5-Star Hotels in Hakodate

"The room was quite spacious. There were coffee beans in the drawer, so we could enjoy coffee and admire the snowy view from our room during the heavy snow. The front desk staff on the first floor were very polite and answered all our questions. Given the cold weather, the free-flow coffee, made with famous Hokkaido coffee beans, was a nice touch. Dinner was at the second-floor restaurant, featuring simple appetizers, a beef hot pot, and all-you-can-eat sushi. I'm not sure if it was because of New Year's Eve, but the service was incredibly slow; several Japanese groups who arrived after us had already finished their meals, and we had only been served three dishes. On the ninth floor, there are three private baths, which were very comfortable for my family to relax and chat in. There's ice cream available for self-service on the tenth floor. After 9:30 PM, the hotel offers warm and comforting ramen, which was a thoughtful touch. There's a convenience store right across from the hotel, and the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses are about a five-minute walk straight ahead. Next door, there's a yakiniku restaurant. I initially thought we wouldn't find any hot food open on New Year's Day, but surprisingly, it was open and there was no queue. For that alone, I'd give it a big thumbs up!"

"The hotel's location is super convenient. After getting off at Hakodate Station, you can take buses 95, 95A, or 96 right outside the station (get off at Yunokawa Onsen Station), and the hotel is directly across the street. Conversely, you can catch a bus from the hotel entrance directly to JR Hakodate Station. This is incredibly handy, especially given how expensive taxis are in Japan. The hotel rooms are very spacious. While the facilities are a bit dated, the big plus is that the room comes with a private, continuously flowing hot spring bath – it's not one of those you have to turn on and off with a tap. It's semi-open-air, looking out onto the ocean, so there's no need to worry about privacy. Soaking in the onsen while enjoying the sea view, perhaps with an ice cream [chuckle] – it really doesn't get much more relaxing! Since we booked a Japanese-style room, staff came to make our beds after check-in. The mini-fridge was stocked with complimentary bottled water, bottled tea, and beer. Unfortunately, my family and I don't drink, so we didn't make use of that service [facepalm]. Right next to the hotel is the 'Ichimonji' ramen shop, and the Tropical Botanical Garden, where you can watch monkeys soaking in the hot springs, is just a 300-500 meter walk away. Guests staying at Hanatsuki can also request a window seat at breakfast to enjoy the sea view while they eat."