Guest User
February 22, 2026
1/5 – Very Disappointing Experience My daughter and her friends stayed at Hakuba Gondola Hotel during a trip to Japan. After eating at the hotel restaurant, my daughter became unwell and was sick on the bedspread — an unfortunate accident. She apologized profusely, offered to arrange dry cleaning, and even suggested buying a brand-new bedspread, which would have cost far less than their excessive demands. The hotel charged a $150 cleaning fee from their deposit and later attempted to add a further $300 to replace the bedspread. The girls were given little opportunity for reasonable discussion, and the charges felt disproportionate, particularly given that the rest of the bedding and linens in the room were already in average condition at best. The most disappointing aspect was how the situation was handled by staff. The following day, staff members raised the issue in a casual, almost gossipy manner, with comments such as “a little birdie told me you were sick last night,” which was highly unprofessional and inappropriate. My daughter requested to speak with the manager multiple times, and when she finally had a conversation, the manager, Lee, was confrontational, dismissive, and treated these polite girls like criminals over a simple mishap, offering no empathy or reasonable resolution. As a parent, it’s extremely disappointing to see young travellers treated this way while far from home. There are far better accommodation options in Hakuba that handle situations like this with fairness and basic understanding. I would recommend staying elsewhere.
