Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za

During the Silver Week holidays, we planned a two-day trip, spending the first day at Lake Shikotsu and the second in Sapporo. We rented a car at New Chitose Airport and thoroughly enjoyed exploring Hokkaido. Our first night at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou AO no ZA was wonderful, thanks to the all-inclusive service, the thoughtful hospitality of the staff and culinary team, and our room’s private open-air bath. Next time, we plan to stay both nights here and take day trips by car to Sapporo, Tomakomai, and other nearby destinations. We look forward to staying again!

I stayed here for two nights with a childhood friend, and it was a wonderfully comfortable stay from arrival to departure. Right after we arrived, the non-alcoholic drink served during check-in was delicious, but what really impressed us was the welcome drink brought to our room: a bottle of champagne. It came with tasty chocolates and fruit, and all drinks in the in-room refrigerator were also complimentary—so we started off by enjoying beer on the balcony sofa, and our relaxing getaway began immediately. The open-air hot spring bath in the room was perfect—just the right temperature, with silky water that felt like a beauty serum. After soaking, my skin felt moisturized and smooth even without applying anything. The heat retention was excellent as well. It was spacious enough for three people to soak comfortably—no complaints at all! With the all-inclusive plan, even DOCG-class wines such as Barolo and Barbaresco were included, which made it especially enjoyable to be able to drink as much of that quality as we liked. The glasses provided—in the room and throughout—were RIEDEL, which made great wine taste even better. The room was clean and spacious, and every meal was outstanding. Dining in a private room also allowed us to relax in peace and quiet. There were many types of sake available with dinner as well, all very enjoyable. Premium ingredients were used generously, and everything was delicately seasoned—refined yet full of flavor—and truly delicious. Everything tasted amazing and there was plenty of food (it was actually a bit too much for me—I’m sorry I couldn’t finish it), so I was very satisfied overall; however, while all of the sweets served at afternoon tea on the second day were excellent, I wished there had been something savory too. The sandwiches from room service were delicious, so if something like that had been served alongside (even the same ones), it would have been perfect—but for that reason alone I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 (it’s already more than enough since it’s complimentary; I’m only mentioning this because it could make satisfaction even higher). That said, this is truly an exceptional property in every way—we kept saying “Let’s come back again!” throughout our two-night stay. Next time we’d love to stay three nights! Other than taking a short walk around Lake Shikotsu (which felt wonderful), we spent our time entirely in the room doing absolutely nothing—just relaxing—and thanks to Ao no Za (AonozA), it became a luxurious “do-nothing” trip that we could fully enjoy. It’s one of those places I wholeheartedly recommend to others—I’ve already recommended it to my mother and friends right away."""