Oiwake Station (Hokkaido) × Stays Popular For SunsetsHighly rated for customer service and hospitality at Hotel·Ryokan

We chose this vacation house in the Maoi area of Naganuma Town to get away from the city noise, relax in nature, and recharge. It had already been featured by various people on YouTube, so it fully lived up to our expectations. All we could hear were birdsong, insects, and the wind. Just watching the sky change—from sunset to twilight, a sky full of stars, and then dawn—made all our worries fade away. We stayed at Maoiq konfort, designed around a Scandinavian interior concept. The Louis Poulsen pendant lights in the double-height space were beautiful as they reflected again and again in the glass against the sunset sky. For me, unlike a Hotel stay, there’s simply no alternative to a vacation house where you can spend time privately and peacefully without anyone disturbing you—so I don’t mind a small difference in cost. Thank you for such a wonderful stay. Below are a few points that I felt would make it even better, from my perspective working in architecture and interiors: I would have liked an interior roller blind since the entrance door is glass. Similarly, vertical blinds on the living-room windows facing the double-height space would be helpful. It would be best if there were dimmer circuits for the lighting switches. I’d prefer outlets by the bed to be on the center side; there was nowhere convenient to place my phone while charging. The bedside light is positioned too high and falls into your line of sight when lying down. If Scandinavian design is truly the concept, I’d like to see floor or table lamps added. I wanted lower-level lighting overall. (Downlights on the double-height ceiling don’t feel necessary.) To enjoy stargazing at night, I wanted an on/off switch for the lighting that illuminates the white birch trunks across from the terrace. A luggage rack would be appreciated—I didn’t want to bring dirty suitcase wheels indoors.

It was clean, and the living space was just the right size. The rate was comparable to a Business Hotel, so I decided to stay without hesitation. Like a condominium, it has a kitchen area, a washing machine, and separate bath and toilet facilities, so I felt it would be convenient even for long-term stays. I would like to use it again.