Hotel Shāre Yuzawa Ginsui — Hotel in Yuzawa

I’m an Australian traveler who’s travelled to Japan 4 times. My family recently spent three weeks in Japan, and for the most part, my experiences were positive—encountering kind and helpful people throughout. However, I feel compelled to share my experience at this particular hotel.

In my extensive travels to over 120 cities worldwide, I must express that this hotel ranks among the worst I’ve encountered. The male manager or owner displayed extreme rudeness, unhelpfulness, and a lack of trustworthiness during our stay.

Our decision to visit Yuzawa for snowboarding led a Japanese friend to assist us in booking this hotel via telephone. Initially quoted just under ¥90,000 for three nights, we arranged to pay upon check-in. Unfortunately, upon arrival, we were presented with an invoice totaling ¥100,700. The invoice, in Japanese, later translated via Google, revealed charges for 20 visits to the onsen at a total cost of ¥7,200. This was surprising to us as we hadn’t explicitly indicated our intent to use the onsen, assuming it was part of the hotel’s amenities. We later saw on the info booklet in the room that onsen use ¥360 per visit. During our stay, my husband and son used the onsen only twice, far from justifying such charges. But anyway, that wasn’t the main reason for this bad review.

The male owner’s demeanor was apparent from the outset when he picked us up from Echigo Yuzawa Station—displaying noticeable grumpiness. Communication barriers compounded the issue as neither his staff nor he spoke much English, and our Japanese proficiency was limited. Despite attempts to communicate via Google Translate, his body language and tone conveyed an unwillingness to honor commitments or provide essential information about ski gear, lift passes, and other typical hotel offerings. For example, he initially said he’ll take us to Gala Yuzawa Snow resort to hire our snow gear; but when we told him that we’ve already hired from the local ski shop, he refused to take us, and waved us off rudely, saying something in Japanese, presumably telling us to arrange our own transport.

When my husband requested a 7:30 am ride to the train station the day before check-out, the owner’s dismissive response necessitated our Japanese friend’s intervention via email to ensure the agreed-upon drop-off time.

Overall, our three-night stay proved unpleasant, prompting us to actively avoid interactions with the male owner whenever passing through the lobby. Coupled with its high cost for a two-star hotel, the overcharging for onsen use further tainted our experience.

Regrettably, this experience compels me to assert that this establishment engages in dishonest practices (charging for onsen use) and lacks any semblance of customer service. Despite an otherwise wonderful time in Japan, I would never consider revisiting this hotel. Stay away, anything else is better...

The lady at the counter was very welcoming and helpful. Arranged transport to drop us off at the train station on our last day. We had the Japanese dinner at the hotel (5000jpy/pax) and it was great too.

Rooms were old but clean. Wifi however was very slow and worked intermittently.

Hotel is right next to Iwappara ski lift so it’s very convenient. However the hotel is far from other ski resorts and city centre and the Yuzawa shuttle bus service was quite infrequent. There aren’t any restaurants nearby other than those up halfway up the ski slopes and we ended up buying dinner and breakfast from the nearby convenience store...

The perfect location if you opt to Ski. The attendants are very hospitable, traditional approach of a Japanese culture practiced in this Hotel. Onsen? Yes the natural healing for your body and soul are also included in your accommodation. You may also bring your pet if you are a pet lover. In short, convenience + comfort + nature = the perfect leisure you need for your vacation. So what are you waiting for? Come and enjoy your...