Appi Onsen Spa Hotel

"A nice set-up for a ski-in/ski-out resort. My kids also had great lessons with an English instructor. Getting to Appi Kogen was also quite easy with the buses from Morioka Station. We were also bumped up to a larger room, which was very comfortable, especially by Japanese standards. That was also great. However….. The only drawback was the very limited food options, especially for dinner with young kids, who don’t eat very much anyway. We live in Japan, so we’re accustomed to Japanese portions, local izakayas, bentos, etc. But this was challenging. It was either spend 20,000¥-30,000¥ for a mediocre buffet, where the kids just wanted a few bites of the simplest food. Or a yakiniku restaurant that would’ve been 30,000¥ - 40,000¥ for a family of 4. High-end sushi spot that would’ve been even more pricey. (The room service menu is quite sad, and again would be close to 20,000¥) Or, you’re left with getting instant Nissin ramen cups at the convene, which is what we ended up doing the last night. (Breakfast, again, pay steep prices at the buffet, or wait till the bakery opens at the comically late hour of 10:00am, when you of course want to be on the slopes.) Anyway, I’d suggest packing some of your own bentos, or be prepared to pay. ¥¥¥¥¥¥"

"The hotel is a bit older but it's well kept. There're 2 separate towers connected by a bridge. The public onsen bath on-site is separated into male and female at the annex building. The view from the outdoor bath overlooking the stream is truly relaxing especially in the evening. The resort is not a traditional ryokan, there's an area near the reception desk to pick up additional pillows based on your needs. The buffet offers many selections of Japanese dishes. The staff keeps everything clean and replenished."