Hotel Name: Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel
Address: 231 〒034－0398, Tochikubo Okuse, Towada, Aomori Prefecture 034-0301, Japan
I stayed at Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel in Towada, Japan. I stayed here as a guest of Aomori Prefecture tourism.
The Oirase Keiryu Hotel is a resort-style 4-star luxury hotel. Hoshino Resort Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based operator of ryokan (Japanese inns) with its first hot spring resort having opened in 1914. They have 30 properties in Japan (and Bali and Tahiti).
The hotel situated next to the Oirase Mountain Stream, near Lake Towada. The resort makes for a luxurious base for those wishing to do a walking tour of the mountain stream which is about 12km in length. Also on the property is a communal bath, which is fed by spring water from Mt. Hakkoda.
The hotel has all the amenities you would expect from an international standard hotel. It also maintains Japanese tradition and culture in the design of the rooms.
I enjoyed this couch which faces the window.
The hotel faces the Oirase Stream, which is one of the main attractions of the area. The hotel is a low-rise building that is spread out along the length of the river. This was the view from my window.
I liked how the bathroom was in a traditional Japanese bathhouse style. There was a shower area, and also a place to sit where you can scrub yourself with a tub of water, like in a bathhouse.
I found myself saying “oh look a Japanese toilet” every time I saw a toilet in Japan. I’m not sure how many days of travel it takes in Japan before you realise that every toilet in Japan is a Japanese toilet.
For dinner we went to the buffet. Hotel buffets can be hit or miss, but this was a definite hit. The plates are sectioned into nine cavities, sort of like a bento box. So instead of piling on lots of one type of food, this made you portion control your food into more, smaller sizes. Everything was fresh and kept well presented.
There are two feature fireplaces in the hotel common areas. Here you can get a drink and enjoy the outside scenery while sitting next to a fire.
We had a set menu for breakfast in the restaurant which was six courses. After breakfast we enjoyed a coffee in the outdoor area by the river. It was cold but they have long jackets and blankets at the door which you can wear to the outdoor area.
I couldn’t resist having a coffee outside when there is a view like this.
There is free wifi throughout the property, which worked no problem everywhere I went.
Apart from the stream walk and baths, there are activities that are organised by the hotel, which you can check at the activity area.
There is a free shuttle bus which operates along the length of the stream walk, so you can choose how far you wish to walk along the path. You can also rent a mountain bike.
Overall this was an amazing hotel to stay at for exploring the Lake Towada area. If you want to indulge in a little luxury then this is the place to do it.
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