WE Hotel Toya — Hotel in Toyako

Incredible, stunning location and now tasty menu||We arrived at Toya station in the afternoon. The shuttle was there as promised ( small station only one exit, shuttle is obvious with WE on the side). We were whisked off to the hotel, about a 20minute Journey. The welcome at the hotel was typically Japanese efficient and friendly, at reception there was a person there dedicated to our check in. The view of the lake as we walked in was incredible, once we got to our room with the massive panoramic windows the view was out of this world.! We immediately filled our balcony hot bath, had a green tea and enjoyed the view. At about 5pm we walked into the local village, about a 15 minute walk, the few shops ( there is a small grocery shop) were just closing, and the sun was setting. Enjoyed the views again, and walked back to the hotel( note there are two ways up and down one steep and one gentle) Straight into the hotel restaurant where we enjoyed a light meal ( that we preordered at reception) Back to our room for a rest before visiting the more public onsen down stairs, we both enjoyed our time in the very hot baths. The outdoor part of the hotel onsen is a real treat with yes incredible views. Finished with a tea ( always available) and then we went to our room. The next morning we woke at 5.28 AM and enjoyed the sunrise. The rooms I believe are all south east facing. For the next few days, we took as many of the walks in the surrounding forest as we could, enjoyed the local shops, especially the local general store and coffee shop, and of course the Onsens. |The hotel is first rate in many ways, however many of the commentators have expressed negative thoughts regarding the food. I want to point out there is now a new head chef that is doing an excellent job of expanding the choices at the restaurants. An Omakase has opened with the new highly experienced Executive Chef Takayuki Uehara designing the unique menu and cooking in front of us, the new Executive Chef, is also a joy to watch, and so much fun as he explains what he is doing. I had sea squirt for the first time. The range of sea dwellers we tasted was incredible, and the beef we had was the best , literally melting in the mouth. Twice we had dinner with him running this show. The breakfast menu has expanded as well. They are as all the hotels we visited limited by not enough staff, but I suspect if the hotel can keep this chef and get some help below, there is considerable room for change. If the hotel empowers the chef and restaurant staff the hotel could be world class, it is the...

If you see any of the ratings over 1 here, it’s got to be a con, someone maybe related to the hotel?. It’s unfathomable to understand how anyone could possibly see value in this place. I felt ripped off and stayed at 4 other hotels in Hokkaido the same week from a business hotel in Sapporo with a tiny bed to an ultra luxurious Michelin ryokan. This was plain and simple, a complete rip-off.

I recently stayed at the Lake Toya WE Hotel, and while I was hoping for a relaxing getaway, the experience was anything but. From the moment I arrived, I was taken aback by the old, concrete structure perched on the hill—certainly not the inviting image you’d expect for the high price.

The interior, designed by the famous artist Kuma Kengo, looked decent in photos but in reality, it felt like stepping into a well-lit cave. The decor throughout the hotel was cheap and uninviting, far from what I anticipated at this price point.

During check-in, I discovered there was no washing and drying service, no massage or spa as advertised, and the cigar room was nothing more than a glorified smoking room with empty cigar boxes on display. The bar looked more like a children’s playground than a place to unwind.

The room itself was disappointing. The bed was rock hard, the pillowcases smelled like they hadn’t been properly cleaned, and the bath on the balcony—though it could have been a nice touch—was in full view of the public during the day. Privacy was non-existent if you wanted to use it. The coffee machine’s water container couldn’t even be filled from the tap, leaving us puzzled about how to use it.

The dining experience was equally underwhelming. Dinner was a disaster—served by unenthused staff wearing blue plastic gloves. The meal itself was basic and uninspired, with a salad that seemed like it was straight out of a discount supermarket, pumpkin soup that was just passable, bread that was bland, and beef that tasted like it was smothered in jarred sauce. Dessert was a milk crepe cake you could pick up at a chain café, nothing special.

Breakfast was slightly better, but it didn’t redeem the overall poor experience and lack of value for money and hard work. After one night, we decided to cut our losses and checked out early, moving to another hotel in the area that offered far better value and comfort.

In summary, I would not recommend this hotel to anyone who is seeking good value for their money and a touch of quality, given the price. What was supposed to be a luxurious stay ended up feeling like we had fallen victim to false...

WE Hotel Experience||We wanted to view the architecture of this pretty new hotel which seemed to be located in the middle of no where in Toya. We were lost off track several times and ended up in areas which was snow everywhere as we cannot see any defined roads. WE Hotel is designed by the same architect who did the new Tokyo Olympic Stadium. On arrival in the thick of winter, after much ado, as we got lost a few times even though we had GPS assistance, we were greeted with a special ambience in the hotel. If you are visiting fir the first time, you would be "wowed" by all that you see. Especially the interior design treatment of the EZO Restaurant and the Bar area, decked with barrels on ceiling and bottom of bar counter. Room was interesting - you need to experience it to enjoy it. Description cannot convey the enjoyment felt. It was simple indulgence just soaking in the wooden bath tub in my room balcony, overlooking the pretty wintry scenery of Lake Toya. ||However, the hotel dinner is far too expensive - LACKED VALUE FOR MONEY!!! The food served was tacky and unrefined. It also lacked refinement in taste and skill. ||For this amount of money spent (EZO Restaurant mid-priced course set dinner @ 18,000 yen per pax before tax), I could get a lovely French course set dinner in Hirafu's Kamimura, which served one of the best French fine dine. The food served was simply heavenly and this is what value for money is. You must enjoy what you pay for!||The management is also lacking in details as its outdoor onsen was soo cold we could not use it. Being experienced onsen users, we were surprised by this low level glitch. After feedback, then only did the staff realise that the outdoor onsen was far too cold. Thus, we lost the night time slot to soak and rejuvenate in the outdoor onsen after dinner. We only realised how wonderful the outdoor onsen was the next morning but there was little time left for us to enjoy it and bask in its 'hot' water. ||Such a shame! ||Breakfast buffet spread was small but acceptable. Their pastries were delicious, as in all of Hokkaido, with land flowing with good milk and butter.||The WE Hotel explerience would fave been even better if they had strong FB support and a team who cares...