Hakuba Tsugaike Ski Slope Side Espoir Misawa

“Wonderfully warm hospitality”

The hospitality provided by the owners (Aya-san and her husband and son) is incredible. So friendly, helpful, courteous and prompt. The way this place is run is faultless & I cannot recommend Espoir Misawa highly enough. Aya-san herself picked us up from the bus stop and also dropped us off at th… Più

The hospitality provided by the owners (Aya-san and her husband and son) is incredible. So friendly, helpful, courteous and prompt. The way this place is run is faultless & I cannot recommend Espoir Misawa highly enough. Aya-san herself picked us up from the bus stop and also dropped us off at the end of our stay. Her English is good enough despite her thinking its not so great. Any questions we had were answered with respect, accuracy, and friendliness. It was just so wonderful staying here knowing our comfort is at the forefront of their mind. They have a relaxing lounge in the foyer playing soothing jazz and when I mentioned I'm a jazz musician myself to Aya-san's husband...well! Out came the good stuff and he even swapped the piped Bose speakers to floorstanding speakers which were amazing quality. Espoir Misawa is one of the few places in Tsugaike that have certified onsens. Other accommodations state they have public baths but be warned - that might just be tap water. Here, there are certificates framed on the walls (probably a legal requirement?) stating the date inspected, temp, chemical/mineral makeup et al. The genuine ski in/out door was fantastic. It really is ski in, ski out. Just a quick few metres down to the lifts or gondola. Ice cold Asahi beer from the vending machine for only 350 yen! Awesome! I really don't want to be critical when the hospitality was just well beyond expectations but here goes. 1. The mattresses were quite hard and old. New, pillow-top mattresses would go a long way towards making the rooms (at least, the western rooms) more comfortable. 2. The towels provided were an odd fabric - I think microfibre which were utterly non-absorbent. Towels have 1 job - to dry. But they didn't. Also they had been washed in a decent dose of fabric softener which might've helped to repel moisture and also gave the room a smell of the fabric softener. Some might like it, some might not. 3. There was no hanging space for said towels. There is a small hanging rail in the room but the length of this could easily be tripled. 4. The room was very hot. As soon as we entered we immediately asked how to turn off the heater. It remained off for our entire stay and even at night we kept the window open a few inches as it was still too hot. This is winter mind you! 5. Not important but it would be a nice gesture to provide a yukata for popping down to the onsens. All in all, a really fantastic stay and many thanks to Aya-san and her family for such warm hospitality. We'd come back again if points 1 & 2 above were addressed.

Meno

“Cozy hotel with direct access to slopes and perfect hospitality!!”

Great location right in front of the ski lifts and gondola but that's not even the best part about this hotel!! The owner, Ms. Misawa is so accommodating and goes above and beyond. I left my smart phone at the hotel after checking out and she helped to send it back home for me in such a timely mann… Più

Great location right in front of the ski lifts and gondola but that's not even the best part about this hotel!! The owner, Ms. Misawa is so accommodating and goes above and beyond. I left my smart phone at the hotel after checking out and she helped to send it back home for me in such a timely manner. Thank you so much! About the hotel, it has a cool lounge area with jazz music and bar(even Yamazaki whiskey!) that you can chillax after a long day of skiing. The hot springs bath is just big enough and super relaxing. Not all hotels in this area have a natural hot spring bath so this was a big plus. Also, I highly recommend adding 1,000yen for the all you can eat shabu-shabu dinner! Looking forward to coming back and staying here again!

Meno

“Another fabulous stay”

Our second stay at Espoir Misawa (see earlier review). Hospitality has not changed and remains as fabulous and friendly as it ever was. Clean rooms, just the same as last time in fact the whole place is just like our last stay. Such a handy place to ski in-out and not overly priced. Beds were st… Più

Our second stay at Espoir Misawa (see earlier review). Hospitality has not changed and remains as fabulous and friendly as it ever was. Clean rooms, just the same as last time in fact the whole place is just like our last stay. Such a handy place to ski in-out and not overly priced. Beds were still incredibly hard and this caused discomfort in the morning and we brought our own proper towels. Whilst the decor throughout is dated and old, the owners keep it well maintained and clean. If only they had softer beds this place would score 5 points easily.

Meno

“Perfect for Ski beginners”

Hotel is located next to ski ground, perched on a slope. Slope is slightly steep. About 15-20 min drive from Hakuba main station, depending on climate. The drive into tsugaike kogen during winter is scenic. But the snow could get heavy. There is a ski locker room to store ski boots and equipment. … Più

Hotel is located next to ski ground, perched on a slope. Slope is slightly steep. About 15-20 min drive from Hakuba main station, depending on climate. The drive into tsugaike kogen during winter is scenic. But the snow could get heavy. There is a ski locker room to store ski boots and equipment. From the ski locker room , we went straight into the ski ground, which is extremely convenient. Price range in peak season is reasonable. There is a lounge which most guests will hang around. Beverages are readily available for self serve , the hot water is essential during winter. Free private carpark in front of hotel. But when the snow gets heavy, u have to shove off the snow yourself. We spent almost 1.5 hours clearing snow from our vehicle in order to exit. Food is average. But every staff in the hotel are warm and super nice. No regrets coming here. Rooms are a bit small though.

Meno