Ryokan in Hokkaido
What Japanese guests say about ryokan in Hokkaido: which room to book, what the baths are really like, and what to watch out for.
2 ryokan
The two reviewed Hokkaido inns are in separate areas, Zaborin in Hanazono near Niseko and Ao no Za at Lake Shikotsu, but share a formula: luxury pricing and an open-air onsen bath in every room, with no shared bathing to plan around. Service is the common weak point in Japanese reviews of both.
Zaborin is the choice for the water itself: source-fed onsen, never recirculated, in 15 rooms set well apart, though service draws pointed criticism and there's no air conditioning. Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za runs all-inclusive, with drinks from champagne to craft gin, and every suite faces the lake; its in-room baths are recirculated and chlorinated, a national road runs past the hotel, and food scores lowest.
Compare at a glance
| Ryokan | Area | Price | Overall Score | Cuisine | Onsen Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za | Hokkaido | Luxury | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| Zaborin | Hokkaido | Luxury | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.9 |
Area photoHokkaidoLuxury
Shikotsu Onsen, Chitose, Hokkaido — 25 lake-facing suites a few minutes' walk from Lake Shikotsu, about 40 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport
9 sources
Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za
しこつ湖鶴雅別荘 碧の座
Hokkaido's all-inclusive lake retreat: 25 suites of 100㎡ or more, each with an open-air onsen bath, and drinks from champagne to craft gin included — book a high floor, because the view from the cheapest rooms takes in the road
- Private Onsen Rooms
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Photo credits
- Mount Yōtei from Niseko Annupuri · MIKI Yoshihito / CC BY 2.0
