Yuzawa Grand Hotel

The room was clean, had great views, and came with facilities I really liked. Most of the staff were great, gave us a warm welcome, and let us check in a little early, which helped after travelling with my 4-year-old son. The rental shop staff offered a free ride to Yuzawa Kogen and pickup on demand, which was especially useful with him. I also appreciated the locker room where I could store my SB bag in the rental area. The awkward part was not being allowed to take the SB bag to our hotel room. I had to unpack and repack things in the locker room and make several trips back and forth. People use those bags for more than just snow gear. I also added breakfast during the stay, but getting approval was inconvenient and the price felt high for what we got. The food quality was okay, though all the hot items were cold.

We found Yuzawa Grand Hotel a convenient base for skiing, just a short walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, especially handy with luggage. Our room was clean, comfortable, and roomy enough to unwind after a long day. The onsen was a highlight and felt wonderfully relaxing after being out in the cold. Breakfast had a good range of fresh, well-prepared Japanese dishes. The staff were helpful and friendly throughout, and we had a very pleasant stay.

The staff were consistently warm and cheerful, and the buffet had plenty of dishes the kids loved. They were delighted with the taste and presentation. The hot spring baths were clean and comfortable in temperature, and I went in three times. I only wish bath towels were available in the bathing area. The children were also given fireworks, which we enjoyed together after dinner. We came as a family, decades after my last stay in Echigo-Yuzawa. My young grandchildren were excited about the hot springs and the inn's pool. The location is excellent, about a five-minute walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. After checkout, they even let us keep the car parked while we saw the grandchildren off on the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Our room had enough space for four adults and two toddlers, but the air conditioning seemed inefficient, perhaps because the equipment is old. Both baths were clean and nice. The afternoon bath had a somewhat strong bleach smell. Breakfast and dinner were buffets with a good variety. The grandchildren's pool turned out to be somewhat unsuitable for small toddlers. I heard it was deep like a fish tank, despite having steps inside. If you're planning to use a pool, nearby facilities may be a better choice. We'd be happy to stay at this wonderful inn again.

The stay was okay and worth it. Sorting out snowboard storage was a little confusing: the board was kept in the lobby and collected each day before use, but on checkout day we were told to go to the locker room at the board rental place. In winter, bring knee and butt pads for the walk up to the hotel. The slope is quite steep.