Hotel Grand Mer Sankaiso

Shanhaiso Hotel, located on the Sea of Japan coast, is the best hotel for viewing the sunset. I traveled north from Lake Towada, but unfortunately, it was drizzling the day I arrived, and the sunset was hidden behind dark clouds, which was a real shame. Luckily, the hotel staff were incredibly friendly. Besides the excellent hot springs, the hotel lobby is exceptionally grand. After 8:30 PM, there are Sanshin folk song performances and drum shows where guests can participate, creating a joyful atmosphere that everyone enjoyed and left a deep impression. The lobby also offers free drinks, ice cream, and a variety of candies and cookies for unlimited enjoyment. Every dish at dinner was delicious and memorable. If I have the chance, I will definitely choose Shanhaiso again.

First, I must commend the hotel's earthquake resistance. I was woken up at 5:20 AM by the 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokachi. Although the lights and wardrobes rattled, there was no sign of any room damage. The hotel's view was also fantastic; the room window overlooked the sea, while the corridor window offered views of Mount Tsugaru-Fuji and Mount Iwaki. Although it's a 20-minute walk from Ajisawa Station on the Gono Line, it's worth the walk for the scenery. I also want to thank the hotel for the complimentary evening bar; I thoroughly enjoyed the drinks and felt like I'd won a special ticket for the Limited Express Shirakami (JR East is practically crying with envy).

The live Tsugaru shamisen performance at night really made me feel like I was in Tsugaru, and it left a lasting impression on me. When I opened the curtains early in the morning, I was amazed to see the beautiful sunrise over Mt. Iwaki.

I originally booked two nights, but because I filled in the wrong number of guests, the hotel overcharged me, so I only stayed one night! The front desk staff were extremely rude and impatient! Not the friendly service typical of Japanese people!

Everything about this hotel is great, especially the service and food. Special thanks to the hotel staff, who I later learned was the boss lady. When we encountered an accident before arrival and asked for additional help due to language barriers, the hotel front desk specially found the boss lady who knew Mandarin to understand our needs and help as much as possible. Food and Beverage Both dinner and breakfast were great, exceeding my expectations. However, the photos were taken at breakfast, and I forgot to take photos of dinner. The guest rooms are also great, with enough space to see the Sea of Japan up close.