Hotel La Vista Daisetsuzan — Hotel in Higashikawa

We wanted to hike to Mt. Asahidake during the Koyo (Fall foliage) season, and among the properties at the base of the mountain, La Vista Daisetsuzan appeared to be the highest end accommodation in the area. Both the outside and inside of the lodge are charming and rustic in appearance, but are definitely showing clear signs of age and wear. In fact, while taking a dip in the communal Onsen (natural hot springs) bath, I overheard two men remarking how the place was "boro boro" (Japanese for "really worn down.") Thankfully, we were relieved to find that La Vista Daisetsuzan was at least quite clean, and did not exhibit the old, moldy smell that is commonplace in older properties. And the dining room seems to have been renovated - we enjoyed our dinner here (more on that in a moment.)||We stayed in their "Luxury Room," the highest category unit that was a relatively spacious 56m² open-plan Junior Suite. Other rooms on premises are quite a bit smaller, but people used to staying in standard rooms at Marriott-class properties will be more than satisfied with these room types.||La Vista Daisetsuzan has a communal, gender-segregated Onsen on site - there is both an indoor and open-air outdoor bath, which is appreciated, especially in the Winter months, given that you'll want to warm up in the indoor bath before jumping into the outdoor one.||While we did not have breakfast at the property (we wanted to get an early start on our hike, and we're glad that we did - the sky is more clear and there are less crowds), we had the French-Japanese dinner. To say that the meal exceeded our expectations would be an understatement. We're in Hokkaido, and an hour from the nearest city (Asahikawa), yet every dish was creative, beautifully presented and a feast for the eyes and palate. Everything - from the tuna tartare to the mini quiche to the Foie Gras to the al dente pasta with mushrooms and broccoli - was a highlight. The only serving that did not hit the spot was the main (ocean-) fish dish. The fish was hard and dry - when you're in the center of Hokkaido, perhaps they should focus on other ingredients, or at least serve fish that are fine frozen (like Tuna) or that come from the nearby rivers or lakes.||Overall, if we were to make a return trip to the area, we would be more than fine with staying again at La Vista Daisetsuzan. In no way is this a destination unto itself, but if our short but pleasant stay is any indication, it's a very solid higher-end option in Daisetsuzan. It definitely blows away the vast majority of lodges in U.S. National Parks,...

We wanted to hike to Mt. Asahidake during the Koyo (Fall foliage) season, and among the properties at the base of the mountain, La Vista Daisetsuzan appeared to be the highest end accommodation in the area. Both the outside and inside of the lodge are charming and rustic in appearance, but are definitely showing clear signs of age and wear. In fact, while taking a dip in the communal Onsen (natural hot springs) bath, I overheard two men remarking how the place was "boro boro" (Japanese for "really worn down.") Thankfully, we were relieved to find that La Vista Daisetsuzan was at least quite clean, and did not exhibit the old, moldy smell that is commonplace in older properties. And the dining room seems to have been renovated - we enjoyed our dinner here (more on that in a moment.)||We stayed in their "Luxury Room," the highest category unit that was a relatively spacious 56m² open-plan Junior Suite. Other rooms on premises are quite a bit smaller, but people used to staying in standard rooms at Marriott-class properties will be more than satisfied with these room types.||La Vista Daisetsuzan has a communal, gender-segregated Onsen on site - there is both an indoor and open-air outdoor bath, which is appreciated, especially in the Winter months, given that you'll want to warm up in the indoor bath before jumping into the outdoor one.||While we did not have breakfast at the property (we wanted to get an early start on our hike, and we're glad that we did - the sky is more clear and there are less crowds), we had the French-Japanese dinner. To say that the meal exceeded our expectations would be an understatement. We're in Hokkaido, and an hour from the nearest city (Asahikawa), yet every dish was creative, beautifully presented and a feast for the eyes and palate. Everything - from the tuna tartare to the mini quiche to the Foie Gras to the al dente pasta with mushrooms and broccoli - was a highlight. The only serving that did not hit the spot was the main (ocean-) fish dish. The fish was hard and dry - when you're in the center of Hokkaido, perhaps they should focus on other ingredients, or at least serve fish that are fine frozen (like Tuna) or that come from the nearby rivers or lakes.||Overall, if we were to make a return trip to the area, we would be more than fine with staying again at La Vista Daisetsuzan. In no way is this a destination unto itself, but if our short but pleasant stay is any indication, it's a very solid higher-end option in Daisetsuzan. It definitely blows away the vast majority of lodges in U.S. National Parks,...

Avoid this place at all cost!!! I should have read the reviews here, everything we experienced has already been written about…

Where to start… The moment we stepped in I knew this was going to suck. The man (around 30, coarse facial features, short upright hair) behind the check-in desk was beyond grumpy and just so so so rude. Bizarre experience, especially in Japan. We arrived about 17:40 and were told that there was no dinner available since we had not booked half board. We were told we would have to drive 30 min back down the mountain, to go to a restaurant. The man was rolling his eyes, mumbling under his breath. He appeared to just hate his job and hate dealing with visitors. After some discussion he showed us a picture of a meal that we could get for ¥8.800 per person. We asked about 8 times whether it was beef or pork (it looked like there was pork) and he kept saying it was beef. Showed up for dinner: tadaaaaa… it was a mix of beef ànd pork. So they took the pork out and for our ¥8.800 each we got a small bowl of miso, a tiny plate of sashimi, 3 small slices of beef and a small cube a feasant. Well, and 2 pieces of pepper and a bit of mushroom. Total rip-off.

The room had a big stain in the carpet and on the chair. And it doesn’t get serviced. You get a bag with stuff on your door and it’s do it yourself. No problem, however, they pretend that it’s a 4 star hotel.

The onsen is okay-ish. Small, but a good sauna, plunge pool and 2 nice baths. The wash area smells like mould though. And the whole onsen feels like it needs a thorough cleaning.

Only good thing is the location close to the gondola. However, if you have a car it’s much better to stay in Higashikawa. Cute town, cute restaurants. 30 min drive up to the gondola. I cannot think of ANY reason to stay...