Owani Onsen Ski Resort

The staff is very nice!!!

We drove from Shin Aomori Station on Japan’s meticulously maintained highway system to arrive at the Hotel Yutoria in about three hours including numerous breaks along the way. The hotel is located in a postcard like setting in Fujisato, Akita Ken. Without doubt the hotel is on the older side but this did nit have any bearing on our stay. From arrival to departure (two nights) the staff was friendly and helpful. Our room was excellent and a wonderful reprieve from the tiny rooms we have been staying at while sticking to our travel budget. Besides the large traditional tatami room the hotel has an excellent onsen located on site. Both the breakfast and dinners were very well prepared and presented. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and felt we received excellent value for the cost. We will visit this area again in the fall and enjoy hiking in the mountains when the autumn colours are on full display. Finally, just a short walk from the hotel is the UNESCO designated Shirakami Sanchi forest interpretation centre. When staying at the hotel Yutoria you are in this beautiful area. I would recommend visitors give this area a try as a change from or in addition to Tokyo, Kyoto and so on. The area is also accessible by air to the nearby Noshiro airport.

From the moment I left the lobby, the hotel felt dated. Then I spent a night here; I could hear snoring from a a neighboring room, all night long. And the bed was fine for sleeping on, but it sure wasn't comfortable for sitting on. **Positives: *The front desk was friendly. *The AC/dehumidifier got the job done, provided I wasn't expecting a quick reaction from it. *The bathroom was spacious and the shower was warm and inviting. *Coin laundry: 300en wash + 200en/30min dryer; dryer took 2 cycles to get stuff nice and dry. (Total: 700en) **Neutral: Physical keys (rather than keycards), adding to the 'dated' feel of the hotel. But not a big deal, I suppose. **Negatives: * The hotel was a 20min walk or so from the station; there are busses that will take you from the station to near the hotel, although I never rode them. *As mentioned earlier, the bed wasn't comfortable for sitting on...which I do a lot of, with my laptop, working. *The walls were thin. REALLY thin. *My eyes itched while I was here. Not entirely sure I can blame it on the hotel, but still...ugh. *"Pretty nice hotel" price; "mediocre hotel" actuality. No thanks.