Hakuba Gondola Hotel

There was just a room with only 2 towels, no any other amenities. Shared toilets are same level as public park. Shower room is wet, dark and cold, only 1 hair dryer. Parking charged 2,000 yen even stayed 1 night. Continental style breakfast. I booked 2 nights, but i could not stay another night anymore. (120USD) To be fair, it is a below average hostel if we are in New Zealand, but when compare to Japanese standard, it is by far as the worst hostel.

This hotel is sold as a hotel but is a backpackers hostel, run by Aussie backpackers. The biggest problem was the bugs I saw which look like bedbugs. The second biggest problem they do not clear the ice/snow from the front of their entrance. So you are forced to carry your luggage over thick ice to get in. The rooms are very run down.

Other than the close proximity to gondola, stay was very disappointing. Bathroom was located on another floor and had only one stall. Showers were three floors down. Very rundown and breakfast was toast, boiled egg and cereal. Front desk staff was kind but otherwise we were just really disappointed. Was a hostel that is called a hotel.

Had higher expectations of the lodging based on pictures and descriptions. Was not a comfortable or clean place to stay for those of us who aren’t in our 20s and who didn’t intend on staying at a large hostel. I love hostels but this was priced like a low cost hotel but without amenities.

1/5 – Very Disappointing Experience My daughter and her friends stayed at Hakuba Gondola Hotel during a trip to Japan. After eating at the hotel restaurant, my daughter became unwell and was sick on the bedspread — an unfortunate accident. She apologized profusely, offered to arrange dry cleaning, and even suggested buying a brand-new bedspread, which would have cost far less than their excessive demands. The hotel charged a $150 cleaning fee from their deposit and later attempted to add a further $300 to replace the bedspread. The girls were given little opportunity for reasonable discussion, and the charges felt disproportionate, particularly given that the rest of the bedding and linens in the room were already in average condition at best. The most disappointing aspect was how the situation was handled by staff. The following day, staff members raised the issue in a casual, almost gossipy manner, with comments such as “a little birdie told me you were sick last night,” which was highly unprofessional and inappropriate. My daughter requested to speak with the manager multiple times, and when she finally had a conversation, the manager, Lee, was confrontational, dismissive, and treated these polite girls like criminals over a simple mishap, offering no empathy or reasonable resolution. As a parent, it’s extremely disappointing to see young travellers treated this way while far from home. There are far better accommodation options in Hakuba that handle situations like this with fairness and basic understanding. I would recommend staying elsewhere.

We arrived at the hotel around 10 pm and there was noone at the desk.The keys were in envelopes on the desk with instructions. Our bags (that were shipped) were just unsecured. No instructions on the location of the elevator which was in the other wing (A). No locks on lockers for your ski equipment. There was no TV or WiFi (except inside the guest lounge). Bathrooms are communal and not every floor has one. Communal showers are in the basement. Just a very generic room. There were 3 of us, so we were in a small room with no dressers or closet. Our sleeping arrangement was 1 single bed and a bunk bed. The only positive to this place is it is a stone’s throw from the Happo ski resort. Just be prepared to have your clothes/bags strewn across the room. This is more a hostel than it is a hotel.

This "hotel" is one step above a hostel. It's basically a college dorm. The women's bathroom had 1 working toilet. Other 2 stalls said out of order. The beds were very uncomfortable and metal bed frames were very squeaky. 90% of the guests were under 25, at most. Two stars, 1 for breakfast was pretty good. 2 for location.

The hotel location is excellent & the boiled eggs were perfectly made, otherwise this would not have got any star ratings from me. The staff are friendly but quite useless. This is not a hotel, rather a hostel or backpacker accommodation. Its not suitable for family holiday, but OK for young adults on a budget holiday & don't mind the bear minimum. The bathrooms are tiny & the best thing about this is that you can use it as a sauna after running the hot water for a while. Breakfast has limited options, toast, cereal, coffee, tea, yogurt, boiled eggs & pancakes on Christmas & Boxing day only ! Their shuttle service is never available, but the van always standing outside the hotel. Rental gear is in bad condition.

“I had an amazing stay at Gondal Hotel. Everything was clean, comfortable, and well maintained, which made the stay very enjoyable. The staff were incredibly friendly, helpful, and always willing to assist with anything we needed. The service and overall atmosphere were excellent, and I felt very welcomed throughout my stay. I would definitely recommend Gondal Hotel to anyone looking for a great place to stay.”