Chalet Burlap Furanui — Hotel in Furano

STAY AWAY. Maybe find a dumpster instead? If this is your only option in Furano then pick a different ski resort altogether. The front desk staff is a national disgrace - almost universally the Japanese are among the most kind and accommodating hosts in the world yet these people scream "guests are a necessary evil and a huge imposition!" I perish the thought that this hotel might be someone's first (or only) experience staying in Japan - it could not be more unrepresentative. I cannot think of anywhere in the 75+ countries I have traveled where the host was less accommodating. Pathetic is a kind evaluation. The facility itself is fine sans the choice to put the (owner's seemingly personal) smoking room right off the lobby to 'welcome' you with a puff of nicotine on arrival from your day enjoying clean mountain air. There is a Sauna (yea!) but the owner can't be bothered pay for powering it past 21:00. The Onsen is serviceable though I was 50/50 on whether my stall had hot water. The ski room isn't accessable from inside the hotel (have to walk around and down awkwardly frozen steps) - the owner can't be bothered to clear the snow from an axillary set of stairs that would help alleviate the morning rush. The host will drive you to the gondola in the morning (very nice) however the ploy is rather transparent - breakfast times are limited to 90 minutes which end as the shuttle takes off - "eat it and beat it!" (sorry, I struggle to extend the benefit of the doubt given all the other nonsense). Don't ask for anything extra unless you are prepared to deal with an surly attitude and pay for it (yes, ¥400 for an extra pillow or blanket - it's not the cost that is a problem, it's the attitude - how about offering an apology that there is an extra charge rather than huffing over the hassle?). Dinner was quite nice however I found myself feeling pity that the kind restaurant staff has to work for hotel's management. As said above, the physical structure is totally fine - the place is reasonably clean and offers a good compliment of facilities - I mean you won't freeze to death or contract a life-threatening disease by staying here. However I gotta say that I would simply skip Furano entirely if this was my only option - why deal with a grump when you are looking to have a nice time on holiday? Your host should at least be neutral if not a delightful part of the adventure. I can get plenty of crummy attitude elsewhere without having to pay for it. If I where the chamber of commerce in Furano I would be trying to force an ownership change - here is a delightful building in a good location but with management that screams "please don't come back to Furano and bother us anymore!" Personally I leave thinking "there are plenty of other awesome places to ski in Japan, I'll think I will skip Furano thank...

Highest praise to this inn’s fantastic staff, specially Carla, Sigi, Yuki, and Amana! They went out of their way to make our stay pleasant: booking cabs, helping us book a bus tour (Japanese only website), and always accommodating. Their English was very good, so communicating was easy. Thank you!||This is not a hotel: it is an inn, and the room is more a bedroom in a house, but charming. Breakfast is good, with the main course plated; no choices (so don’t expect a buffet). What was a nice surprise was a daily late afternoon cocktails (they call it “welcome drinks”) which lasts until late in evening, and includes whisky, wines, juice, and yogurt milk. And daily free coffee (espresso type) which was particularly good! ||The free shuttle pick up and drop off when you check in and check out is very useful, and saves you the price of 2 cab rides (approx US$22). Be warned on Furano Station: no elevator, so you need to climb up then down steep stairs to get to the platform! Not easy with big luggages!||Negatives: while room was charming and large by Japan standards, the bathroom was tiny, so if you are a plus size, you bathe with your body hitting the shower curtain or wall. ||Location is far from everything, so you need to take cabs all the time, with each 1-way trip to the town center costing approx. US$9-10. Nearest convenience store is maybe 15mins away, and an uphill climb back. ||The onsen (traditional Japanese bath) is an artificial hot springs, but a pleasant experience.||A charming town, and I would consider going back to this inn if I go...

For the price the lodge was great, really hard to identify any complaints. The place isn't luxurious, but it's nice. Some of my previous Japanese lodging was fairly uninsulated and was chilly even with the heat on, but we had no issues here. Short walk to the gondola. The staff here is actually fairly fluent in English, which is pretty unusual in my experience. Included train station transit was highly appreciated. They even provided some complimnetary juices and spirits in the afternoon.

I'm not sure if I would come to Furano for skiing again without a car. Furano is recommended for having a ski resort but being a more "real" town. This is true in that the town seems like it would exist without the ski resort. The problem is the public transit is horrible, and no hotels in the town center to my knowledge do shuttles to the lift.

So to ski you stay in this tourist/hotel village by the Gondola where Chalet Burlap is (or the other Gondola). The area still has charm and is unique in its own way but without a car you are kinda stuck here without great transit to go to town.

Dining options are limited in the hotel area. I would suggest making reservations or go early. Walk in restaurants "sell out". It's not like many countries where you can get into most non-formal restaurants provided you are OK with eating at 8-9pm. It was a weeknight and we ended up eating dinner at Lawson as we ran...