Echigo Yuzawa Onsen Yuzawa Grand Hotel

The hotel is near the station, but the uphill walk was quite a struggle. While other hotels have flat access, for some reason, here you have to climb up from the parking lot, which was a mystery. There's a narrow path, but it's overgrown with weeds and incredibly steep – it was tough. But what bothered me most was the strong cigarette smell in the room. Even though it's supposed to be entirely non-smoking, it smelled like someone had been smoking there until just recently. Honestly, it was terrible.

Close to JR station, but it's an uphill walk to the hotel, which can be challenging with luggage. The staff were very polite and proactive in offering help. The room was spacious, and the onsen public bath was also great. It included a dinner and breakfast buffet, with a wide variety of dishes, and the food tasted good too.

The hotel's location is excellent. You can see the Yuzawa Grand Hotel nestled on the mountainside right from the west exit of Echigo-Yuzawa Station. It's about a 5-minute walk, though the large, steep slope at the hotel entrance requires careful walking, especially after a snowfall in Echigo-Yuzawa and when pushing luggage, to avoid slipping. We booked a Japanese/Western-style room, and the hotel gave us a room on the 7th floor of the South Wing, directly facing the station. The views were absolutely superb, especially the distant mountains after a snowfall – truly the 'Snow Country' I'd imagined. The room had two beds, and a futon was set up in the Japanese-style area, making it perfect for families with two children on a ski trip. There are two onsen (hot springs) on the hotel's first floor, and the open-air bath is particularly memorable, especially when you catch a heavy snow while soaking outdoors. An unforgettable experience! The hotel exudes the charm of an established onsen hotel, with attentive and meticulous service. Yukata and towels are changed daily. Although the facilities show their age, they are still perfectly functional, especially the in-room mini-bar/sink area, which was convenient for eating bentos in the room after skiing each day. Oh, we didn't book breakfast or dinner; we got all our meals from the convenience store inside the station and nearby restaurants. The hotel's excellent service was also evident in many small details, such as the free rain boots at the entrance and the weather forecasts for various ski resorts. I particularly recommend the ski rental shop right outside the hotel; they have a great attitude, reasonable prices, and the ski gear and helmets are all very new. In summary, it was a very satisfying stay in every aspect. If I come back to Echigo-Yuzawa during the ski season, I will definitely stay here again!

You can spot the hotel right from the station, and it's just a 5-minute walk after you exit. I highly recommend the hotel's dinner buffet; the food is excellent and includes sukiyaki. There isn't much snow around the hotel itself, but you can take a bus from Yuzawa Station to Gala to enjoy the snow and mountain views.

Both the heating and air conditioning here are excellent. The space is very generous, and there's a great selection of hot springs, so you can enjoy them almost any time. There's also a shuttle bus that conveniently takes you to the station. Plus, there's a small entertainment area nearby perfect for kids to play in the snow.

The hotel is very close to the station, which is super convenient. It's a bit old, but the cleanliness and service are excellent. The hot spring is small with limited options, but it's quite nice when there aren't many people around.

The hotel is very close to the station, but there's a big uphill slope, which can be tough with luggage. The hot spring facilities are great, and they even offer coffee, sweet fermented rice soup, and thick soup. I really liked the spacious Japanese-style room, though the futons were a bit thin and firm. The breakfast selection was quite varied. They also have plenty of free lockers for temporary luggage storage, which is excellent. It's an older hot spring hotel, but the overall environment is good. When booking, be aware that there are East, West, and South wings, and only the East wing has rooms with private hot springs!