Hatago Maruhachi Number 1 — Local services in Hakuba

The room was very well fitted out and well designed in a historic building. We stayed at the black themed room - it has a mix of modern and industrial vibes with authentic Japanese touches. Clean and spacious bathroom and well equipped kitchen which was a delight after a long day out. A walk in closet was available with a heater.

There were 2 private Onsen that you could book out for private use in the building and also a communal kitchen that you could reserve if you wish to cook up a big meal. Complimentary wines are available in the very comfortable communal lounge.

Shuttle buses to Iwatake and Happo just outside of the door, but the butler team was also very kind to pick us up from Tsugaike after a long day.

We booked the stay with half board, and we definitely recommend dinning in the restaurant. They provided the breakfast in your room the day before and you have to prepare yourself. Dinner at Shoyu Maruhachi (Hotel restaurant) exceeded our expectation every single night. The food was fresh, authentic and very tasty. At least 5 courses were served nightly, and they changed the menu every day. Those were honestly some of the best meals we have had in Japan and the staff showed true Japanese Hospitality.

Butler service was exceptional and it really enhanced the experience staying at this place. As we were celebrating a birthday, they even went out of their way to pick up a cake upon request and even left us a bottle of Hakuba made Sake as a gift from them.

The only downside is if you wanted to go to Goryu or Hakuba 47, the bus ride is a bit of a trek as you have to take 2 shuttle buses with wait time in between. Could take 1.5 hours 1 way, but renting a car could solve this issue.

Overall, an amazing experience with great value. We won’t hesitate to stay...

Hatago Maruhachi is a slightly quirky apartment-hotel not far from the Iwatake ski area. Check-in (a slightly convoluted process) is via Hakuba Funny Hours a couple of buildings up the street - which appears to be more of a hostel type set up. The rooms have a good amount of space, a huge bed and a separate walk-in robe/storage area, which is handy, especially if you have snowboard/ski gear with you. The bathroom is up a small flight of stairs, which is a little problematic if you need to use it in the middle of the night. The kitchen has all the basics you need if you want to self-cater (7-11 is a 5-10 minute walk), although some more instructions in English for some of the appliances (the microwave/oven combo for instance) would be handy. There are a couple of free-standing heaters, but the electric one was noisy and not in the bedroom and I didn't feel comfortable sleeping with the kerosene one on, so it did get chilly overnight in -12 celsius outside. Not that it is the hotel's fault but the people across the passageway were a nightmare - noisy at all hours without any consideration for other guests. They even tried to open my door at one point - they put a dampener on my experience. There are two little onsens downstairs, which you can reserve but which seemed mostly empty...

Hatago Maruhachi is a slightly quirky apartment-hotel not far from the Iwatake ski area. Check-in (a slightly convoluted process) is via Hakuba Funny Hours a couple of buildings up the street - which appears to be more of a hostel type set up. The rooms have a good amount of space, a huge bed and a separate walk-in robe/storage area, which is handy, especially if you have snowboard/ski gear with you. The bathroom is up a small flight of stairs, which is a little problematic if you need to use it in the middle of the night. The kitchen has all the basics you need if you want to self-cater (7-11 is a 5-10 minute walk), although some more instructions in English for some of the appliances (the microwave/oven combo for instance) would be handy. There are a couple of free-standing heaters, but the electric one was noisy and not in the bedroom and I didn't feel comfortable sleeping with the kerosene one on, so it did get chilly overnight in -12 celsius outside. Not that it is the hotel's fault but the people across the passageway were a nightmare - noisy at all hours without any consideration for other guests. They even tried to open my door at one point - they put a dampener on my experience. There are two little onsens downstairs, which you can reserve but which seemed mostly empty...