Toya Sun Palace Resort & Spa

Disappointing, I do not like the room as its not exactly what I seen on Trip.com. And the cleanliness is a problem with housefly, worn out seats, bathtub, tables etc. The only things that I can appreciate for this hotel is the food and onsen which is not crowded. Overall, i will prefer to stay at other hotel for this kind of price.

This hotel has stunning views the moment you walk into the main hall reception, you can see the massive lake. The room I was staying also had a stunning view of the lake. The onsen spa is also very good because there are 5 different types of hot spa (hot jacuzzi, bubble hot jacuzzi, an outdoor jacuzzi and two slightly warmer onsen. There’s a sauna and a cold bath. All were very refreshing. That’s about all the positives I can give. Now the disappointment, the buffet spread is large and was in a large banquet hall. It felt like a school hall eating place. The actual quality of the food wasn’t that good. Some dishes like the fish salmon had a fishy taste and stale, they served beef steak but it wasn’t that good. This hotel operates with large tour groups and I felt like the staff treated all foreign guest ( in the catering side ) poorly. They would serve croissant and butter and jam but they don’t have knifes. I requested for a butter knife and the manager (older guy) just stared and told me to use the forks or spoon to spread butter in it. If you’re having dinner and the buffet ends at 9am, even if you’re about to take a dessert at 9am or a minute after, the manager will stand next to you and stop you. This hotel provides you with an old fashion giant key instead of a key card. Only one key is provided, so if you’re going for a spa with your wife, you would have to time it on when to leave the spa area. I misplaced my keys but found it. I requested for a spare key and the reception told me to pay ¥10,000! If you’re used to modern hotels that provide you with modern amenities and plugs for all your devices and nice soft pillows with large TV, then this is not the hotel. But if you’re just going for a nights stay and experience the onsen, then go for it. (Beware…no towels are provided at the onsen)

The hotel is very grand and has good facilities. The hot spring area is huge and the outdoor onsen view is great. Bonus for the excellent night view during the fireworks. Service staff are also exemplary. Meals are buffet style so go early if you want the best items. The main problem is that the rooms are quite old, especially the western styled ones. It also took some time for the ventilation to kick in. Overall a nice stay.

For a visit to Noboribetsu Onsen, staying overnight at Lake Toya is a better option. Although I hesitated due to reviews mentioning old rooms, I found it good enough for a comfortable sleep. With breathtaking views from the room, exceptional onsen facilities, a variety of delicious food options, and delightful fireworks at night, I'm 100% coming back and wholeheartedly recommending it to my friends.

Has everything an onsen resort should have. Apart from the lobby, every other part of the building looks old. The room had an odd smell, beds were uncomfortably hard, only one pillow per bed, faint stains could be seen on the carpet, and the bed frame was worn out. The view of Nakajima Island was lovely though. Would recommend to head out into the terrace on B1F to watch the fireworks (in the summer).

Stink at the corridor and pillow. Everywhere. You can not open windows. Too much crowded at restaurants. Very considerate peoples in queue hesitating whether to put two spoons or three spoons. Paid highest price for the worst hotel.