Hotel Taisetsu — Hotel in Kamikawa

Out stay far exceeded our expectations. Doing our research, it was between Hotel Taisetsu and Sounkyo Onsen Choyo Resort Hotel. Feedback from guests were similar between both properties, but we ultimately decided on Taisetsu because of the availability of their top category room, which was an enormous Suite (Premium Room D-Type"Wabo-Yukihana." It was 110m², had its own free-flowing Onsen (natural hot springs) bath, appeared to be recently refurbished, as the flooring and decor were fresh and clean. Our room was #2612, and there was a small sign outside that said "Ken's Room." Upon inquiring to the front desk staff, we were told the room was given its name because the famous actor Ken Watanabe stayed here for an extended length of time. Not that all rooms on the 6th floor (the "Yukihana" floor) have in-room Onsen, so if it's something you're looking for, then be sure to reserve the right room, and book early! We didn't sample some of the other room types, so our opinion of Hotel Taisetsu may differ from those of other guests.||After a long hike to Asahidake, and long drive from there to Sounkyo town where this property is located, we were relieved to settle into such a spacious and charming room, and to rehabilitate our aching bodies by immediately jumping into the Onsen in our room before heading to dinner. We did not, therefore, visit the public Onsen facilities, although I've been told by acquaintances that it's pretty nice.||We were also pleasantly surprised by dinner. While higher-end properties in Japan tend to serve elaborate kaiseki cuisine, in some ways we preferred the buffet-style dining at Hotel Taisetsu. After all, we were here for the outdoor activities, and the last thing we wanted was a 2-3 hour dinner course when our goal was to get to the Kurodake Ropeway at the crack of dawn (6AM, to be precise.) We were done with our meal in about 45 minutes, which gave us another chance to dip in the Onsen before calling it an early night. Also, the buffet was of very high quality - options were plenty; various Japanese and Western choices, and everything they had was wonderfully prepared (see accompanying photo for a small sample of the various buffet options that I chose.)||Between the modern and spacious room, in-room Onsen, high quality buffet dinner to its proximity to the Kurodake ropeway station (a very short walk from the hotel entrance), we found Hotel Taisetsu to be the perfect option that maximized our pleasurable time in the Daisetsuzan...

The three positives of this hotel are the futons are very comfortable, the location is pretty good and there are bikes to rent, so you can go wherever easily, and the restaurant Inankur is amazing. Everything else about this hotel was either awful or just strange. This hotel seems to cater mostly to tour groups. Whenever we interacted with staff they would ask what group we were with and seemed baffled when we said none. Every night at least a dozen new tours come, so the hotel is suddenly flooded with over a hundred new guests right at dinner time. The first night we tried to go to the buffet and it was disgustingly packed. We left without eating anything. The staff didn't notice. They were very distracted or just absent. Because dinner was so packed, we did not feel comfortable to try the onsens. This is why we tried Inankur and it was excellent! Incredible food. You need to make a reservation at the front desk though. The rooms are very mediocre. The walls are paper thin, so we could hear all the friends among the groups running and talking through the halls and even in their own rooms. The bathroom was equivalent to a cheap apartment's bathroom, and had mold, not what we expected from a luxury hotel. They also did not switch the room back to a living space (put away the futons, etc ) when they cleaned like we expected from a ryokan. Again, because it was packed, the elevators were a nightmare to use and there were no accessible stairs. We tried using the emergency stairs but the door was locked, which defeats the whole purpose of them? If you're in a tour group I'm sure this place is fine, but if you come alone it will be decent at...

First up, this is a Japanese hotel, and guests should remember this when doing reviews. It is old-world Japanese, as well. Tatami mats in the corridors and bedrooms. Shoes are removed as you exit the elevator, and hotel slippers worn throughout the public areas.

Staff are also very typical of the Japanese. Very courteous, and helpful to a T, but flexibility is not a strong suit.

Our room was elegant and restful. Excellent amenities as well as fridge items. All replenished daily.

The beds were wonderful, but yes, the pillows were Japanese. Thin and hard, but it is to be expected - as I said, it's a Japanese hotel. We brought our own pillows to supplement those provided. For those who criticise the pillows, and Tatami, go somewhere else.

Location is Sublime. Perched on a hill overlooking the Sounkyo village. A short walk from the Ropeway, and Information Center. There's also a well-stocked Konbini in the village.

Hotel comes with an in-house bakery with excellent coffee, as well as the usual Japanese-style convenience store.

Hotel is happy to assist with transport to local bus stops and locations when time and staff permit.

Also worth mentioning - The staff went out of their way to assist in rectifying an error made by our booking company. Two rooms had been inadvertently booked in our name. The front desk sorted all of the admin in fixing the problem, and waived the late-cancellation fees. We are most grateful for their...