We stayed at Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei in early January 2023 for 1 night - our first time here. We took the Kappa Liner Bus from Sapporo station and it was a very pleasant & scenic ride. Our bus ride was at 1215 noon & it took a bit over an hour. We chose this bus line because their bus stop is directly in front of this hotel. We arrived at approx. 1330hrs. There was a lot of snow on the ground and covering much of the front entrance, the trees, parked cars and the hotel itself. The lobby looks inviting and spacious. Check-in was very efficient. Let me say now that we are from Hawaii and we don't speak Japanese, but if there was any communication problem, it was minimal as most of the citizens here can speak a small amount or understand some English. On the frontside of the lobby is a grand room with many padded chairs & tables for relaxing, reading or conversing. On the left side of the lobby, there's a short stairway going down to a very nice & large lounge area on the right; and, a smaller coffee/pastry area on the left. The pastries here are exquisite & only a limited amount is prepared because this smaller section closes very early after lunch. Now the larger lounge area on the rightside is truly worth exploring. As soon as you enter, there is a long bar/counter where an attendant is always preparing sushi or pasty/small desserts. There is room with sofas & chairs, and self-serve coffee & a variety of teas. In the late afternoon, there is a large variety of beer or sake on tap. There are also several small Tatami-like rooms for small gatherings on the side. Now the best part - everything in this room is complimentary! On the 2nd level is a relaxation lounge area with massage chairs, a restaurant and a very nice large gift shop. I think that there is another restaurant, but it may have been under renovation at this time. After checking in, we walked across the street to a small, quaint Ramen shop. There is a counter for about 6-8 & a few small tables. Looked like a husband & wife operation. The menu was limited, but the food was wonderful (especially with the snow & cold air outside). When we first arrived, there were 3 other people - by the time we left, a crowd was waiting, standing around inside this tiny place. We couldn't venture very far in the neighboring area due to hilly & snowy roadway. This Ramen shop was truly a 'rescue joint' for us hungry, cold travelers. We opted for a room with a private Onsen. Our room was on the 6th floor and at the end of the hallway. This room was beautiful - very large - even the entry area was large. The main room was super spacious, had minimal furniture, but we really loved it. There was a small restroom with toilet and sink. At the end of the hall, there was larger room with a larger sink & shower. The onsen area was fabulous - an entry area for changing with towels, a separate section for washdown before entering the onsen. The onsen was spacious & grand with many windows that could slide o
Outstanding
378 Reviews