Hakkoda Resort Hotel guest reviews
Hakkoda Resort Hotel
Mid feb 2024
Your service is always wonderful
Hakkoda Resort Hotel is looking tired -needs a big refurbishment
Hakkoda resort itself is getting too crowded especially on weekends -we only go back because of our friends
Regards
Soni
22nd January 2023
The rooms are adequate but have a big step into the bathroom. The food was totally Japanese and served at your table. Probably a Covid thing, but got a bit too much after 6 days. Not ski out with a decent hill to climb to the lifts. The resort is hard work unless you are fit, younger and strong.
Thomas
Mid Feb 2020
We had a great time at the Hakkoda resort hotel although we found the lift lines are getting longer and longer each year.
Best wishes
Sonja
Early Feb 2020
Thank you for arranging our trip in Japan, your service was excellent.
I enjoyed Hakkoda skiing and both places we stayed at.
My concern with Hakkoda is the number of sight seeing tourists filling up the one and only rope tow (cable car) this created enormously long waiting times in between ski runs. Without another lift just for skiers to take to the top of the mountain I would not look to come back in the future.
Thank you
Georgie
Mid January 2020
It was great! Above everything else I'd have to say the staff were fantastic. Great bunch of people who were so welcoming and friendly. They made our stay really enjoyable. Rooms were clean and serviced daily. Food was really good too. Overall, excellent stay. Will certainly recommend and hope to be back again next year.
Tom McManamon
Mid January 2020
Hakkoda Resort Hotel was as usual very good, the staff are always very welcoming and helpful. The evening meals are always beautifully presented and there are a range of options for breakfast.
Hisae at Japan Snow Accommodation as always arranged everything for us and everything went very smoothly. I highly recommend Hisae, she is one of the best travel agents out there.
Sorry we didn’t take many photos this year as it wasn’t the best season snow wise this time, it actually rained a couple of times, but we still had a good time.
Cheers
Annie
Early March 2019
Unfortunately snow conditions at Hakkoda during our visit weren’t great. Back country was closed due to the icy conditions.
Skiing the trees was OK but limited but conditions on the main trail from the top of the roadway to the base were very hard and somewhat icy until lunchtime. Even though skiing was far from optimal the Resort Hotel continues to impress. Accomodation is clean and warm, food is outstanding and service excellent. New management are keen to improve the hotels offering.
15cm of fresh snow on our penultimate night provided some fun on our last day.
Thanks again for your assistance
Regards
Greg
Late Jan 2019
We are back and we had a great time.
Hakkoda wasn't as good as it was last years, we had high winds and the ropeway was closed 6/10 days. However, we made the best out of it.
The service and food was excellent as always.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
Gerhard and Gerhild
Mid Jan 2019
Easy to get to with your directions, thank you
Great location.very comfortable
They do try very hard with lots of food samples. I prefer hearty meals as we had for lunch. Altogether very good.
They try hard to be friendl,y but once their English is not good enough, they shut out.
Peter
Ski Resort – The ski resort is very different than others. There is only one gondola that accesses two ski courses/runs. However, most people access backcountry from the top of the gondola. We did two backcountry tours with a guide and had a great time seeing the different parts of the mountain. The top of the gondola normally has white out conditions, but marks the two courses/runs with poles and signs. The snow is amazing in Hakkoda and the lack of crowds make it a great powder destination. I will be back to Hakkoda again, it is truly a special place!!!
Accommodations – We stayed at Hakkoda Resort for the second time. Breakfast, dinner and onsen are included in the cost. The onsen is small, but not normally crowded, and is still a great way to end the day after skiing. The meals at Hakkoda are amazing! Breakfast is served buffet style, but dinner is a pre-set meal that includes many dishes/courses. The staff is great too.
Japan Snow Accommodation –Hisae was great and very helpful when booking a 6 night, 2 resort ski tour in Japan. She helped book accommodations, guided tours and taxis. I would definitely recommend booking with Japan Snow Accommodations and especially Hisae!!
Thanks,
Stephanie
Early Feb 2018
Thank you for your enormous help in getting my trip organised so last minute.
Hakkoda Resort Hotel was great- the staff were incredibly welcoming. Hakkoda was definitely my preference, more to explore on the mountain.
Attached is a photo of us in the local paper for an article on tourism.
Thanks again,
Joe
Early Feb 2018
As always everything was just perfect. The service, the food, the room, everything.
On top we've got at least 20-30cm new powder every day, it want get better.
Cheers,
Gerhard
Tohoku February 2018
Well what a fantastic trip we had across the Tohoku region from Aomori into Iwate!
All 3 accommodations booked through Japan Snow Accommodations were superb and offered us different experiences.
We were a group of 4 travelling around the Tohoku region of Japan.
Hakkoda Resort Hotel – Excellent location, great skiing and snow but the ropeway can be wind affected, large relaxing onsen and the food spread each night was simply fantastic. What a unique place it is… and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful.
Aomori Springs Rockwood Hotel – What a beautiful setting and resort. Plenty of powder and skiing that could go into the night for an exceptional powder experience. The hotel was fantastic and was located right on the slopes with easy access and plenty of support amenities. An amazing inside and outside onsen could be enjoyed as the snow fell down around you. Stopping for a satisfying lunch at the ramen house was a highlight to look forward to each day. This place was a gem and worth the effort of getting too! The local Ajigasawa sake is pretty good as well.
Geto Camp 88 – How good is this place?! Yes you are in a large dorm and sharing facilities but it is a fantastic experience where everyone is there with the same appreciative and respectful attitude. Being right on the slopes, plenty of snow, good food and after skiing all day you’re in bed early because your exhausted and feeling great after a couple of beers or sake… it is simply a delight to be able to enjoy such a place. The communal areas allow you to relax whilst the inside and outside onsen are a marvellous place to soak up.
We did this mainly by train which, with a bit of preparation for options, was relatively easy to do and the Japanese people were very friendly, helpful and respectful throughout our travels. Thanks for helping us organise this and we really appreciated the service you provided. Skiing Japan is an adventure to be savoured and a privilege to experience. We’ll be back to all 3 places and more for sure!
Cheers
Pete
Mid Feb 2018
The ropeway was closed 2 of 4 days so my review was probably effected by that as well.
Pros:
- Excellent dinners
- Great, friendly service
- Convenient to Aomori
Cons
- Our room was at ground level facing directly into the car park so we had no privacy unless the blinds were shut
- Every morning they clear the car park for HOURS starting around 3-4am. The snow clearing tractor beeps loudly and constantly meaning we were woken and kept awake by this every single night through until breakfast
- They have a beautiful communal bar area but it was kept closed every night, this meant guests would socialize in their rooms. Walls offer very little sound deadening so we were kept awake most nights
- Being a tram which was originally designed for summer sight seeing rather than snow it is not ideally placed on the mountain, so fall line runs are quite short and each run requires quite a bit of traversing. In the past I understand the mountain was very quiet but that's no longer the case. Lines for the tram were long and the easily accessible runs tracked out quickly.
All that said - I enjoyed my visit there but doubt I would go back.
Will
Early January 2018
Your service was great. You arranged the hotel, guide, and transportation and everything was high quality and on time. The food at the hotel was fresh and very tasty. The staff was helpful. The facility was clean. My room was warm and comfortable. Hakkoda is a rustic ski area that requires a either a guide or local knowledge of the area. The guide you provided was knowledgeable, friendly, and prompt. And as you can see from the photos we had very good powder skiing!
Thank you again for arranging this.
Reed Koch
Seattle, WA USA
Late January 2018
The trip was pretty awesome, we really enjoyed Hakkoda. You really could be closer to the action. We will be back in touch when we want to go again.
Regards
Aaron
Late January 2017
The hotel was great and the lovely staff gave me a nice thank you letter (I suspect with the help on Google Translate) on departure. My wife, son-in-law and daughter also had a very good time. Food was excellent as usual. I will certainly be going back next year. Thanks Mark
Early Feb 2016 We left Hakkoda this morning and I would like to say that we had an excellent stay there. We lived Hakkoda for powder skiing, and we loved staying at Hakkoda Resort Hotel, warmest welcome, great rooms, great onsen, outstanding food! We definitely look forward to coming again next year! Thanks, Isabelle & famiil
Mid March 2015
We had a wonderful time at the Hakkoda Resort Hotel this past weekend. We enjoyed the Ropeway and skiing. The food was very good at the hotel. The rooms were also very nice. We had one complaint. The hotel allows smoking in the main lobby and upstairs in the sitting area. There is no place in the hotel to go and sit without sitting in smoke. That was very disappointing. Thank you again for your help in getting us this reservation. Nina Carr
Early February 2015 I had a fantastic trip thanks, I really enjoyed staying at the hotel, particularly being able to ski to the door, great food, great onsen, friendly staff and comfortable rooms.
Thanks
Geoff
Mid Jan 2016
Just to thank U for everything, we are EXTREMELY HAPPY with the vacation, the amazing skiing the local guide were perfect, and we already plan to be back again!! We loved the skiing and the place, it was great!
Leif
EARLY FEBRUARY 2015
FIRSTLY I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANKS TO THE STAFF AT HAKKODA RESORT HOTEL THEY WERE AMAZING,SPECIAL THANKS TO NARITA ,MANUMI AND CON . THE HOTEL LOCATION DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER ,SET IN THE MOUNTAINS AND SHORT WALK TO THE LIFT AND GONDOLA. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING EVERY NIGHT AFTER A BIG DAY ON THE SNOW YOU SAT DOWN TO A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED 5 COURSE DINNER,BREAKFAST WAS GOOD AS WELL AS IT WAS AN ALL YOU COULD EAT BUFFET. HOTEL WAS KEPT CLEAN AND ROOMS WERE CLEAN EVERYDAY . THE HOTEL ONSEN WAS GREAT TO SOOTH TIRED LEGS. THE MOUNTAIN WAS GREAT HAD PLENTY OF SNOW ,I BOOKED BACKCOUNTRY TOURS WITH SIMON POWDER GUIDES.
DANNY
Early February 2015
We had an amazing time at hakkoda, the accommodation was great, simple rooms which were clean and warm and we loved the traditional feel of the hotel with large onsens, great japanese food and good hosts. Definitely good value. Easy to get to. Got good conditions and some adventurous skiing and exploring. Hardly saw anyone else once off the telecabine. Worthwhie using a guide for a day or two to get the lay of the land. One thing that was a negative was difficult to get back to the hotel if you take one of the longer routes that dont end at the bottom. E.g. at the onsen. Couldn't figure out how to arrange pick ups. Would definitely go back. .
Video Japan Powder Backcountry - Myoko, Hakuba, Hakkoda: {youtube}
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Thanks
Paul
Early February 2015
Terrific hotel with a very calm and nice japanese touch to it. We loved the variety of food and good choice of sake. Superb hosts and great staff. Hakkoda as a mountain is very special. Not the steepest but with a good range of backcountry experience. Bring a guide if you want to access the more remote areas as you will need a shuttle service back to the ropeway. We didn't have any new snow but it's said to be one of the places where it snows heaviest in all of Japan (maybe the world?). Would love to visit both Hakkoda and Hakkoda Resort Hotel again. 5/5!
Early February 2015
we had a terrific time visiting Hakkoda and the resort hotel. We were lucky to enjoy the mountain with clear blue skies and views were wonderful. I can also testify to the beautiful quality food that we enjoyed at the hotel. Most enjoyable. Thank you as well for organising the accommodation and transfers. As you know the Japanese trains work like clockwork and we were delighted to have our transfer waiting for us following our arrival. We have plenty of photos and some movie and will send to you a little later. Thanks again for you assistance.
Regards
Justin Robison
Early January 2015
We really enjoyed Hakkoda Resort Hotel. The staff were excellent. Friendly and helpful, with excellent English skills. I must apologise for my difficulties trying to speak Japanese. The location works very well. Close to the chair lift and a bit of a walk to the cable car. The public bus stop is reasonably close but fortunately we had a maxi taxi for travelling to and from Aomori. Evening banquets were superb. It was a varying treat each night. Breakfasts were substantial with western options. Like most places the choice cereals was limited. We had a western room, one of only 4 in the hotel. They are quite spacious but like most accommodation we have stayed at there was limited storage and hanging availability. One needs to live out of a suitcase. The onsens are generous and functional. No view or highlight but most satisfactory. There is not much around the Hakkoda base but we were there for the skiing and the mountain and weather treated us to some superb kona yuki skiing.
Regards
Murray McAlister
Late January 2015
Hakkoda was FANTASTIC. The mountain was epic with the amounts of snow we got, sometimes even too much causing you to get stuck. also quite scary and disorientating when the weather comes in. GPS, snow shoes, whistles and powder boards/ skis are a must really on this mountain when the weather is bad.. In saying that, when you get your bearings, there are endless tree runs in almost every direction, and fresh tracks last all day! The accommodation was great, the staff were friendly, and the food was AMAZING! I have attached photos! thanks for all your help getting us there, you made it super easy and we will be heading back for sure!
Shane
Late January 2015
I had the most wonderful time with your crew at Hakkoda Hotel Resort. Lodging very comfortable and convenient and the food and people most amazing! I am planning on returning next year and probably for the next several years.
Thank you.
Steven F. Nerger Guest/ Next year guide
Late January 2015
That’s me having fun in Hakkoda. (in the pic below) My husband and I had a great time and in fact will soon be booking again for next year. The Hakkoda Resort Hotel is very nice and friendly and the food was outstanding. The staff could not be more helpful.
Best wishes
Sonja McAlister
Late January 2015
We loved our stay at Hakkoda Resort Hotel. We stayed in a western room which was spacious & very comfortable. The food was exceptional, the service good & the mountain awesome. Hope to get back there.
Sue
Mid January 2015
As for your service, it was outstanding. You went out of your way to help me, even after my trip started. I will surely do business with you guys again. The hotel was great. The food was also amazing. But you have to be aware, this is a typically Japanese experience. Only thing though, there was some pretty heavy smoking going on in the hotel. This was problematic for me. But aside from the smoking, the hotel was super. Pretty much ski in/out. What can you ask more ?
Thanks for everything,
Me Jean-Frederick Dicaire
Early January 2015
We really enjoyed our stay at Hakkoda. It snowed alot and the skiing was good. The lodge quiet, our room was clean and comfortable , the food was great and the small onsen a real treat after skiing. Smoking is allowed in the common areas in the lounge and we did not expect this, so the lounge smelt smokey.
Cindy
Early January 2015 Thank you so much for all your help with organising Hakkoda Resort Hotel! You made it very easy in booking the accommodation and organising my return transfer to Aomori Airport. The hotel itself was amazing The food was simply to die for! The rooms were fantastic - always clean and well attended to. The staff always smiled and although they spoke little English, they always made the effort and appreciated when I attempted to speak Japanese! The onsen was clean and of course the snow was out of this world! Thanks again for helping me to organise this (being a solo traveller it can be a bit daunting) and I will definitely be back! Nick P
Early March 2014
Love this place. I've been 5 times in the last 8 years. I have boarded every single major resort in Japan, and quite a few of the smaller ones, over the last 15 years, some of them multiple times, and Hakkoda is the best for untouched backcountry. The quieter backcountry routes within an hour's drive of Niseko (Hirafu) for example see more backcountry traffic per week, than Hakkoda sees per season in my guesstimation. Long untouched runs. Fabulous nature and views. The hotel is fabulous as always with extremely kind and helpful staff, and good Japanese food. If you are going backcountry get Simon to take you ... for his unparalled knowledge of the mountain, backcountry safety, local insight, and witty stories" The hotel was great as always. Only complaint is that my room was overlooking the carpark and the snowploughs woke me up very early every day ... but what to do !
Regards
MATT
Mid January 2014
I had a very good time in Hakkoda ! It's quite a unique experience to ski there, it's good that I booked a guide otherwise I'm sure I would have gotten lost! The hotel was very nice and walking distance to the ropeway, and the booking process was pretty smooth.
You can find some videos on my
Youtube page
Filippo Olivetti
Mid February 2014
Everything at the Hakkoda Resort Hotel was fantastic. The service and food were excellent, and I felt very welcomed there. I also very much appreciated your help in not only making the reservation but also helping when I experienced travel difficulties. Please thank the hotel for their excellent service.
Andrew Crowley
Mid February 2014
Firstly your service was excellent. Prompt, efficient and helpful. Onto the mountain, I loved Hakkoda. It helped that it snowed both days, so the conditions were fantastic. Being fairly quiet without too many Westerners also added to the experience. Tram / lift tickets were very reasonably priced, as was lunch at the restaurant. As for the Resort Hotel, amazing ! The staff couldn’t have been more helpful or friendly. I liked the basement onsen, particularly the fact there was a hot & cold bath, the rooms were comfortable and the facilities in general were as expected. Dinner was a sensation every night. I just loved what was on offer. It was both a visual and a taste sensation and on reflection some of the best meals of my 3 week trip, and I went to some nice places. The only 2 small niggles were: - the rooms were incredibly hot at night, even with the radiator turned down. If I opened the window, the bleeping from the guy clearing the car park early in the morning was incredibly loud. - bus stop wasn’t that obvious. We waited outside the ropeway, only to discover we had missed the bus to Shin Aomori as it left from the peaked wooden huts 50 m away Hardly any major issues. Attached below are some holiday snaps
Martin
Mid February 2014
Let me start of by saying that your service at JSA was second to none. I meet many Australians whilst traveling in Japan and I mentioned your company and the great service to many of them. In regards to the holiday, it was fantastic. In regards to the Hokkoda Resort Hotel I would like to make the following comments Overall I was very happy with the hotel and would definitely book there again. The staff were all fantastic and very helpful. The rooms were adequate. The one huge surprise was the quality of the dinners at the hotel. The meals were spectacular and better than many of Melbourne's finest Japanese restaurants where you would pay well over $80 AUD for the same meal. The only negative comment I have in regards to the hotel was the state of the Onsen. The staff stated it was cleaned regularly but every days I could see things floating in the water. There was mould everywhere on the rook and walls. I visited many Onsens whilst in Japan and this one felt the least healthy. However, that did not distract from my enjoyment of the hotel. Trust that I will be using your services when I return to Japan next time.
Many thanks
Scott Mahony
Date
I thoroughly enjoyed staying at your hotel, i had a traditional room and found it very comfortable. The hospitality from you and your staff was fantastic, along with your eagerness to help in anyway. The meals were a combination of traditional Japanese and western food which was a good combination. I cannot wait to return,
Thank you,
Mike Bolzon
Early February 2014
We loved our stay!" The staff are extrem