I’ve hardly ever stayed at a mountain lodge before, but the facilities and location were excellent, and I was able to enjoy beautiful sunsets and a sky full of stars. However, I was quite disappointed with the meal times and the service. The food itself was delicious, but dinner overlapped with sunset, and breakfast overlapped with sunrise. When staying at a mountain lodge, you naturally want to enjoy the unique mountain scenery—such as the sunset, the starry sky, and the sunrise. Yet, I felt it was such a waste that mealtimes coincided with these moments. During dinner, I went outside once to watch the sunset, but I had finished eating well within the designated dinner time of 5:00 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. Despite that, I was surprised to be scolded by a staff member. In addition, the staff generally didn’t smile, and their responses came across as curt. I was particularly dissatisfied with the service during breakfast. We were told breakfast started at 5:30 a.m., but there was no explanation regarding the end time. Since my friend had gone to watch the sunrise, I asked a staff member around 5:50 a.m., “What time does breakfast end?” They replied, “It ends as soon as it’s finished, so it might end at 6:00 a.m. We’ll let you know the time!” Since I hadn’t been told the ending time, I pointed that out, and they responded, “It’s first-come, first-served.” Honestly, I don’t understand why, even though I’m paying for the meal, there’s no explanation of the closing time, and there’s a possibility I might not be able to eat because it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. If they’re going to operate on a first-come, first-served basis, shouldn’t they at least clearly explain the closing time and how the system works at check-in or during the initial briefing? Since it’s a mountain lodge, I understand that there are limitations on meal times. However, I can’t accept being told “it’s first-come, first-served” without any explanation to guests who are paying for their meals. The facilities, location, and food itself were all good, which made the meal schedule and the staff’s response all the more disappointing.

A very comfortable mountain lodge—I’d love to come back and stay again. It’s fully equipped, and it’s such a treat to have these amenities and services at such a high altitude!

It’s a mountain lodge with 120 years of history—Japan’s first hotel-style mountain lodge—and I thought it was wonderful. ・Sky Plaza has a fantastic restaurant. ・The staff at Sky Plaza were very kind. ・The portion sizes of the side dishes were generous—it was wonderful. You don’t have to serve yourself rice or miso soup. ・I was surprised to find that the restrooms were equipped with Washlet bidets. I think that’s absolutely fantastic. ・The restrooms don’t smell at all. ・The lecture at Sky Plaza was wonderful. ・It’s in a league of its own compared to other mountain lodges. ・The staff were very kind. I’d like to stay for multiple nights next year. If keeping the lodge open is difficult, raising the price might be necessary. Please keep up the good work. Thank you very much♪ noguchikenken

I hope to visit again someday

The semi-private booth was very comfortable. The food was delicious, and I was completely full—I’m very satisfied! The Sky Restaurant was one of the highlights of my trip. I was really looking forward to buying a ptarmigan T-shirt, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the color or size I wanted, so I couldn’t buy one… Other than that, I have no complaints! Thank you very much.

The staff were all very kind, and I had a truly pleasant stay. I was especially surprised to find that the restrooms were equipped with Washlet bidets‼️ The food was delicious, the views were beautiful, and I truly enjoyed a luxurious time there. The story about the 120-year history of Hakuba Sanso was both entertaining and heartfelt—it was a relatable account of the realities of running a mountain lodge.

It was my first time staying here! I’m usually sensitive to high altitudes, but the view from the mountain hut on a cloudless, sunny day made all my fatigue disappear—I was simply blown away. Until now, I’d only stayed in private or semi-private rooms at mountain huts, so this was my first time in a shared room. I was a little nervous at first, but everyone in my room was so nice, and we had a great time together. If I had to be picky, though, I’d say the ideal setup would be about six people in an 8-tatami-mat room… I was so happy to stay there during this special 120th-anniversary year! I immediately stuck the commemorative sticker on my phone and am now reminiscing about the trip. The evening lecture was also very interesting and entertaining. After hearing the stories about Hakuba and Shirouma, I’m planning to share them with my fellow hikers from now on, haha.

It was my first time staying at a mountain hut, and I had a very comfortable stay. It was simply enormous, and it felt almost surreal to see such a magnificent building at such a high altitude. I also thoroughly enjoyed listening to the lecture celebrating the 120th anniversary. I’ve told myself that if I ever think this is “normal” at Hakuba Sanso, I’m sorely mistaken—and I’ll keep challenging myself to hike and stay at mountain huts in the future!

I’ve finally made it to this mountain that my parents loved so much. It was a beautiful mountain lodge, perfectly suited to a mountain whose beauty far exceeded my expectations. The pear tart I enjoyed while taking in the breathtaking view from Sky Plaza was absolutely delicious. Given my age, it’s uncertain whether I’ll be able to come back again, so this hike—with such perfect weather—felt like a dream. If possible, I’d love to visit again with my family.

I asked to reschedule my stay once, and I’d like to thank you for handling the rebooking and refund so promptly. Although the room I stayed in was a large one, it was divided into individual spaces for each guest, which allowed me to enjoy a comfortable and private stay while also feeling secure about infection prevention measures. I especially appreciated the Washlet in the restroom. I look forward to visiting again. Thank you very much.