Hakuba Sun Valley Hotel

A traditional Japanese experience. It took me 3 days to get used to the bed on the floor, but after that my back was fine. The hotel dinner is excellent. The breakfast is average. Our package included both as we stayed 7 nights. This hotel will suit people who want a quiet location close to the slopes. The nearest chair lift at Goryu Iimori is across the road, and the Goryu / Hakuba 47 mountain is in my top 3 mountains together with Cortina and Tsugaike. Do not stay here if you want night life as there is none. You will be better off in Happo One. The staff are extremely accommodating, and the newly renovated communal steam room is a welcome relief after a day on the mountain. The hotel’s best selling point is its proximity to the chair lift plus the Hakuba Valley shuttle bus stop is only a 2 minute walk. Tip - get on the shuttle bus early if travelling north to Happo, Iwatake and Cortina. You will get a seat at Goryu but it will be rammed by Echoland. The first bus from Goryu Iimori leaves at 7.39am and it will take 90 minutes to get to Cortina, which in my view is the best resort for powder and tree runs, particularly if like me, you snowboard. Coming south at the end of the day, it is a complete debacle on the HV bus if you leave it late. Best to start early in the morning and get a bus back at about 3pm. Failing that, there’s Uber and taxis. Overall, I would stay at this hotel again as I like an early night and the chair lift is 50 metres away, but I will not be back in Hakuba anytime soon as the mountain resorts need significant investment. The snow is good but the chair lifts are old and slow. The US wins hands down. Those who say Jap powder is the best need to broaden their horizons.