Hotel Hakuba Hifumi

Very well managed by the host Tomo San and his wife. We were made to feel very welcomed to their hotel. The internal decor is very comfortable with great taste. Their 2 female staff were very young and served us with graceful manner and sincerity. Will definitely recommend this hotel to my friends and come back when revisit Hakuba.

Unfortunately we were not staying in this hotel (we will next time we are in Hakuba) but we had the most amazing dinner at the restaurant. From the deco to the amazing staff and the fabulous food, everything was perfect. Highly recommend it for a Japanese meal.

Perfect location, 2 mintues walk to the Happo Bus terminal (transportation hub in Habuka village). Clean rooms, great onsen bath and awesome breakfast. Look no further if you want to visit Habuka Village.

Some background on this stay, we tried to book this ryokan 2 years in a row and when we finally got a booking, the pandemic hit. So we finally only made it 3 years after the first attempt to book. Due to this, sadly the anticipation to stay at this inn was a big let down. Some of the deluxe rooms with outdoor bath were advertised as being renewed and this led to an impression that all deluxe rooms with baths would be of similar standard. It was also my fault that I didn’t pay closer attention to the room we were assigned to and therefore when I saw the bath in the room we got, which was a round metallic tub with some questionable surfaces on the bottom I felt really let down, instead of a nice wooden bath that I was expecting. The main reason for staying in a ryokan is usually a Japanese style tatami room, Onsen facilities and amazing food. The tatami part of our room was small and the main part was western style with a very off-putting cloth covered sofa which I would not like to see what is actually beneath it. The rug was also old and not too clean. Honestly it was quite shocking that this room costs us over ¥50,000 per night for 2 adults and one child. Ryokans always charge by the number of people and in return breakfasts and dinners are provided. There was only breakfast and dinner was additionally charged which is the first time ever in 20 years of traveling in Japan. There was no reason to charge by per person for the room then. Staying 6 nights is the equivalent of an engineer’s monthly salary in Japan and this is simply exorbitant for the standard of the room with only breakfast included. One more thing is that the only shower in the room is also outside and there are open gaps in the window so it’s always freezing in the bath area and water in the tub gets cold in 10 mins. Not very relaxing either, this is simply a bad design. Onsen facilities are small with no outdoor space and the smell was overpowering due to lack of ventilation. The staff was friendly but service is a bit lacking, we didn’t even get offered any tea at all upon checking in. Foreigners may not always be welcomed in Japan but in a international tourist place like Hakuba I really wish that the Japanese would keep their famous hospitality standards or just not accept foreign guests if they do not wish to do so. It should not be different standards for Japanese and foreign guests. For future visitors who would like to have a deluxe room with a bath, I would recommend to avoid’Hina’ room unless you want to have a metallic tub.

Hakuba Hifumi is an amazing experience beyond a hotel. Modernized for the 1998 games, the ryokan has been family owned/run since 1912, and it shows at every turn. Tomo San and his team do everything possible to make you feel welcome and comfortable. We are already looking forward to our return. Long before we arrived, Hifumi patiently replied to emails about luggage delivery, the area, and Japan at large. Check-in / reception was friendly and unhurried, and included a tour of the hotel on the way to our room. We enjoyed the Kaiseki meal in the dining room on our first night, which was a delicious introduction to the hotel and team. We took a traditional Japanese room (futons on tatami) without our own onsen, but were able to book the private baths without any issue. Frankly, I was only ever alone in the public baths too. We used these far more than our own bathroom. Daily breakfast is thoughtfully served and filling for your day on the hill. Located on a quiet side street, we were able to walk to/from the Happo-One lifts daily, from the bus station (if roads are clear), and around the area as far as the train station (without luggage). If you’ve got gear or it’s snowy, the staff will happily give you a lift. As frequent travellers, we enjoy Platinum status with several hotel chains. They should all take a page out of Hifumi’s book. Pro tip … There’s a biru machine tucked away behind the back stairs.

Extremely convenient. Staff very helpful. Owner is kind and sweet. Hotel is very clean. The onsen is superb. Rooms are very traditional tatami. Love this hotel

This is a 5-star hotel in every aspect. We had a 5-night stay, but with 4 different rooms due to the availability. The rooms with private onsens are highly recommended. We have stayed many ryokans, but HIFUMI has a modern touch while keeps the beauty of tradition. The breakfast, both Japanese and Western are delicious. We dined in two nights, both dinners are beautiful and tasty. English speaker Maria was most delightful. Indeed, everyone we met at the hotel are courteous, helpful and efficient. It’s indeed the best kind hospitality that you could expect and we are deeply thankful for HIFUMI make our ski trip so wonderful. We look forward to coming back.

Hotel Hakuba Hifumi is an excellent place to stay, especially after a long day of skiing! The staff could not be friendlier or more accommodating. From the moment we walked in they were kind and eager to help. Our room was clean and comfortable, and the private onsen was incredible. Breakfast was great (if you're feeling adventurous go for the traditional Japanese style breakfast!) and the location was very central - close the mountains, shops and restaurants. Highly recommend this hotel.

We had a truly superb stay here in January. We stayed for 7 nights in the busy new year season for skiing and this place was wonderful. We didn’t have a private onsen in our room but it didn’t matter, the room was beautiful and comfortable and the private onsen available for booking was always available at a convenient time and was such a treat at the end of a long day skiing! The food is really excellent. Beautiful breakfasts every morning (we had both Japanese and Western style breakfasts, both delicious). We also had two dinners here and it was some of the best food we had in Hakuba! We were collected from the train station and dropped off on our day of check out at no extra cost. The location is perfect, 1 min from the bus to Happo One and 3 mins from the bus for all other ski fields. Special thanks to Yuko Beppu who was really wonderful, and who answered all our questions via email before we even arrived! Couldn’t recommend a stay here more highly, was a really special experience we will cherish for years to come!