The Bohemians' Shelter — Hotel in Hakuba

As a traveler, I've to dragged my backpack through all kind of accommodations, for years. Some of them are unforgettable. For the great moments I spent here, this is one of them.||I came to Japan to work, learn about the culture, but mainly (and that's relied to my work), ride this amazing snow called Japow. By the end of the season, I've experienced the stressing promiscuity of a dorm with my coworker, the lonely but comfy private room of a ryokan and the bed on the floor of a tiny flat in Tokyo. Then I came to Gaspard's house. And after all this month of feeling more and more "lost in translation", I felt a little bit home. Don't get me wrong, you'll be in japan, Gaspard paid attention to keep the soul of this place, with the commune areas, the bathroom "japanese style". Cause it's a little bit far from the maze of the main resort (i've walk every sunny day, 20 min down, 30 uphill and you get a lift every day if needed!), you can enjoy an uncredible and rare view on hakuba valley, ear the tree's breathing and get a chance to meet those magicals "kamoshikas" or beautiful "snow monkeys" in wilderness. And believe me, you don't even need to be lucky cause in this quiet peaceful place so they are home too :D ! ||The breakfast is simple, but warm and early enough to be ready for taking the first lift to make the first track (don't worry if you're lazy, there will always be some hot coffee left for you later). Did I mention that Gaspard is an amazing and solid rider ? He's a mountain lover and a local too, and I'm so happy that I had the chance to follow him once through his best tree runs and share with him our passion. After a nice riding session, you'll always find travelers from all over the world, every age, different background, chilling in the lobby, drinking tea, playing UNO, telling stories. If you ask (please, ask !) hopefully Gaspard will scratch his guitar, while Jacques will cook a warm and tasty diner. I really think that even unfriendly travelers come here, but somehow, the house change them. And that's the trick : wherever you're coming from, this place...

建议在预定之前三思，虽然这家店好评很多。

The most stressful and traumatizing hostel experience among 100+ hotels/hostels/Airbnb I’ve stayed over the years. Be aware that this place is not for everyone, despite overwhelmingly good reviews.

Note - there is no public shuttle. Restaurant/Onsen/Bus stop are not within walking distance, as you can tell from Google Map (30 min+ by foot). Hence you have to depend on private shuttle offered at the courtesy of the owner, which can make things complicated at times.

The place functions more like Airbnb than hostel - while it has a human touch, you have to keep a lot of things in mind and it’s meticulous. The communication can be confusing and passive aggressive at times.

Some of the guests are very rude and judgmental. It’s more like a boarding school dorm (not even college)….and they create a lot of tension in this reclusive & suffocating space.

At least the owner is open to communicate, responds quickly and tries to be helpful. However, it would be more effective if he gets involved earlier and everyone gets upset in the end.

Just know that you do have the option to talk and leave, if this place is not for you. There are a lot of better alternatives that will give you that peace in mind and...

We booked a cheeky last minute skiing trip to Hakuba and the four of us managed to find room in Bohemians shelter. The place was always warm and clean, and we felt safe and secured and comfortable the whole time. The owner Gaz was the best host you could ever get anywhere in the world, hospitable and kind. He tirelessly drove (morning and evening) all the guests to and from the stop where we could get the free bus to the ski resorts (5-7 min ride only) and supermarket trips if we needed supplies. In the evening we stayed for dinner (just too tired to be bothered to go out) and the chefs made us amazing food. The place is quiet and everyone is respectful and it suited us perfectly.

It happened to have the biggest snowfall in December in years when we were there so it’s hard to say how far you would have to travel around happo from the accommodation coz we didn’t bother. However the taxi is costly (1000 yen) on the meter as soon as you jump on it. The accommodation might be a little far to get to Echoland where there are many restaurants/bars. There might be a way to get dropped off from the free shuttle bus stop to Echoland and...