Shikotsu Lake tsuruga resort spa Mizunouta

My wife and I stayed here for 3 nights and absolutely loved it. We felt a bit foolish as one of only a few foreigners staying here but all of the staff were so patient and kind with our poor Japanese and many of them spoke very good English. The rooms were so clean and comfortable and the entire facility was beautiful. The real treat was the onsen which we used every single day. The outdoor bath and sauna were incredible and made even more special since they used water from Lake Shikotsu! We were so happy we stayed here.

During our trip from Hakodate to Furano, we planned a stop at Lake Shikotsu and spent a night at Tsuruga Resort Mizunouta—an absolutely incredible onsen retreat. We had a great time exploring Lake Shikotsu. The breakfast and dinner were exceptional, with the dinner buffet featuring unlimited crabs as a standout highlight. Each of us could order one dish from the cook, and we chose beef and salmon for dinner. Overall, the beef was excellent, though the salmon was slightly overcooked. The service and overall package were top-notch, making it a truly memorable stay. The resort's facilities, including a gym, sauna, and laundry services, added great convenience, and the impeccable cleanliness enhanced the comfort. Evenings were made extra special with roasted marshmallows by the fire and soothing live piano music, creating a relaxing atmosphere. While the air circulation in the room was slightly noisy at night and the living room lacked air conditioning, these minor issues didn’t take away from the overall experience. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a luxurious and peaceful onsen getaway!

Excellent buffet dining experience, good location with short distance walk to the deck of the lake. However, poor service from the frontdesk, perfunctory attitude for the spa appointment that the guest requested. Four start hotel with limited English service staff. Pls be prepared if you meet the situation like me. Every good experience that other staffs brought was spoiled by the front desk. Our stay was on 6/14.

Room is spacious with a private garden & outdoors onsen. Welcome puddings were very yummy and yet the buffet in there was very insipid. Frankly speaking, the only two good foods there are sashimi and rice, what a shame.Others: Very close to the lake, 1-2 minutes walk; a large and cozy lobby with good jazz music from an antique JBL sound system; live music performance every night; lots of books; fireplace and roasted marshmallows; lovely shop on the 3rd floor (prized reasonably). All is well except the buffet. Did not try the Japanese one (needs to book and pay a lot) hence a bit regretted.

We stayed at this property for one night in January, in the Junior Suite with Open Air Bath (not onsen). The room was at the end of the corridor, so we had a great view of the lake.||Pluses||The dinner and breakfast buffet are highly recommended. The thick-cut salmon sashimi, beef stew were stand-out dishes. You have the flexibility of picking your food but the dishes do not seem they were just made with soon-to-expire ingredients. It was absolutely top notch food.||We were staying at another Tsuruga property - the Ao No Za the next day. At checkout, the staff were able to arrange for our bags to be moved there so we could return from a short trip to Chitose with our bags at Ao No Za. The gentleman who assisted with our taxi to Chitose was very gracious.||Vending machine selling Sapporo Classic! Nice.||Minuses||This was Lunar New Year holidays, so there were a lot of non-Japanese guests. I was surprised that the shuttle bus coming to the hotel was almost full. Once everyone got off, the check-in process seemed a bit disorganized, with having to retrieve QR codes and then waiting for someone to see to you. In all check-in took at least 30-40 minutes.||As there were so many guests, the communal onsen was a bit crowded and it was unfortunate to see many guests not properly wash before they entered the bath. The onsen facilities were nice and I would have liked to enjoy them more, but I just went once.||Late in the evening, I went to the lake to take some photos and then returned. You have to take your shoes off at the lobby and exchange them for slippers. When I did this I stepped out of my shoes on to the ground where you are supposed to have shoes on, instead of up on the wooden floor. This infuriated the employee who observed me and he appeared to criticize me for stepping improperly when changing my shoes. I realize that we should observe Japanese protocol and even in Korea (where I am from), some old grandpa could get upset at what I did. But to berate a hotel guest for doing that? It seemed unprofessional, and it's these types of small misunderstandings which can create a seriously negative impression of an entire, multi-million dollar, architectured and designed hotel.||Another issue was with Lake Shikotsu itself. By the time we were checked in, it was too late to do any activities on offer at the hotel and most stores were closed. There was not much to do at the lake except take photos and walk a very short path that was no more than a 10-minute walk.||The verdict is, there is a reason why this hotel is at one price point and the other hotel is almost twice the price. We enjoyed our stay at the other hotel which was much less crowded. I will probably not return here, but if I do I would certainly want to do it when it is not a holiday weekend.

This onsen hotel is located just next to Lake Shikotsu, and it has a very serene and calming atmosphere. I stayed in a room with a private onsen, and it was amazing. The room itself is really big. The view is nice - you can’t see the lake, but you will see trees and snow covered roads (if you come in the winter). ||We chose a meal plan that includes breakfast and dinner, which we had inside our room. Dinner was a multi-course kaiseki dinner, very delicious. Breakfast was Japanese-style, also delicious. ||The hotel itself is great. I really loved the complimentary marshmallow BBQ at the lobby. The public onsens are also really nice, both indoor and outdoor onsens are available.

This onsen hotel is absolutely amazing! The service and overall package are top-notch, making it a truly memorable stay. The cleanliness is impeccable, and the dinner buffet—featuring unlimited crabs—is a definite highlight. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, ensuring every guest feels well taken care of. The facilities are excellent, with a gym, sauna, and laundry services available to guests. In the evenings, don’t miss the charming roasted marshmallow experience or the soothing live piano music, which adds a special touch to the atmosphere. The only minor downside was the air circulation in the room, which was a bit noisy at night. Nevertheless, this didn’t detract much from the overall experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a relaxing and luxurious onsen getaway!

Excellent hospitality and service from the point of airport pick up to check-out. Hotel staff are warm and makes the stay very comfortable. Food is great too in a good variety. Venue is great for 1 or 2 nights stay in winter with the ice festival within walking distance nice view of the lake and snow activity operator nearby.