La Vista Akangawa

Beautifully situated on the bank of the river, so you can spend hours perched up watching the scenery and deer that come to visit. The three private onsen rooms were also great with windows out onto the babbling river. We did not book in for dinner as we went into the town, but the staff were great at giving us recommendations and phoning ahead. We loved our stay near the lake, but nicely tucked up in a nearby forest and it was nice to wander round the volcanic bubbling vents and the town before relaxing in our private bath with water directly from the onsen. The staff organised a lovely little gif for my birthday of Marimo moss balls.

The dining options were not very flexible as you had to book in for your meals with a considerable notice. The menu did look great, but we wanted the option to change our minds, so we opted to eat out.

Beautiful location - time stops. In addition to the large public onsen, we enjoyed family baths - choice of three - and we had one in our room but small, one person at a time. Amazing Hokkaido meals - stayed two nights and had different menus. Dining staff - Fujita san was efficient, informative and friendly. Front staff - Kawahara san (I hope I got the name right…) was so very helpful with attention to details. Dears paid a visit late afternoon and evenings - as if they were a part of the hotel staff on roster. They feed and drink from the river - attracted too, apparently by the warmth of the hot springs along the river.

Everything to love - nothing we didn’t like!

Lovely setting and beautiful hotel

The meals may be considered challenging to the American palette

It is a beautiful location.

After I had checked in I received an email saying they could not meet my expectation of a request for a pescatarian meal. I was not told this previously as the man who sent the email had "gone home" after I made my booking. No one told me my food requests were NA when I checked in either even though I brought it up again. Email came 10 minutes before dinner so I could not make other arrangements. They are very rigid - I know that is not unusual for Japan but they exceed all expectations of that here. Also the bath in the room can barely be called a bath and it is not filled for you like most places. Its also very crowded at meal times given what you pay. I would not return.