Hakuba House — Hotel in Hakuba

I have been reluctant to write this review as I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt to the staff running the hotel, however, after reading Marko's review I thought I would share my concerns about my stay. The staff seemed generally friendly and obviously were not maliciously trying to make anyone's stay uncomfortable - I just believe Hakuba House has been mismanaged where staff are given free reign and not encouraged to ensure rooms are kept clean.||||We stayed around the same time as Marko as I witnessed the stolen shoe incident. The staff are mostly young Aussie boys who are provided accommodation in exchange for completing chores (ie. cleaning rooms at checkout, serving breakfast, shuttle, bar duty, etc.). Obviously, this arrangement does not work as our rooms were disgusting. The bathroom, was absolutely filthy when we checked in. There was strange pink gunk around the walls and had not been wiped down in a long time. The beds were uncomfortable and we needed to request additional pillows to make the stay comfortable. Note, rooms will not be cleaned during your stay and towels are only replaced every 4 days.... We were a fairly easy going group that have stayed in backpackers / hostels in the past however this was a really uncomfortable stay...||||The ski season this year in Hakuba was very poor so the house looked generally empty with most of the staff spending most of their time at the bar or lounge area. This may be the reason why the staff were fairly flexible with offering to drive us to local restaurants and ski areas - I think this would be a bit more difficult if they were booked out with a good ski season. The breakfast is quite limited (cereal, yoghurt) however the egg and bacon cooked on request was good. The house is located fairly inconveniently in relation to local restaurants - very long walk up a moderate hill to get back after you've eaten which can be a bit tricky at night in the cold. Local convenience store (Lawsons) is about a 10minute drive and not walkable. ||||I would be able to cop all of these issues on the chin had the rate been more affordable. Unfortunately, the rates we paid were on par with other local hotels in the area that offer daily room service and breakfast with attentive staff. Will definitely NOT be staying...

Hakuba House is a family run lodge very close to the Happo-one lift in the Hakuba ski area. Arriving to Hakuba from Tokyo is easy by bus from the airport, or the bullet train from Tokyo main station. There is pick-up and drop-off service, so there is no issue with all the gear and the luggage.

Overall the price to value ratio is excellent. The lodge is situated in a great location very close (less than 10mins on foot) to the Happo-one lift, as well as the free shuttle buses to the rest of the ski resorts in the area. This area is also known for the amazing tree runs and the backcountry and some of the best runs we did during our stay finish at Hakuba House. The staff were more than helpful to give us good tips about where to go and when There are many bars and restaurants within walking distance, and a lot more for a small taxi ride, or with the own mini-bus of the lodge if you organise with the staff. There is a public onsen right next door and a private one with pick-up service less than 15mins away.

In Hakuba House there is more than enough space in a heated room for all the ski/snowbard gear, incl space for waxing and servicing. There is also a washmachine and a dryer. The common rooms include a bar area with a pool table and enough sofas for everyone to relax after a long day on the slopes, as well as a separate room with a large tv and video games. During our stay there was a mix of groups of friends, couples and families with children all from different countries and this added to the special atmosphere of the place.

The staff are excellent, friendly and always present, so everything we needed was quickly attended to. The lodge offers breakfast every morning between 7-8:30 which was good since sometimes we wanted to get going as early as possible and other times we chose to start our day later. There are snacks and drinks available as well as dinner in case you want to stay in.

The rooms and the entire lodge are clean to a very good standard, the beds are comfortable and the rooms are well heated and isolated from the cold.

We would definitely stay in Hakuba House again and recommend it...

Having recently stayed at HH for the second time I thought I'd give them a plug as they again added a lot of value to a great trip. I did note there were a few old reviews but whatever perceived issues there were years ago, I think Grant and the team have certainly done what is required to ensure you have a great stay.

Service was strong including being picked up and dropped off station. We also got dropped off when we went out for dinner which is an enjoyable bonus at -15 degrees. Breakfast is great with muesli, toast and bacon & eggs etc there for you to start the day. There's a coffee machine too which is handy. The bar is friendly and gives you a great chance to meet other guests over a game of pool while this year they have upped the ante in the kitchen with some really tasty in-house food (great after a long day where you don't want to go out).

While it's a bonus (depending on how busy the are), you will probably get a chance to do some great skiing/riding with the staff who know a few nice local secrets.

You can ski in/out through some trees otherwise it's a short walk to/from the lifts. Same applies to buses to other resorts.

Rooms are absolutely fine. The bathrooms a cosy but that is standard for Japan.

Overall I just think its easy place to stay. If you are the friendly type you'll leave the week with new friends and no excuses not to enjoy yourself. The lodge is more solid and comfortable than luxury but you aren't paying luxury...