Shiretoko Daiichi Hotel

Highly recommended! We booked a Western-style room in the West Wing, and it was incredibly spacious with fantastic views. The only minor drawback was the bit of a walk to the onsen, restaurant, and smoking room. The dinner is an absolute must-try – super abundant and authentically Japanese, with high-quality ingredients. The scallops and wagyu beef are unlimited, and there's an all-you-can-drink alcohol option, plus daily rotating dishes. We even got to try venison and bear meat! We stayed for two days, and there weren't many tour groups yet, but lots of Japanese seniors. It made me wonder if it reminded them of the prosperity during Japan's economic boom. The onsen area is also huge, and the wash and shower areas were the largest I've seen in Japan. They clearly label whether the baths are regular tap water or hot spring water, and I saw staff meticulously checking the temperature and water quality of each one.

This hotel offered a fantastic experience! While it has a traditional feel, the onsen (hot spring) and dining were exceptional. Especially my Japanese-Western style room; it was absolutely massive by Japanese standards. I loved it!

The hotel is built on a mountain, and trying to walk around was quite tiring. The room was spacious, but housekeeping doesn't come daily. Currently, all of Japan is embracing eco-friendliness, so most hotels only clean every two nights, and some even every three nights. Those who sign up for tours or activities will be picked up directly at the hotel. The hotel also offers a free shuttle to the Utoro Bus Center. If you miss the shuttle, I believe the hotel can also arrange a drop-off. The buffet was extensive, but eating the same things every day got a bit boring. Personally, I still prefer set meals. I tasted something sour in the chawanmushi. At first, I thought my taste buds were off, but after smelling it, I confirmed it was indeed sour and informed the staff. The public bath has several pools. The open-air hot spring bath is a bit small, but it wasn't crowded.

The downside is that the hotel is far from the beach, located halfway up a hill, making it inconvenient to go down to catch public transportation. Breakfast was just average. On the plus side, the room was spacious enough – we were in 871 and the view was excellent. Although the hotel is a bit old, the hygiene was quite good, and the hot spring bath was incredibly large. Dinner was particularly lavish with free-flowing drinks. The front desk even had a VIP lounge with a Chinese-speaking staff member who helped us book our itinerary over the phone, which we were very happy with.

The hotel is located on a hill, so walking up and down can be a bit challenging. The room was spacious with a nice view outside. The public bath area was huge, with about 5-6 different pools. Plus, they had all-you-can-drink beer at dinner, which was a big plus!

This Chinese New Year, I embarked on a solo trip to Shiretoko Peninsula, dubbed Japan's last unexplored region. The room was spotless, the views were absolutely incredible, and the food was among the best I've had on my many trips to Japan. The price was also a steal – three nights with breakfast and dinner included, right during peak CNY, for under 2000 [currency unspecified, likely RMB]. You'd be lucky to find a rundown hostel for that price in Europe! The only minor downside was that the onsen view was just okay, but at this price, who's complaining? I'd love to bring my parents here someday. Keep up the excellent quality!