Hotel Mahoroba

This was the most satisfying onsen hotel in Noboribetsu. Hygiene: Since we stayed in a traditional Japanese room, staff came to make our futons after 6:00 PM. The hygiene and service were impeccable. Service: I was truly surprised! For just 1000 yen, you can get from the onsen hotel to Sapporo Odori Subway Station, which is close to the TV Tower. Please note that the journey usually takes about two hours. On the day we traveled to Sapporo, there was heavy snow, so it took us two hours and forty minutes. The driver was in constant contact with the control center throughout the trip, which made us feel very safe. When we boarded, there were announcements of the itinerary in both Japanese and English.

The hotel shuttle was late, and then we hit some traffic on the way, so what should have been a 3 PM arrival turned into 4 PM. Once we finally got there, we had to wait at least 20 minutes to check in – it was practically dark by then! I booked a Japanese-style twin room, but I couldn't get a good night's sleep at all. I ended up just sleeping on the tatami floor instead and actually managed to drift off. No need to book the twin beds, really, especially since the view wasn't great either. Breakfast was decent, though. The hot springs were quite nice.

This hotel is entirely overrun by tour groups. The management is poor, and the front desk staff's English is terrible. We were worried about potential itinerary changes due to a recent earthquake, so we booked our two-day stay as two separate reservations, explicitly stating this. However, the front desk only checked us in for one day. We only realized this ourselves and had to sort it out. It took them ages to figure it out, and they showed no apology whatsoever. Had they assigned our room to someone else the next day, we would have had to repack and move rooms, which is a huge hassle with a child in winter. After enjoying the hot springs at a Japanese onsen hotel, it's customary to be offered milk or a cold drink, even if it's for a fee – but they should at least offer it. After experiencing the hotel's overall atmosphere, I no longer held out hope for such niceties. What's even more astonishing is that the onsen pools don't provide towels; you have to bring your own from the room. Most standard onsen hotels also provide a small bag for each guest to carry toiletries or a phone, but this hotel doesn't offer one proactively. I only got one after I sharply noticed and asked. Many guests were fumbling around, carrying their belongings. The toiletries in the showering area were also very basic, the cheapest kind. The 'largest open-air bath' they advertised had absolutely no view, being enclosed by structures. While there were indeed many indoor onsen pools, they were also very crowded. The overall environment felt like a giant public bathhouse. In the men's onsen, an elderly woman with a 'seen-it-all' expression moved between all the different areas. While I personally wasn't bothered, friends from the south who aren't used to public bathhouses might find it uncomfortable. The hotel registers dining times. I thought, like other onsen hotels, they would make up the futons during your meal for a seamless transition. But I was wrong. It was just for show. They'd enter the room and put on a whole performance with everyone present. They're used to it and aren't embarrassed, completely lacking the Japanese 'fear of causing inconvenience to others' attitude. Overall, do not pay independent traveler prices to stay at a hotel primarily catering to middle-aged tour groups. There's no 'experience' to be had. Especially after going through all the trouble to travel all the way from overseas to this small Japanese countryside village.

I was genuinely surprised by the hotel in Noboribetsu. Although it's an older property, it's very clean and well-maintained. I had originally booked two nights, but I made separate reservations due to my flight schedule. Upon check-in, the hotel specially upgraded my room because my original booking was taken by a group, and they gave me a larger room. The hotel's hot spring is outstanding; there are many pools with excellent water quality. The breakfast and dinner are the best – dinner is so lavish it'll make you question your life choices, especially with the people around you. The hotel is about a four-minute walk from the bus stop, and it's a ten-minute bus ride to Noboribetsu Station. Hell Valley is only a five-minute walk away. Noboribetsu is fantastic; you could easily stay for several more days.

Mahoroba is reportedly the largest hotel in Japan with open-air hot springs, featuring two levels of pools. Each day, two different pools are rotated for men and women, and each level also has a sauna. The outdoor pool on B2 offers stunning views. After a soak, the shower area provides a variety of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, hair masks, lotions, hair serums, and hand creams for guests to use. Although the hotel is a bit older, it maintains a strong Japanese aesthetic, is well-kept, and boasts excellent service. We stayed in a Japanese-style tatami room, where shoes must be removed upon entry. Staff prepare the futons for sleeping on the first day of your stay. We also booked breakfast and dinner, both served buffet-style. There's a wide variety of dishes, and the taste is generally good. The most notable item is the crab served at dinner, and the ramen and soba noodles in the evening are also delicious and a must-try. The hotel is very close to the shopping street, with a 7-Eleven right downstairs. It's also within walking distance of Jigokudani (Hell Valley) and Bear Park. From Bear Park, you can get a panoramic view of Lake Kuttara. Unfortunately, when we visited in early December, Oku-no-yu and Oike Pond were closed due to road closures, so we couldn't go up. We'll definitely come back next time!