with staff often absent I had to find my own equipment. They weren’t kind or helpful, and it was hard to communicate since they didn’t speak English or Japanese well. When heavy snow stopped me from parking in the lot, I asked what to do but didn’t get a solution. The restroom and shower room are shared, and the bath was dirty. Towels and parking cost extra. Most guests were Chinese, and the host was Chinese as well. I noticed Chinese tour groups seemed to have fun, and later realized most of the four- or five-star reviews might be from Chinese customers. Maybe it’s a good fit for those groups. Even at a very low price, I can’t recommend it.

The water dispenser was only in the dining area, and it was filthy and smelled as if nobody had ever cleaned or serviced it. There were no drinking water machines on the floors where the rooms were. I also watched the public trash bins fill up over several days. In the rooms, Chinese tourists were cooking and leaving leftovers in the sink people use to brush their teeth, and the Chinese owners and staff didn’t clean it up. The bath area smelled awful and looked like it hadn’t been maintained. The hot tub water seemed dirtier than a public river in a third-world country. If you finish skiing at 1 p.m., you can’t shower until the bath opens at 5. Towels and bath towels cost extra to rent. Staff were unhelpful and sometimes impatient when answering questions. I told them I was checking out a day early and got no refund, which was fair enough. I’m still shocked a place in Japan could be this unclean. I’ll never come back and hope others avoid it.

It’s a family-run place that feels like a real, authentic Japanese experience.