Where to stay in Hokkaido 🏨
Where to stay in Hokkaido 🏨
Samantha Ang
This map brings you my recommended accommodation options for visiting the beautiful island of Hokkaido, based off my personal experience having spent 10 days on a road trip through central and eastern Hokkaido (and countless hours of research before that!).
🔸 These may not be the most 'budget' options but are what I'd consider to be value-for-money, and most have got a special 'X' factor reason for being chosen, be it a unique breakfast, special privileges etc. ✨
🔸 I traveled Hokkaido in late Spring🌸 (not Winter), so these would not be the best options if you're looking for a ski resort specifically (although option #6 below might just be your pick for the Winter too!)
Included:
🏨 6 hotels (I've personally stayed in all of them)
📍 An interactive map available on mobile
💻 Direct links for you to book your accommodation below
Want more info on traveling to Hokkaido? Look out for my 10-day itinerary for Central and Eastern Hokkaido coming soon! (Tip: Subscribe so you’ll get an update once it’s published!)
If you found these recommendations helpful, feel free to drop me a tip (as little or as much as you’d like) via the button below ⤵️It’ll really encourage me to keep sharing these travel tips! 👍🏻
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Tips on choosing your accommodation
🟨Accommodation in Japan is not cheap, but you can still make it worth your while by selecting hotels that have unique offerings such as free happy hour (see hotel #1 on this list), an excellent location that might save you some transport costs (see hotel #2), or privileged access to an attraction (see hotel #6).
🟨Seasoned travelers know that booking directly with the hotel generally offers you the best rates, but this can be difficult when not all Japanese hotels have English sites, and it's risky to rely on Google Translate to make sure you've got all the terms and conditions right. Where I had trouble booking directly with the hotel, I found Booking.com to be a convenient booking platform. What's more, it allowed me to access all my bookings quickly in one place, and had access to a chat function with the hotel whenever I had queries (e.g. about checking in early or leaving my luggage at reception). You'll find all the Booking.com links below to help you quickly check on any hotels you're interested in 😊
Otaru
UNWIND HOTEL&BAR OTARU
@samanthaang
I would come back here in a heartbeat. Right from when I stepped into the lobby of this historic building, I fell in love with its design and vibe. The rooms are small but everything is thoughtfully laid out. Every guest is invited to a happy hour in the late afternoon/evenings where they serve some local wines.
The star of the stay is without a doubt the 'high-tea'-style breakfast, a wide variety of small bites made with fresh ingredients from Hokkaido. So delicious and unforgettable - I compared every breakfast of the trip to the one I had at Unwind and none could match up.
The hotel is well-located within walking distance of the Otaru Canal and Sakaimachi. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the Otaru train station, which I managed to do while pushing a full-sized luggage.
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Sapporo
THE KNOT SAPPORO
@samanthaang
The Knot is a relatively new hotel in Sapporo with an excellent location - it's directly connected via the basement to the famous Tanukikoji Shopping Street where you can spend hours wandering down the rows and rows of shops.
The standard room is moderately-sized and modern-looking.
The highlight is really its convenience as it is connected via the underground passageway to the subway station which takes you to Sapporo Train Station for connections to the airport.
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Asahikawa
Hotel Wing International Asahikawa Ekimae
@samanthaang
Hotel Wing is a chain of business hotels in Japan. It doesn't sound terribly exciting but when you consider that this was just a one-night stop in my road trip itinerary, this suited my needs perfectly. It was situated within walking distance of several streets of shops and restaurants, and just across the street from a huge AEON mall - don't forget to pop into the ground floor of AEON to check out the numerous bakeries and pastry shops. You won't walk out empty handed!
The breakfast at Hotel Wing International Asahikawa was also surprisingly good.
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Shiretoko
KIKI SHIRETOKO NATURAL RESORT
@samanthaang
I must have left a piece of my heart at Kiki Shiretoko where I spent 3 nights in my 10 day road trip around Hokkaido. I have absolutely no regrets slowing down the trip with an extended stay here to take in the beauty of the Shiretoko peninsula.
An excellent base to visit the Shiretoko National Park (including the Five Lakes), the Shiretoko Pass, and Rausu.
A standard room here is very sizeable, especially by Japanese standards. There is free parking for cars in a large carpark just in front of the hotel, which is regularly patrolled by the hotel security even late into the night.
However, this hotel is located up a hill and would be more suited for those who are driving here. There are also not that many food options within short walking distance of the hotel and the dinner option in the hotel itself is a rather pricey kaiseki course meal.
The hotel is decorated with interesting art pieces that proudly depict Shiretoko's natural beauty. I really enjoyed visiting the giftshop which had many souvenirs unique to Hokkaido from food to skincare products and toys.
The breakfast buffet options are extensive (both Japanese and Western) and very well-executed.
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Lake Akan
Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings
@samanthaang
Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings is located at the Lake Akan Ainu Kotan village which celebrates and commemorates the Ainu culture - the Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido.
It was an interesting experience staying in the traditional tatami mat-style rooms.
Breakfast and dinner got really busy as this hotel seems to be very popular with busloads of tourists coming in and out.
Nonetheless, being located smack in the middle of town it was an excellent base to wander around town or stroll by the river.
For those driving, do note that the carpark is not at the hotel itself, but a short drive away. A shuttle bus is stationed there to ferry you to and from the hotel as needed.
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Tomamu
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower
@samanthaang
If I'd known better, I would have allocated more time to a stay at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu the Tower given how vast this hotel is - guests use the shuttle buses to reach the various attractions/facilities. It's more of a resort town and transforms into a ski village in the winter.
Its large indoor wave pool is quite a sight to behold, it also offers numerous outdoor activities such as horse-riding, fishing, a cart ride, an outdoor onsen.
The highlight of the breakfast buffet was the generous inclusion of DIY kaisen dons (which everyone clearly made a beeline for).
I selected this hotel as it is also home to the Unkai Terrace attraction - an observation spot to witness the 'sea of clouds' phenomenon. Hotel guests can take the shuttle bus directly to the Unkai Terrace early in the morning (check with reception on what time the bus leaves as it differs based on the season), and need not purchase any additional tickets to enter. This is important as you'll be able to speed past non-hotel guests in the queue. Expect to wait in line even if you get up early, and during peak seasons the attraction can be very crowded. Nonetheless, the 'Unkai' is such a unique phenomenon that I still think it's worth checking out.
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Want more?
Looking for more information to plan your trip to Hokkaido? Check out some of my other resources below, especially my 10-day itinerary which is my detailed guide to the best of Central and Eastern Hokkaido:
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha Ang
A Singaporean passionate about what her little island city 🏝️ has to offer for travelers from all walks of life.
I’ve spent three years living in Indonesia and have also made many trips to Southeast Asia and Europe over the years.
Southeast Asia is beautiful but can be an overwhelming region to visit (especially for first timers!). I hope my guides can take away the stress of planning your travels and make your experience a little more special with you some local insights and hidden gems.
I'll also be sharing well-researched itineraries from my holidays to other parts of the globe.
Happy travels!
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