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9.6/10
Amazing
GGuest User🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 An Unforgettable Stay! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This place is truly a hidden gem! From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with the warmest smiles and the most genuine hospitality. Every staff member made us feel like family—so friendly, attentive, and always ready to help with anything we needed.
The stay itself was beyond amazing. The room was spotless, cozy, and incredibly comfortable—but the highlight was definitely the private onsen in the room. Soaking in the hot spring after a long day was pure bliss. Calm, relaxing, and absolutely luxurious.
And the food… WOW. Every meal felt like a masterpiece. Beautifully presented, fresh, flavorful, and full of local character. Each dish was a delight, and we looked forward to every single meal.
Perfect service, perfect stay, perfect food, perfect onsen.
I would come back in a heartbeat—and recommend this place to anyone looking for a truly special experience. 💖
GGuest UserWe booked the best room on the top floor and spent 7 nights at this high end and extremely expensive ryokan/hotel. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS: The food is amazing in terms of presentation, gastronomy and service. The place is immaculately clean. The views a fantastic! We got comfortable Yukatas and overall the place has a very nice traditional vibe.
CONS: They seem to be completely inapt in hosting people who don’t speak Japanese. No one speaks English at this place. None at all! They write that we can “press 9 and call the reception”, but once you do it – you can’t have any conversation with anyone at all. Even when you get down in person to the reception, no one can really communicate with you, even with Google Translate.
They exhibit zero flexibility. The approach is – it’s our way or the highway. All is extremely polite, but no left, no right! Can we have a laundry service arranged? The answer is “no!”. Can we communicate with you via WhatsApp or email? – No! Can we come later to breakfast? No. Can we have dinner at a later time, since we can’t come earlier just this one day? No! Basically, if you want to sleep a bit later during your vacation – forget it! Either show up at 8 or 8:30 am for breakfast, or go hungry! Can we buy your Yukata? – No! Also, we were asked to indicate every day what time we intend to go out – something that adds pressure, as on vacation one may want to improvise, rather than plan ahead their outings.
Given that this place charges exuberant prices, the lack of the most basic hospitality features (communication, laundry, customer-focused flexibility) is astounding! We now staying at another Ryokan, 90 minutes away and see that everyone can speak some English and the place is much more focused on the needs of a foreign traveler, as opposed on preserving the holy rigidity of an existent system.
GGuest UserThe hotel is a renovated old building with a great sense of history. The front desk service was warm, meticulous, and thoughtful. They offer complimentary red wine in the evenings, and breakfast is served in an English afternoon tea style, which is very charming. However, I only had breakfast there once during my two-night stay. On the other other morning, I opted for some salmon onigiri, Hokkaido desserts, and hot tea from 7-11, which was very satisfying. The hotel is conveniently located close to the Otaru Canal and the Music Box Museum.
GGuest UserStayed at Sho Inn for 1 night in Otaru. It’s a little out of the way from the Otaru station if you do not drive, but they offer shuttle service to the Otaru Canal and Otaru station when you check out! The host Hideshi was incredibly kind, even going the extra mile to bring my neck pillow, which I had accidentally left in the accommodation after check out, to the Otaru station at my preferred time that evening. It was a gesture testament of the great hospitality of the Japanese. Would definitely recommend this place especially if you’re a solo traveller / prefer your own private space instead of going to those hostels with double deckered beds and curtains!
JJ. SimonLocation: Around +/-30 mins walk from JR Otaru station and bus interchange. Very steep uphill slope covered in thick snow and slippery icy pavements. Fortunately, kept luggage in the locker in JR Otaru station before heading to accommodation. Every room is housed in an individual container. Ideal place to stay during spring, summer and autumn.
Attraction: Great if one is driving as most attractions are quite far from this accommodation. Unless you know which bus stop the sightseeing bus or bus to Mt Tengu Ropeway will stop at, best is to take these buses from the bus interchange at JR Otaru station which is around +/- 30 mins walk from the accommodation.
AArtur GataulinThe hotel is in a good Location near the chanel. Very nice beer brewery with a big variety of beer is just across the Chanel . Fish market and train station in 10 minutes by steps.
There is the perfect big onsen on the top with great view on the sea. All three days I visited it I was alone.
Breakfast was ok, but not as gorgeous as I expected.
The room was clean and quite big. The furniture is a little old but in good condition.
SScudLimCozy Inn is superb, can easily be reached by bus or by car. Plenty of parking spaces. Room is big and clean. Close to Aeon and Daiso. Walkable to the canal if you are not driving. Check in uses machine and strictly only after 3pm, so do not come early. Overall, I highly recommend!
GGuest UserI wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of a shared bathroom but the description of the facilities and furnishings intrigued me. When I checked in at Little Barrel I was immediately enthralled by the uniqueness of the decorations. It was indeed a pleasure to stay here and the numerous photos I took of the place can attest to that. And the shared bathrooms that I was so concerned about? It didn’t turn out to be a problem at all. The common bathrooms are maintained at a very high level of cleanliness and equipped with the latest toilet features.
So if like me, you are interested in staying in esoteric places you can give Little Barrel a try!
GGuest UserThe hotel was great. They accommodating all our needs. The room was clean and spacious and the breakfast buffet was delightful! The photos are right out our window. There is literally a resort across the street. The onsen was clean and relaxing. Parking available.
EEng YeowThis apartment offers a practical and comfortable stay, especially for those looking to explore Otaru on foot. We appreciated the basic utensils and cutlery provided, making it easy to prepare simple meals. The thoughtful inclusion of toothbrushes and toothpaste was a nice touch, and the microwave was handy for quick reheats.
Comfort is well-addressed with one air-conditioner and a heater, ensuring a pleasant temperature regardless of the weather. The washing machine was a huge convenience, and we had options for drying clothes either on the hanger stand inside the room or on the balcony.
The location is a major highlight, being within easy walking distance to both Otaru Canal and Sakaimachi Street. We also found it convenient to have a Lawson and various eateries nearby, though it's a good idea to check their opening hours as they can vary.
Important Considerations for Your Stay
While the location is excellent, it's important to note that the road leading to the building is steep. This could be particularly challenging if you're driving, and we would not advise driving during winter due to the road conditions.
For those with a car, there are two parking areas available. The closer one has three slots, while a slightly further option offers approximately 12 slots. Keep this in mind, especially if you prioritize a closer parking spot.