Odate Bar Hotel

"We visited Hirosaki during cherry blossom season, and this hotel was a convenient base for our trip. It’s located right next to the main station in Hirosaki, making it very easy to get around using public transportation. The room was decent but quite small, which is typical for hotels in Japan, and the facilities felt a bit old, though still perfectly usable. On the plus side, they provided complimentary toiletries such as a toothbrush, hairbrush, and razor. Overall, it’s an affordable and convenient option for staying in the area."

"The rooftop Onsen is wonderful. The hotel is also very close to excellent restaurants."

"Breakfast menu for westerners are very limited.. Big room and location is good. Few blocks from lake, Restaurants and Shops. Short drive to the Oirase Gorge. Very convenient."

"We had a wonderful stay at Ishiba Ryokan. The owner, a ninth-generation descendant of a samurai family, shared fascinating stories that brought the ryokan’s rich history to life. As a designated cultural heritage property, it truly feels like stepping back in time. The location is ideal, just a short distance from the famous castle, and the atmosphere is calm, understated, and deeply tranquil. The owner speaks excellent English and was incredibly welcoming and engaging to talk with. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and will definitely be returning."

"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. ¥¥¥¥¥¥"