Kamikawa District Hotels with Parking

For our last night in Hokkaido, we drove all the way from Kushiro to this small hotel in Biei. The hotel was tiny, and although it had a second floor, there was no elevator. The staff were incredibly enthusiastic and even helped us carry our luggage, which made us feel a bit embarrassed. Our room came with a private open-air onsen, so it was quite spacious, but the futon mattress was a little hard. It made me miss my smart electric mattress back home! The food here was also great; both breakfast and dinner were typical Japanese cuisine, perfectly to my liking. Definitely recommended!

Had a pleasant stay here. It's about 10-15 min walk from the station. Shared bathrooms and toilets. Only 1 with a bathtub. Free washing machine and dryer (about 3-4hrs) but you pay ¥100 for the launch pod. Free coffee, tea, etc. Beds a bit noisy and squeaky. Whole place smells like pine cos most of the furniture is pine. Place is quite quiet but you can still hear other guests walking. Good thing we stayed with few guests. There's a gap between the bed and wall so depending on how you sleep, might drop your pillow in the gap. There's a Lawson right opposite and a good restaurant, a decent ramen place and some bakery further up.

Service: The staff were very dedicated, making guests feel that they were getting good value for money at a high-end hotel. Environment: My daughter said the room was like something out of Harry Potter and she loved it. The facilities are a bit old but well-maintained. The hot springs are natural (though water is added). This is the first time I've encountered a Japanese hotel where you have to bring your own towels from your room to the public bath, which was quite inconvenient. Facilities: The lobby has a 24-hour convenience store for daily necessities. We had dinner for two nights and actually found the Western food better than the Japanese. The teppanyaki smoke was so strong that all our clothes needed to be re-washed. Also, I booked a room for two adults. Upon arrival, we were informed that if we had a child and didn't request an extra bed, there would be an additional charge of about 100 yen per night per room. Breakfast for the child was 150 yen, and dinner was also 150 yen, but it was a complete children's meal set, not the same as the adult meal, which wasn't very cost-effective.

It is a B&B run by ********* and speaks Chinese. Dinner and breakfast are charged separately. Dinner is 4,500 yen and breakfast is 1,500 yen. I went there once in autumn and winter, and the food has not changed. If you are staying consecutively or going there for the second time, it is recommended to inform the owner in advance, and they will update some dishes for you. The room is a bit old and the public bathroom on the first floor is not open. If you have a car at night, it’s very convenient to go to Shinei-no-oka to watch the stars!

Location The location of Auberge Ninguruforet is a bit remote and far from the main town center of Biei. There are no nearby convenience stores like Lawson or Family Mart, so guests need to plan ahead for their meals and supplies. This can be inconvenient, especially for larger groups with elderly or young children who may have difficulty walking long distances in the cold winter weather. Check-in ProcessTo improve the check-in experience, it would be helpful if the hotel could request guests to provide their passport details in advance. This would allow for a smoother and faster check-in, without the need for guests to go back and forth to their cars in the freezing temperatures just to take photos for the registration process. Check-out Confusion Even though the hotel had implemented the CCTV audio system to provide clear instructions, the language barrier appears to have caused some confusion for me during the check-out. This can be a common challenge, especially in more remote locations where the staff may not be as fluent in English. Breakfast Since our group requires halal food, it's understandable that we did not include the breakfast option in our package. The hotel could consider offering more diverse breakfast options to cater to different dietary needs in the future. Luggage Handling and Car Access One of the key issues we faced was the need to transport our luggage from the parking area to the unit using carts, rather than being able to drive our car closer to the entrance. This was especially challenging given the freezing -10°C temperatures at night .To improve this, it would be greatly appreciated if the hotel could allow guests to drive our cars closer to the entrance, even if just temporarily, to drop off the luggage. This would avoid the need for guests, especially those traveling with elderly or young children, to struggle with pushing heavy carts through the frigid weather. Scenery Despite the challenges, the stunning winter scenery at Auberge Ninguruforet seems to have made up for it. The -8°C temperature that morning must have created a true winter wonderland, with the beautiful snow-covered landscapes and crisp, clear skies. This picturesque setting is surely a highlight of your stay.Overall, with some improvements to the location accessibility, check-in/out procedures, and guest services, Auberge Ninguruforet could provide an even more enjoyable experience, especially for larger groups traveling with families. The breathtaking winter scenery, however, remains a major draw for this property. We will surely come again to Auberge Ninguruforet, this time leaving our larger luggage in the car and only carrying the essentials we need for our stay in our backpacks. This will allow us to avoid the hassle of transporting heavy bags through the frigid weather, and instead focus on enjoying the stunning winter scenery.By packing light and only bringing what we need for the duration of our visit, we can easily move between our car and the hotel entrance without the struggle of pushing carts through the snow. This will make the check-in and check-out process much smoother, especially for our group with elderly and young family members.Despite the minor inconveniences we experienced previously, the breathtaking winter wonderland at Auberge Ninguruforet remains a major draw for us. We look forward to returning, better prepared to handle the cold temperatures, and immersing ourselves in the serene, picturesque setting that this property offers. With a few adjustments to our packing and luggage management, we are confident our next stay will be an even more enjoyable and memorable experience.

A Convenient and Comfortable Retreat There are 4 units in this building. One parking slot per unit is provided at the corner near unit 101. This apartment offers a truly practical and comfortable base for exploring the area. We really appreciated the thoughtful touches, like the basic utensils and cutlery for easy meal prep, and the welcome inclusion of instant slippers, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. The microwave was also super handy for quick snacks and reheats. Comfort is well-managed with one air-conditioner that kept the unit at a pleasant temperature throughout our stay. The washing machine was a huge plus, and we found the designated drying area right above it in the toilet very efficient. The separate dining table was also a nice touch, providing a comfortable space for meals. 2 dryers are outside the building. With two double beds, this unit is well-suited for small groups or families. We also enjoyed being able to link our Netflix account to the TV, which was great for unwinding in the evenings . Things to Note About the Location The apartment is located in a quiet neighborhood, offering a peaceful atmosphere. While there aren't many eateries directly nearby, there are two convenience stores within easy reach. Do keep in mind that local supermarkets tend to close around 7 PM, so plan accordingly for groceries. We found the area to be quite pleasant for getting around, with not many cars on the road. This makes it particularly fun to explore the town by bicycle, and there are several bicycle rental stores available if you're keen to pedal around.

From the moment the shuttle picked us up from the Tabist Hotel in Asahikawa to our check-in, the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. We accidentally left our thermos on the shuttle, and they quickly retrieved it for us. The onsen (hot spring bath) itself had a distinct sulfur smell, which I absolutely loved! The bingo game at 8 PM (500 yen per card) really got the atmosphere going. The only downside was dinner; when we arrived around 6:45 PM, almost all the food was gone. A large tour group arrived shortly after, and even then, the food wasn't replenished. They just brought out fried chicken wings and fried fish, and even drinks weren't restocked in time. We ended up just eating ice cream, which made us feel colder and colder. It felt like they were afraid of people actually eating, which I really disliked. I would have been more impressed with a kaiseki meal in that situation. However, what I really need to complain about is the 'Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival.' It's unacceptable that just because we arrived on the last day, there was absolutely nothing left. All the attractions were gone, leaving only sponsor flags. How many fireworks were there? If the organizers charge an entry fee, shouldn't there be corresponding insurance? There wasn't any. I know that ice sculptures can be slippery, but simply throwing down a few plastic anti-slip mats isn't a proper solution. I had to keep reminding my elderly companions, 'Watch your step!' Unfortunately, one of our elders still fell. When we asked the event staff for assistance, we were told that since we were independent travelers, only our own insurance would cover it. The most they could do was have our hotel staff call an ambulance. Is that right? The rest of our trip was completely ruined because of this... completely ruined.

staff at reception counter was unfriendly, unhelpful and heartless. เจ้าหน้าที่โรงแรมนี้แย่ที่สุดตั้งแต่ที่ฉันเคยไปเที่ยวประเทศญี่ปุ่นมามากกว่า30ครั้ง ชั้นจะไม่ไปพักที่นี่อีกแน่นอน ตอนเช็คอินเราถามถึงค่าบัตรเข้างาน Ice Fall Festival เจ้าหน้าที่บอกแค่ราคาบัตร แต่ไม่แนะนำว่าถ้าซื้อบัตรที่โรงแรม จะได้ส่วนลดเหลือ 800เยน จากราคาปกติ 1,000เยน ทำให้เราต้องไปซื้อบัตรที่หน้างานในราคาที่แพงกว่า (200¥*6คน) ฉันรู้เพราะเห็นป้ายเล็กๆที่เคาน์เตอร์ตอน checkout วันรุ่งขึ้น 🙁 นอกจากนี้ เราได้ขอความช่วยเหลือพนักงานให้ช่วยโทรศัพท์เพื่อจองกิจกรรมหิมะในวันพรุ่งนี้ให้ แต่เค้าตอบกลับมาสั้นๆแค่เพียงว่า ช่วยไม่ได้ เค้ายุ่งมาก และมันไม่ใช่หน้าที่ของเค้า ซึ่งมันก็ถูกนะ แต่มันฟังแล้วรู้สึกแย่มาก ตอนนั้นมีแค่ชั้นเป็นลูกค้าคนเดียวที่มาเช็คอิน ไม่ได้มีใครมารอคิวด้วย ทุกครั้งที่ชั้นเคยขอความช่วยเหลือจากเจ้าหน้าที่โรงแรมอื่นที่ญี่ปุ่นให้ช่วยโทรศัพท์จองร้านอาหาร หรือกิจกรรม พนักงานที่อื่นเค้าจะยินดีให้ความช่วยเหลือเสมอ แต่พนักงานที่นี่ต่างไปมาก เราเคยไปที่เมืองนี้ sounkyo เมื่อ ปี 2017 และชอบงาน ice fall festival มาก แต่การมาครั้งที่2 นี้ และพักที่ kankou hotel เป็นเรื่องที่ไม่น่าประทับใจเลย

The hotel description did not capture the situation enough. I was confused due to lack of room pictures. They also posted several listing for different rooms under different hotel name section. But this room is perfect for us. The location is a bit far (if you are not used to walking) from the station but it is only around 7-9 minutes walking. The surrounding area is a quiet neighborhood. The building is new and very clean. It was also warm inside even when the weather forecast said -14 celcius outside. The japanese food they served was also very good. They provided free coffee/tea and water in common area. They also let us lent their microwave. The bathroom is only one but very clean and comfy. The room has its own mini fridge, ac, and tv. If you are wondering where to stay in Biei, I definitely recommend this place.

Convenient location close to the ropeway and public transportation. The hotel is a little dated though. There are indoor and outdoor onsens but the outdoor onsen is opened to male and female on different dates. The hotel provides shuttle bus service to take you to their nearby sister hotel which has outdoor onsen throughout the week. The buffet breakfast and dinner are very average so don't expect much. The reception hardly speaks any English or Chinese so be prepared to use a translating App.