Abashiri Quasi-National Park

A large and well designed onsen setup on ground floor attached to the natural source. Great for those who would enjoy such setup. Maintenance is very good for the age of this property. Rio resorts is really doing this region a great service by reviving this formerly decaying hotel in a depressed area. It is a good 20 minute walk from the main drag where everyone wants to be at. The "premium tower" houses the very large rooms with balconies featuring extremely traditional layout. Where the toilet is in a separate room far away from the bathroom. Now also has a coin laundry and game center, both can come in handy for traveling families. There is a great "cash only" genuine ramen stand just across the street. McDonalds is 3 blocks away together with a healthy ecosystem of very local restaurants of various type. The beach, which Hakodate is not particularly known for, is only one block away. The city has at least one project going on to improve the beach front area at the moment. Staff are super friendly and superbly helpful, giving me a very good first impression of rio resorts management.

This two-story home is so beautiful! It’s decorated in a modern, minimalist, somewhat Scandinavian style. I originally booked this place because I fell in love with the bathtub picture and thought that the extra space would be nice. Once I entered the place, I was blown away by the little details like the comfortable bed and bedding, how soft the towels were, and how nice it was to listen to the record player and even just gazing at the ceiling beams. (I felt transported to another place simply relaxing in the home and listening to music.) It’s hard to describe the peaceful, cozy feeling one gets from soaking in these thoughtful interior design elements. I want to go back already! One thing to note is to make sure you get a number code for the door to check in. (Due to a system error, I didn’t receive this message. I called the host and he was very quick in walking me through check-in.) All my communication with the host was warm and welcoming, enhancing my stay even further. I would 100% recommend staying here, and I myself would love to go back someday. Hopefully soon.

One of the best seafood breakfast buffet in Japan. It’s right next to the beautiful ocean Hakodate harbor and the seafood market.