Hakuba Mominoki Hotel

What an awesome experience! The hotel offered exemplary service before we even arrived. Due to special travel arrangements, we arrived late and the staff quick to arrange an in-room bento dinner for us before our arrival. When we got there, we were immediately blown away by the gorgeousness of the hotel. Despite its age, everything was very clean and polished. I can see that great care had been taken to upkeep the hotel and it’s premises, which are extraordinarily beautiful. We couldn’t resist taking pictures even after check-out, and it took us an hour to finally reluctantly leave. Words cannot actually do the place justice, you must visit there yourself. We were very impressed with how delicious the food was, and the attention to detail, including the placement of the food, the coordination of food color. My mouth is still watering as I recall how delicious it was. I had 10 helpings of their prime rib one day. Besides, I had a dietary restriction and the staff were really careful with that, to the extent of reminding me what dishes not to eat everyday at their breakfast and dinner buffet. In addition to excellent food and service, the hotel went out of its way to be very eco-friendly. For every day that we did not need our room to be tidied, we earned points, which can be traded in for ice cream or other goodies. Finally, the staff spoke perfect English. This is rare indeed, and it made everything so much easier and so much more enjoyable. Thanks for the experience!

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What we liked: - The decor in the reception area with its big fireplace feels very welcoming and cosy and reminded me a bit of a British hunting lodge. Very stylish. We loved it! - Very nice terrace with torch light in the evening. Great atmosphere. - We also liked the glamping area in the forest next door, with its pub. - The room was quite spacious and very clean. - Very friendly staff, providing excellent service! What we didn't like so much: - It's a shame that the only two dinner options available are either buffet-style at the restaurant or barbecue in the glamping area. It would be nice to be able to have a served meal on the restaurant terrace, but unfortunately only buffet dinner is available. - So we opted for the barbecue, which was great - except for the fact that between the salad and the barbecue, we were served cheese fondue. Apart from the fact that summer doesn't quite feel like the right season for a fondue, it was very filling, so that we - sadly - had to leave behind quite a bit of the excellent meat and vegetables, as our stomachs were already quite full. My suggestion to the hotel management would be to skip the fondue (and reduce the price accordingly). Or at least add it as an option for those who really want it. That said, the local beef was fantastic, and we also liked the presentation. - Breakfast was a bit of a let-down for me as a Westerner. Only the standard choices of bread you find in most Japanese hotels (tiny soft croissants, soft rolls and toast). It would be great if some Swiss/German-style rustic bread choices were available as an alternative for those who don't like a Japanese breakfast. Also, the coffee (served from one of those big containers) was very disappointing. For an establishment like this, I would have expected an espresso machine, offering guests different kinds of coffee (cappuccino, cafe au lait, espresso), which should be seen as the general standard nowadays. - We didn't quite understand why the glamping area as well as the bar were only open until 9pm - in the middle of the summer holiday season! With no other places within walking distance (as far as we were aware), that very much limited our options for after-dinner drinks. There was live piano entertainment in the bar area near the reception, but it stopped at 9pm sharp, just as we were coming back from dinner in the glamping area. Such a shame! - While the room was OK (spacious, functional and clean), there is one thing that annoyed us: The step to get into the bathroom. I almost stumbled on two occasions when getting out of the bathroom, because I didn't expect a step to be there. I think it could potentially be quite dangerous. If there were a light at the bottom of the step, that would at least make it a bit safer. Overall a very nice stay, even though it was (unfortunately) only for one night.