Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel

"I expected a lot from a hotel costing nearly 5,000 RMB per night in rural Japan, but I was sorely disappointed. The hotel is very old. In the Japanese-style tatami room, the mat surfaces were worn, and some even had long hairs on them. The duvet was too small; if I slept on my side, cold air would get in. Only one pillow was provided, which didn't suit me. I wanted to ask for a softer, lower one, but walking from the West Wing to the front desk was too far. When I tried to call, I realized there were no extension numbers, so I didn't know who to call. Toothbrushes, combs, and other amenities had to be picked up near the elevator, and the disposable slippers had incredibly thin soles. The room design was also impractical; there were no power outlets wherever there were tables and chairs. If I needed to use my laptop for an extended period, I had to huddle on the mattress where the outlets were. For middle-aged and elderly guests, getting up from the tatami and putting on shoes was quite difficult. They didn't provide bottled water, only a pitcher of cold water in the fridge. We stayed for two nights, and when we returned, we found the room hadn't been cleaned, and the cold water pitcher hadn't been refilled. There was no sign in the room to indicate if we wanted cleaning; only a bag hanging outside the door containing replacement towels, which made it seem like there was no housekeeping service. Their efficiency was also extremely low. At dinner, there was a huge crowd outside the buffet, while many tables inside were empty. The first time we went to the restaurant, we had to provide our mailbox number, then use the mailbox system to get a queue number. When we tried to book a spot for the second night after dinner, we were told it wasn't possible and that we had to go through the same process each time. However, after dinner, a staff member chased me down and gave me a paper slip, like a breakfast and dinner reservation coupon, with our meal times written on it according to my request. We also had another infuriating experience. My husband and I both have trouble sleeping, so we booked two rooms. His room didn't include breakfast, but mine included double breakfast. When we showed our key tags (a key with a number tag, not a key card) at breakfast, we found we both had keys with different room numbers. After breakfast, they insisted on charging for one person's breakfast. I kept telling them in English that there were only two of us and we booked two rooms for better sleep, but the restaurant staff wouldn't budge. They insisted that if three people were eating, one person had to pay. Finally, someone from the front desk came over. He re-checked the check-in information and then, using a translation device, explained that their staff noticed there were only two of us but we held two rooms, which is why they asked to charge for one person. Therefore, they weren't wrong. However, after he verified it, they wouldn't charge us. Their attitude was too arrogant; they couldn't even admit a mistake! And their logic was flawed – can't two people book two rooms? Do they object to Chinese people being 'extravagant'? We had planned to take the 10 AM hotel shuttle to the Kumoi Waterfall to start our sightseeing, but this mix-up forced us to rush back to use the restroom to catch the shuttle, and we even forgot the oranges we'd packed for refreshment. Missing it meant waiting another hour. We spent so much money traveling to Japan; do they really think we'd try to scam them out of a breakfast? It was an insult, and they still claimed they weren't wrong. Also, on our first day, we told them to call a taxi for us to go to Shichinohe-Towada Shinkansen station the day after tomorrow. The next day, we followed up to ask if it had been arranged. The front desk staff tapped on their computer and said they knew about it. When checking out, I was cautious and went early. The front desk staff initially led us outside, making me think the taxi had arrived, but it hadn't. A while later, he came out again and asked me to wait inside. Five minutes before our requested pick-up time, there was still no sign of the car, so I urged him again. Only then did he start making a call, which lasted 3 minutes; I have no idea what he was saying. After hanging up, he told me the car would arrive in 10 minutes. I was anxious because it was clear he had just called the car, but the fault wasn't his; it was with the people before him. In the end, the car arrived 4 minutes late. The language barrier, outdated facilities, and what I perceive as their arrogance towards Chinese people – if they had key cards instead of keys, it would be easy to identify if breakfast was included. Their translation device also sometimes gave garbled translations that left people utterly confused. In short, I don't recommend this place. The room rate is only worth about 1000 RMB, and that's only considering the fresh ingredients and the shuttle service."