Lake Toya Tsuruga Resort Hikari no uta

I stayed in a Room with a private open-air bath and views of Lake Toya. The hallway turns into tatami flooring partway through, giving it a distinctly Japanese feel, while the Room itself is Western-style—so stylish that even a non-expert can tell it’s designer architecture. It made for an extraordinary Hotel stay. For dinner, we had a Japanese course meal in a private dining room. When I asked to see the wine list because I wanted wine, I was amazed at how extensive it was. A sommelier even came by and selected Japanese wines that paired well with the dishes.Of course, the pairing of wine and food was excellent. Breakfast was a Western-style restaurant buffet with plenty of variety—and everything was delicious. They brought freshly cooked rice to our table straight from the pot, so we could enjoy it piping hot.The staff greeted us everywhere we went, which felt wonderful. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing, elegant, and luxurious Hotel stay.I’d love to return when I visit Otaru again.

We stayed for one night and two days with three family members and our dog. The property is still fairly new, having opened about four years ago, and the Room and bath were clean and well maintained. It felt like there were slightly fewer staff, perhaps to keep labor costs down, but I agree with the policy of keeping staffing lean while investing in other areas. Dinner featuring Hokkaido ingredients tasted excellent overall, though the sashimi quality was average. The breakfast buffet was great! The unique smoothies and the Japanese set meal with salmon really captured a Hokkaido feel.