Bourou Noguchi Noboribetsu
望楼NOGUCHI登別
Area photo — not the ryokan itself · Jigokudani (Hell Valley), Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido · Calistemon / CC BY-SA 4.0
An adults-only, all-suite 'Noboribetsu modern' inn where every room has its own big milky sulphur-spring bath and dinner is a Japanese-French kaiseki in a private dining room — superb for doing nothing, but the 20-year-old rooms are showing their age and the dinner divides opinion
Bourou Noguchi Noboribetsu opened in 2006 (its 20th anniversary is in 2026) as the flagship of the Noguchi Kanko group: 40 suites of 50–100㎡ on ten floors, a design led by the Hokkaido-born sculptor Takenobu Igarashi, and a strict adults-only rule (no guests aged 12 or under). It is not a tatami ryokan in the classic sense. Most suites are twin-bed rooms in a 'wa-modern' style, and only the 100㎡ Japanese-Western suites have a tatami room. But it works like a ryokan: yukata and samue, kaiseki dinner and a Japanese breakfast in private dining rooms, and a big onsen bath in every room. Japanese guests rate it 4.58 across 384 reviews on Rakuten Travel, 4.40 across 142 on Ikyu and 4.4 across 37 on Jalan. Independent stay blogs from 2023 to 2025 and 2026 reviews agree on what is good: the in-room bath is big enough for two to four adults and fed with milky sulphur water you can soak in at any hour; the communal baths are almost always empty; the inn is very quiet; and the lounge has free drinks, including draught beer and highballs in the afternoon. The catches: the official site calls the water free-flowing (kakenagashi), but Jalan lists it as diluted with water, one blogger noted the water is diluted, and another found the in-room water paler than the outdoor bath. The building is showing its age, and 2026 guests mention mould in an in-room bath, a broken air conditioner, worn sofas and smoking rooms. The fusion dinner divides opinion. Many guests praise it, but several bloggers and reviewers in 2024–26 found the Western-style courses fussy or disappointing. Two-meal rates on Ikyu start at ¥81,856 for two in a Junior Suite (booked 55 days ahead, checked October 2026), and Jalan reviewers in 2026 almost all paid over ¥30,000 per person.
Room Selection Guide
What the guests who stayed here actually recommendRecommended
Standard Suite (スタンダードスイート, 70㎡, twin)
The room most reviewers book, and the best balance of space and price: a separate living room and bedroom with two 120cm-wide beds, plus a stone-lined in-room bath of sulphur-spring water by a big window. Several bloggers found that the window slides fully open, so the bath becomes almost an open-air bath. A July 2024 blogger called it bright and comfortable. A September 2026 solo guest on a return visit loved the quiet and the food. On Ikyu, two-meal plans for two start at ¥91,206 (55-day early booking, October 2026). Some Standard Suites are smoking rooms, so ask for a non-smoking one.
Luxury Suite, Japanese-Western (ラグジュアリースイート 和洋室, 100㎡, 3–4 guests)
The only room type for three or four people. A November 2023 blogger staying with a parent described a long entrance corridor, a bedroom with twin beds, a living room and a Ryukyu-tatami room where a futon is laid out at night. A family of four celebrating a 60th birthday in June 2026 singled out the in-room bath, and a multi-generation family in August 2026 enjoyed a three-hour dinner. The 100㎡ twin version and the top-floor Executive Suite (10F, 100㎡) are the other premium choices. A 2024 blogger upgraded to a 100㎡ Luxury Suite and felt much of the extra space was wasted, with the same bathroom as the 70㎡ suite.
Request To Avoid
Junior Suite (ジュニアスイート, 50㎡) and smoking-designated rooms
The cheapest way in (Ikyu from ¥81,856 for two with meals, October 2026), and it still has the full-size onsen bath. But bloggers found the bedroom a little cramped, the desk doubling as the minibar, a worn leather sofa (July 2024) and a step between the living room and the bedroom (January 2024). A March 2026 guest in a wheelchair could not reach the toilet in the room they had booked, and the inn moved them to a bigger room. In 2026 guests also reported mould on an in-room bath ceiling and window (September), a bedroom air conditioner that was broken without warning (May) and dead insects by the washbasin (July). The building is officially non-smoking, but some rooms are designated smoking rooms. A 2026 repeat guest had earlier found cigarette burns on the table in one, so book non-smoking if smoke bothers you.
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Dining Deep Dive
Breakfast Consensus
4.5/5A Japanese set breakfast in the same private dining rooms, served 7:30–9:30 (last start). It begins with three 'wake-up' drinks: Noboribetsu dairy milk, orange juice and haskap juice. Then comes the inn's signature morning shabu-shabu of Hokkaido beef, before fish, side dishes, miso soup and kamado-cooked rice. Bloggers in 2024 were also given a Shiraoi beef hamburg steak as a gift from the kitchen. Rated 4.6 on Jalan and 4.63 on Rakuten, and several guests liked it as much as dinner. One 2023 blogger found the breakfast rice (Fukkurinko) firmer than the Yumepirika served at dinner. A September 2026 guest on a two-night stay got a Western breakfast on the final morning, with only coffee after the meal, and wished for milk or tea during it.
Arrive early and use the lounge. Check-in is from 15:00, but the KOMOREBI lounge opens to arriving guests from about 14:00, with free soft drinks and coffee all day and self-service draught beer, highballs and snacks from 14:00 to 21:00. The in-room fridge drinks are free too. Go to the outdoor bath in the morning: one blogger found its water noticeably milkier than the in-room bath, and staff told them to try it. The private ganbanyoku stone-sauna rooms cost ¥3,300 for two or ¥5,500 for four and must be booked. Booking on the official site or by phone makes the Sapporo shuttle free and halves the airport fare.
Dinner Insights
4.3/5Dinner is a seasonal Japanese-French kaiseki served in private dining rooms (JIBIE, 2F), some with sunken kotatsu seating and some with views, with seatings at 17:30, 18:00 and 19:30. The autumn 2026 menu runs from smoked Ezo abalone and sashimi with real wasabi from Noboribetsu's Fujisaki wasabi farm to a 'Jigokudani-style' hot-stone grill of Hokkaido beef, ending with Yumepirika rice cooked in a kama pot. Wine or sake pairing costs extra. Until 31 March 2027 you can pre-order extras such as grilled king crab (¥9,800), Shiraoi beef fillet (¥9,800) or a whole hairy crab (¥14,300), though not on peak dates. Many guests rave: rated 4.65 on Rakuten, and 2026 reviewers praised the kama rice, the presentation and staff who explain each dish. But opinions split more than at most top inns. A May 2024 blogger found the fusion dishes over-designed and only the rice truly good. A repeat guest in 2024 felt dinner had slipped after a change of chef. In 2025–26 guests called dinner 'so-so', found the Western courses not worth the price or a fish dish smelling fishy, and one couldn't enjoy the meal because of a smell in the dining room. Allergies must be notified three days ahead, and outside drinks are not allowed in the dining rooms.
Onsen & Wellness Realities
Sulphur-containing sodium-calcium chloride spring (hydrogen-sulphide type), pH 5.3, 46.4°C at source, 607 L/min of natural flow, slightly grey-white and cloudy with a mild sulphur smell. It is the classic milky Noboribetsu water. The inn says every bath, including the in-room baths, is free-flowing (源泉かけ流し), while Jalan lists it as free-flowing but diluted with water (加水). Bloggers agree: one called the in-room bath 'free-flowing (water added)', and another noted the in-room water is paler than the outdoor bath, suggesting more dilution. In-room taps let you stop the flow and add cold water, so you can set your own temperature. Guests in January and July 2026 found the communal baths lukewarm, the second time after heavy rain.
Every one of the 40 suites has its own in-room onsen bath, large enough for two adults and, according to several guests, for four. They can be used 24 hours a day, and most bloggers found the window opens fully to make the bath almost open-air (one May 2026 guest found theirs would not open). Because everyone has a private bath, the basement GENSEN bath almost always feels empty: bloggers and 2026 reviewers repeatedly describe having it to themselves. It has an indoor bath with a low window onto a Japanese garden, a dry sauna, a cold plunge and an outdoor bath, with separate men's and women's sides that never swap. It is open from 14:00 or 15:00 (the site gives both) until 10:00 the next morning, and closed from 10:00 to 14:00 for cleaning. Towels, a water fountain and premium toiletries are provided. Private couples' ganbanyoku rooms and spa treatments are on 3F. A 2026 reviewer felt the changing room and dressing tables show the building's 20 years.
No policy found — contact the inn.
Local Warnings & Nuances
- 01
Adults only: no guests aged 12 or under (infants included), and bookings of eight or more are treated as groups and may be cancelled. Check-in is 15:00–19:00, with no early check-in (luggage can be left), and check-out is 11:00 (some plans 12:00). Cancellation fees are payable by bank transfer only. Hokkaido's accommodation tax has applied since stays on 1 April 2026.
- 02
Getting there without a car: shuttle buses leave Sapporo Station north exit at 14:00 (arriving 16:00, return 10:00) and New Chitose Airport at 14:30 and 17:00 (about an hour, return 10:00). Each costs ¥1,000 per person one way. The Sapporo bus is free and the airport bus ¥500 if you book the room by phone or on the official site. Seats must be reserved with the inn, buses don't run on days with no bookings, and there is no pickup from JR Noboribetsu Station: take the bus to Ashiyu-iriguchi (about 20 minutes) or a taxi. A 2026 repeat guest still wishes there were a station pickup.
- 03
Drivers: parking is free with valet, and the inn is about 25 minutes from Noboribetsu-Higashi IC. Some car navigation systems don't find the inn, so enter Sekisuitei, the sister hotel opposite. There are no vending machines (drinks in the fridge and lounge are free). The nearest convenience stores and ATM are about five minutes away by car, and a July 2025 blogger was told a bear had been seen at a nearby store, so take care walking at dusk.
- 04
This is a 20-year-old building, and 2026 reviews keep returning to wear and upkeep: mould in an in-room bath, a broken air conditioner, a lukewarm bath and cold changing room in January, worn sofas and fittings, and dated hairdryers and sandals. Others in 2026 found everything spotless, so luck matters. Request a non-smoking room when you book, as some rooms are designated smoking rooms.
- 05
The lounge and bar are a big part of the stay but have limits. KOMOREBI is open 7:00–24:00 with free soft drinks, and alcohol is self-service only from 14:00 to 21:00. Bar ZERO opens just 21:00–23:00. Guests in January and May 2026 found the drink and snack selection thin for the price, and one wished for wine in the lounge. You may bring your own drinks to the room but not to the dining rooms. Several 2026 guests were surprised by small extras, such as a birthday photo in a frame, but the free amenity gifts ordered via the in-room tablet can only be claimed on the day of arrival.
Sources
The real blog posts and stay reports this article draws on
- 登別温泉・望楼NOGUCHI登別：ハイクラスホテルで味わう美食と温泉 (Ameba, posted 2026, 2021 stay)
- 【望楼NOGUCHI登別3】ラグジャリースイートの部屋 (Ameba, November 2023 stay)
- 望楼NOGUCHI登別 夕食 (Ameba, late-2023 stay)
- 『2024冬 高級旅館おこもりステイの旅 登別温泉／湯の川温泉』 (4travel, January 2024)
- 望楼NOGUCHI登別 夕食 (Ameba, Golden Week 2024)
- 2024年7月 北海道 望楼NOGUCHI登別 お部屋 (Ameba, July 2024)
- 登別温泉に行って来ました お部屋編 (Ameba, summer 2024)
- 登別温泉 望楼NOGUCHI登別 泊まって来た！ (Ameba, July 2024)
- 望楼NOGUCHI登別 ラグジュアリースイート再訪 (Ameba, 2024)
- 望楼ＮＯＧＵＣＨＩ登別 クチコミ・評価 (じゃらんnet)
- 望楼ＮＯＧＵＣＨＩ登別 お客さまの声 (楽天トラベル)
- 望楼NOGUCHI登別 クチコミ・評判 (一休.com)
- 温泉 (望楼NOGUCHI登別 公式サイト)
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Photo credits: Jigokudani (Hell Valley), Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido · Calistemon / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Takeo Onsen Rōmon gate, Saga · Viy4092 / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Chorakuen — the garden, Tamatsukuri Onsen · 663highland / CC BY 2.5
Bourou Noguchi Noboribetsu
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