Purpose Resort Echigo Yuzawa「KURA」

Highly recommended!

We rented a newly built building, completed in 2024?! We chose Building B because we didn’t want a pet smell, so make sure you check. The carport parking is right in front of the entrance, which is convenient. Tableware, condiments, and slippers are provided, though not the kind from a 100-yen shop. Having bathroom slippers is handy. There’s a fully automatic washer-dryer, with detergent and fabric softener supplied, plus shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. The fridge freezes well. Set the freezer to “high” and things freeze quickly. There’s a supermarket nearby open until 7 PM, with a 100-yen shop, fresh produce, rice, and alcohol. After 7 PM another supermarket is about a five-minute drive away and stays open late. A public hot spring bath is nearby too, so it’s nice to go in the evening. I’d use the place again. One thing to watch: if someone leaves and locks the door from the inside, it can’t be opened from outside. Press the lock button outside. Because of the way the door is built, it won’t open from outside by entering the number if you didn’t lock it outside. Lock it from inside when everyone is home. Check-in involves online face verification for everyone and name verification for each person, gathered in front of a tablet and checked one at a time. Registering guests in advance makes things quick and easy, since you only have to verify each name and face. Without advance registration it seems like a hassle, but online check-in requires it. The owner would have a problem if the registered guest differed from the actual guest or the group exceeded the limit, so follow the rules. You’ll also need the QR code or confirmation number you used when checking out, so don’t forget it. It was a great homestay! One more thing: the second-floor bathroom light has a motion sensor that may not be sensitive enough to turn on. Its switch is on the wall near the stairs to the first floor. If the light doesn’t come on, set the sensor to always on, the far right setting, and the bathroom light will work. At checkout, return the sensor switch to the middle position.

The place was spacious, but the service was terrible. After two nights, I had to check in again the next day just to get the check-in code. They ignored the problems that came up afterward. A manager or owner was there, though it wasn’t clear what their role was, and they seemed completely clueless. There were no indoor mops, and heat only reached the room, leaving the bathroom freezing. The washer and dryer kept tripping and took at least four hours to dry clothes. Unbelievable.

Check-in took a long time and was cumbersome. It was very cold, and the whole family had to squeeze into a small space to take photos of each other’s tablets and passports. The indoor wooden floor was freezing, and with no slippers provided, it was easy to slip in socks.