Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga

The overall experience is pretty good. Ski in&out is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly people. Young people are all in Nozawa Hot Spring Village.

There is a difference in the staff.

Wonderful, that's all I can say. I was amazed that there was such a place near Tokyo. While it was nearly 40 degrees in Tokyo, Okushiga Kogen was only 22 degrees even at midday. That alone was luxurious, but the cute hotel in the middle of nature made me excited. The mountain road leading to the hotel was beautiful, and the drive itself was fun. It was clear that the entire building was lovingly and carefully maintained. The room was not only spacious and luxurious, but also beautifully cleaned. The room was warm and wooden, like a chalet, and the bottled water in the refrigerator was free, which is rare these days, and the water in the water heater was kept at the right temperature, so coffee and tea were ready to drink. It was a truly wonderful moment to enjoy a drink on the balcony while looking at the nature while feeling the refreshing breeze. The shared lobby, the lounge with a fireplace, and the large public bath were also beautifully maintained and were relaxing spaces. All the staff were warm and welcoming, and they knew our schedule, which was amazing. We were originally thinking about going to Karuizawa, but we were surprised that they were so friendly and helpful. I was right to choose Okushiga Kogen in search of coolness. There were few people, and I felt like I had it all to myself. Next time, I'd like to come back for a longer stay, with a book in hand. I've heard that the ski season and autumn foliage season are also wonderful, so I'd like to come back in a different season.

I think everyone has experienced the feeling that the same menu gets repeated and boring as the number of stays increases. Even in Japan, Niseko has a wide variety of dinners so you won't get bored. Shiga Kogen and Zao are not long-term stay friendly, so you will have to eat the same menu over and over for 3 or 4 nights. This hotel is different. How is it different? ! 1: "La Stella Alpina" offers five types of antipasto, which are of a high level. This also applies to other dishes, but the quality of the ingredients and the cooking level are extremely high. The chef's oyster dishes are exquisite. I asked the Chiba sisters (in charge of the antipasto wagon) for a double oyster escabeche. 2: Even if it's not on the menu, they have a secret trick to provide steamed oysters (large and delicious) at a reasonable price. Why not consult with Deputy Manager Saito, who is also the maitre d' of the restaurant? I think you can enjoy a delicious surprise dinner with close communication, not just oysters. The "Special Plan" is the basis of dinner at this hotel. Various arrangements are possible. They will change the fish + meat course to an a la carte menu. There are not many hotels in Japan or abroad that offer this kind of flexibility. So no matter how many times you stay during the season, you will never get bored. The salty taste is also nice for your body tired from skiing and sauna. Eating Japanese food at Kagaribi is also a fun accent. 3: If you consult with the chef and Mr. Saito in advance (the day before or before your next stay depending on the dish), you can take a gourmet trip from north to south Italy. This restaurant serves bouillabaisse, but because of the quality and the chef's skill, I asked if we could try zuppa di pesce (a seafood soup that is said to be the origin of bouillabaisse) from the Naples region. A few days later, it was served. It is a common dish in Naples, but it is a zuppa di pesce that shows the pride of being a supplier to the imperial family and the energy of the chef. When I stayed in December, I asked if I could try seafood couscous from deep south Italy, and in January, seafood couscous was served. Like bouillabaisse, they also stock a lot of soup for soup, so we finished off with ojiya, a happiness that you can feel at an altitude of 1600m. It was fun to converse with the chef through the food!! 4: Compared to dinner, breakfast at this restaurant feels lacking in energy. You can't cut baguettes, country bread, or mountain bread to your desired length and thickness and enjoy a selection of dairy products. There are few types of bread (no baguettes, my favorite) and they are baby-sized. So I requested one baguette, had the German potatoes from the buffet made into a tortilla-style dish*, and had bocadillo at the table!! I mixed the instant salsa with ketchup and mayo. There was only one type of cheese, which was out of the question. The consommé soup at the buffet was delicious. It became a rich consommé depending on when I ate it. It was also good to drop the boiled* and eat it. There were many inbound guests, and we were having sauna discussions about breakfast. ① Why are the sizes so small? The only small coffee cup was a target of criticism, as was the bread. 2) *There were requests for specific food preferences, but they were not able to accommodate, and there were problems with this. 3) There was not enough cereal or fruit, and the same was true for yogurt. 4) It's a shame that the bonfire breakfast is a set with no variety and you can't choose... There may be limitations due to the size of the hotel and the number of rooms, but considering that it is a top-class hotel, it's not so good. 5) Obuse chestnut jam is served at breakfast. It's really delicious. I buy it again and again from the hotel's ship.

1: I usually make reservations and stay directly from the hotel website. This time, it is via Online Travel Agent (“OTA”). There are quite a few differences between booking directly from the hotel website and OTA. You will not receive a drink voucher at the lounge. If you are used to having dinner directly booked or staying at the hotel, you may feel uncomfortable (I'm not talking about quality, so I'm just thinking). 2: Housekeepers use indoor shoes, but when entering the room, they also take them off and prepare the room. Everything is well taken care of, including cleaning. It appears that measures to deal with bed bugs, which are rampant in Paris, have already been incorporated into the plan. Bed bugs come regardless of the number of stars or cleanliness of the hotel. Although it is located in the deepest part of the Shiga Highlands, I believe that our responsiveness, including information on base hospitals, is the most advanced among Japanese hotels. 3: "Stella" repeats the bouillabaisse. This is an exquisite dish that can be enjoyed at an altitude of 1600M. The ``ojiya'' at the end is not called risotto. "Ottimo!!" The seafood shabu-shabu at the Japanese restaurant Bonfire is also a favorite. Of course, there's also the end. The staff's service is also very good. These days, hotels everywhere have a lot of new employees due to a lack of manpower. It's the same here, but we're doing our best, "Forza!!" 4: The reality is that it's not all good things. I'm surprised at how lousy the incidents are. The response was also insufficient. It is also necessary to respond appropriately to guests who violate manners (public baths, restaurants). Guests wearing strong perfumes and colognes at restaurants are a total nuisance. 5: Even the standard model has enough space, but with only the panel heater by the window, it gets quite cold from late night to early morning. I have a Panasonic Aeolia installed, but I only use the air conditioner in the summer, but I can't use the air conditioner for heating in the winter. Sharp's commercial humidifying air purifier also has an insufficient water tank capacity and requires water to be refilled twice a day when operating automatically 24 hours a day. In addition, you have to use the drain in the bathtub for water supply, which is inconvenient. It's been about 30 years since we were born, and we've been doing our best, but times are changing too quickly. 6: It has become a hotel that attracts guests from all over the world. In addition to guests from Europe and America, there were also guests from Thailand, Singapore, the Middle East, China, and more. It's a fun talk time in the sauna with a view. There was also a person from Russia, and of course it was "Détente". They sweat and say that they wish the staff had "More Smiles". I tried my best to listen and answer the questions. He said he wanted to talk more with the charming female staff. that's all

You can enjoy wonderful experiences throughout the four seasons. Located in a remote part of Okushiga, you can enjoy a luxurious time looking at the slopes of a wide farm from the balcony and the sunset sky over the Shiga mountains from the open-air bath on the other side. You can choose from Italian, Japanese, or Chinese food, but Italian is especially recommended. All the staff members are friendly and provide a relaxed atmosphere. It's a relaxing place. The purpose of my trip is to take landscape photographs, and I have no shortage of photographic materials. You can also enjoy a drive to see the lakes of Kayano-daira and Shiga Kogen, and sometimes pass through Akiyama-go to Niigata and Tokamachi.