Mountain view Hotels in Yamagata City

A wonderful place to stay in. The service was fantastic. The room was huge, much too large for just a solo traveler like me but it would have been perfect if I had brought my wife and child along. The onsen quality was great, albeit the fittings at the shower area were a bit old. The food was hands down amazing and featured great local produce. Honestly there was too much for one person to finish! What I especially liked was that they had a separate room on the first floor where if it was too early for you to check in, you could drop your luggage off, change, and then grab your gear and head to the slopes. Same thing if you intend to charge the slopes a bit more on your last day, just leave your stuff in the storage room, hit the slopes, come back and change out, hit the onsen for the last time, then go off. Definitely recommending this place to my friends visiting Zao.

This ryokan-style hotel boasts a beautiful location on a snow-covered mountain, right next to a stunning ski resort. The accommodations are very convenient, featuring separate shower and toilet facilities within the room. There's also a private onsen available for a small fee, offering a wonderfully private outdoor bathing experience. The hotel provides excellent shuttle services to various destinations; you can easily request a ride to the Zao Ropeway to see the Snow Monsters, as well as to restaurants, the bus station, and more.

The hotel has a Showa-era feel. There's no elevator, so you have to carry your luggage up yourself, thankfully it's only on the second floor. There are six private baths that can be booked in advance, and you can use them freely after 9 pm as long as no one is there – it's fantastic! After soaking in the hot springs, they even give you complimentary milk. Dinner was Yamagata beef shabu-shabu, which was delicious. I'd definitely stay here again next time I'm in Zao!

In addition to the room is a little smaller, but the bunk beds are OK, there is nothing wrong with it, the staff inside are very warm, there are dogs, friendly to children

After arriving at the bus stop, I found out that there are no taxis in the Zao Onsen area in the summer. I was in a pinch, so I called the inn and they arranged a free shuttle, which was very helpful! As soon as I got off the bus, a staff member greeted me with a smile and quickly carried my luggage into the inn. Once I arrived, all the staff were very polite and pleasant, leaving a very good impression! The man at the front desk was especially kind and warm, and his soft Yamagata accent was very soothing. The hot spring water temperature and quality were excellent, and the open-air bath allowed me to relax and unwind while feeling the nature. It was also very convenient to be able to watch YouTube and Netflix on the TV in my room. There was an event going on, so the menu was different from usual, but the food was excellent. Everything was delicious, and I was especially impressed by the large selection of fresh vegetables and the many options available, including one that catered to vegetarians and vegans! Overall, it was a wonderful inn, but there were some disappointments. Even though the room was renovated and comfortable, the unit bath was quite old and dated. Also, while soaking in the smaller of the two large (small) baths, the bath was so small that body soap and shampoo from people washing their bodies and hair kept getting into the hot spring, which was very unpleasant. It's a real shame to have such a wonderful hot spring bath only to be soaked in dirty water and soaps constantly seeping in. 😢 I really wish this smaller bath would be a private bath where only those who have thoroughly washed themselves in the larger large bath could enjoy a leisurely soak, eliminating the body soap and shampoo.

The location is super convenient, just a 2-minute walk from Zao Onsen Ropeway Station. There's a ski rental shop about a 1-minute walk away. You can store your ski equipment in a specific locker in your room on the ground floor, or use the password-locked lockers in the lobby. Zao Bus Terminal is about a 7-minute walk. They even offer a free ride back to Zao Bus Terminal when you check out. For dinner, there are six delicious and beautifully presented options to choose from. A Lawson convenience store is about a 5-minute walk for evening snacks. The onsen (hot spring) is a good size, not too big, not too small. And since there weren't many guests, it was a very pleasant experience.