La Vista Hakodate Bay

❌ Avoid this hotel at all costs! The hygiene is terrible – dirty, sticky, and subpar. When I booked, it clearly stated daily room cleaning, but they only grudgingly cleaned it after I had to argue with them. This isn't a service-oriented hotel at all. If there had been any availability at Tokyo Stay, I would never have booked here. The only good thing is the 13th-floor hot spring ♨️ – the views and the natural blood-red water are great, but the overall hygiene there is still very poor. Oh, and they definitely discriminate against women. Usually, the male and female hot spring baths switch daily, but here, the women's bath doesn't have a view of the ocean or the sunset. Ladies, be warned! The rooms are the dark type, maybe so you don't notice the dirty corners? All the furniture was sticky. Check out my photos!

The view is absolutely unbeatable! I stayed in the annex last time, and while the main building is a bit dated, the incredible scenery makes up for everything. The room size was just right, and the cleanliness was acceptable. Breakfast was definitely plentiful and delicious, better than the annex in my opinion, but in other aspects, the annex was superior. The front desk staff were quite good, but the other staff were just so-so, treating both Japanese and foreigners with the same rather indifferent attitude. Also, there's no private onsen (hot spring bath). Checkout was super easy and self-service.

We took the NA yellow line shuttle both ways, it was 450 per person and you can pay with cash or credit card. There were snowy views right outside the window. Staying in the West Wing meant we were very close to the hot springs, though the sulfur smell was a bit stronger there. For the Japanese-style room, someone came to set up the futons between 6 PM and 10 PM. There were about 7-8 hot spring pools, including outdoor ones. Soaking in the hot springs while looking at the snow was incredibly relaxing. We booked both breakfast and dinner buffets, and they were decent.

The top-rated breakfast buffet in Hakodate, combined with the snowy Hakodate scenery, and the open-air rooftop onsen – simply delightful!

I absolutely loved this Lavista hotel! The breakfast was fantastic, with a great spread including salmon, sweet shrimp, ice cream, and pudding. There's a direct bus to Hakodate Airport right nearby, costing 700 yen, and it's conveniently located next to Meijikan. There are also plenty of restaurants in the vicinity. The Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses are just a 2-minute walk away, which is super handy for buying snacks and souvenirs. The onsen (public bath) was excellent, with good quality body lotion and hair conditioner provided. There were several outdoor baths, which were very relaxing. Plus, after a soak, you get free ice cream! It's about a 15-minute walk to both the Hakodateyama Ropeway and Hakodate JR Station. The views of Mount Hakodate are also beautiful. Highly recommend!