Hotel 4-Star di Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Right above Aomori Station, this hotel's location is super convenient, with direct access to JR from the lobby. It's often fully booked, so the hot spring is usually quite busy no matter when you go, but they do have real apples in the onsen! There's a hot bath and a slightly cooler one, both very comfortable. The spa, yoga, and dining are mostly extra charges, but there are plenty of activities. The rooms don't have bathtubs, which makes sense since everyone's expected to use the large hot spring. The facilities and equipment are quite new, the bed is very comfortable, and you can see all the best parts of Aomori from your window, including the bay and the bridge.

I booked a Japanese-style tatami room. I originally planned to visit Mount Hakkoda and Sukayu Onsen, but unfortunately, it was snowing heavily, making it impossible to get around without a car. So, I ended up just watching TV and building snowmen at the hotel the whole time. The hotel itself has good views and dining options. There's a small convenience store at the hotel (selling simple food like instant noodles and peanuts, ski equipment, etc., but no daily necessities). The bathing facilities are communal, though there's also a shower in the room, but no toiletries like shower gel. I recommend using the public bathhouse to experience a Japanese inn's bathhouse, which has indoor and outdoor pools, plus free ice cream. There's a shuttle bus from the hotel to Aomori Station at 9:00 AM, and another from Aomori Station to the hotel at 3:30 PM (pre-booking required). A taxi from Shin-Aomori Station to the hotel costs 15,000 JPY. During the snow season, you can't get an Uber at all, so you're reliant on the hotel shuttle. This hotel is suitable for skiers. For sightseeing, I recommend visiting during the non-snowy season. (P.S. The snow-covered mountains in Aomori are truly magnificent, and the snowy scenery is beautiful.)

We were two people. The room we stayed at was not big. If you have two suitcases it will be hard to open up both of them at the same time. We didn’t have suitcases, and therefore the space was not a problem for us. The staff were very friendly, polite and helpful. I lost my gloves at a bus, and they helped me to get them back. You also got apple juice as a welcome drink at the front desk (very nice apple juice!). We used baggage storage after checking out, which was no problem. The room was very clean. When we were there they had an eco plan, which was that the room got cleaned only once at our 4 night stay, but could get towels whenever we wanted. We though it was good from the environment perspective (but we decided to not have any cleaning at all). Overall I though our stay at this hotel was very good.

This was my second time visiting Aomori. My last trip was in mid-June. This time, I happened to catch the Nebuta Festival, and hotels were completely booked. The place I stayed at last time had quintupled its prices, so Trip.com recommended this Daiwa hotel to me. The hotel is quite good, not far from Aomori Station, an easy walk. The room was clean, on the compact side. There was a booking error this time, and while it wasn't resolved, Trip.com customer service was actively trying to help me throughout. In contrast, the hotel's agent was incredibly unprofessional in handling the issue. The hotel's service itself was excellent. The deducted service points are due to the agent.

(+) Had a comfortable 2-night stay here. The lobby and lounge are very comfy, our room was spacious with a nice view of Aomori city and the sea! Would recommend guests to check-in before 5PM so you can try several apple juices from the lounge. Breakfast was great with many local dishes including the famous Kaiyaki-miso and Ika-menchi. The staff were very nice, professional, and accommodating. Would love to stay here again next time. Parking space is also a plus point (1,000 JPY/ night) (-) The location is somewhat far from the station, 20 mins by foot or 5 mins by car. Taking a taxi from Aomori station costed us about 1,100 JPY.

Service was good. There was a staff who is stationed at the entrance, checking with guest who arrived by car. They will ask for your name, provided clear instructions of where to park. Unfortunately, I have accidentally left the lights in the car switched on. A few moments later when I was doing my check-in, the front desk staff quickly informed me about it. The facilities are good. Food is really good, very different from the other Hoshino resorts in Aomori that I have stayed. At KAI Tsugaru, it is Kaiseki instead of the usual buffet style. The staff took pains to explain and share the reason for each dish that was served. There are only 41 traditionally-furnished and generously-sized rooms offering both Western and Japanese-style designs which gives a very unique and dedicated experience as compared to other hotels which has many rooms.

The hotel is about 600 meters from Aomori Station. It's a bit inconvenient if you're dragging luggage, but it's very close to the product館 (local specialty center). The room rate isn't expensive, though the bathroom facilities are a bit old, and the hot and cold water taps on the sink are separate. The breakfast is decent, but I feel it's not as extensive as it was a year ago. The worst part was the electric kettle in the room. It didn't automatically turn off when the water boiled, so it boiled all my mineral water dry, which was a waste.

The location is fantastic, right by the JR station. This was incredibly convenient given the heavy snow in Hirosaki, as I didn't have to drag my luggage far. The hotel was clean and tidy, and the front desk service was excellent. It's also very close to Hirosaki Castle, within walking distance or you can catch a bus right outside. There's even a direct bus to Morioka from the front of the hotel, which I'd consider for my next trip – super convenient without having to take the Shinkansen!

We love the view from our room on the 7th floor. The free wifi is fast in the room, around the hotel, and in the restaurant. We had buffet dinner and breakfast included room rate. We enjoyed both meals. All travelers must added meals with their room because there is no restaurant or convenience stores within 10km radius. There is a gift shop and convenience stores located inside the hotel. We recommend this hotel; and we’ll come back again.

The hotel is directly opposite the aquarium and next to Asamushi Onsen. It's a 5-minute walk, and after a soak, there's a market selling all sorts of apple juice and fruit souvenirs. There weren't many guests staying at the hotel, probably due to the heavy snowfall in Aomori. Both breakfast and dinner were Japanese set meals. The sukiyaki and sashimi were excellent. It was just us and one other couple dining. In the evening, there was a Nebuta performance and sanshin (three-stringed instrument) music. Even with so few guests, the performers were incredibly dedicated and put on a great show. The large public bath is on an upper floor facing the sea, and the island and bay opposite are beautiful. The open-air bath also has two barrel-shaped tubs.