Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga

Onsen was very good and available in 3 locations. On the Ground Floor & 8th Floor of the main building as well as on the 3rd Floor of the adjacent wing. Onsen on the Ground Floor of the main building is by far the best followed by the 8th Floor. Not recommended to use the onsen on the adjacent wing as it's small and mainly for the hotel customers that stay next door as there were 3 hotels that are interconnected. Food was pretty good as the hotel is inclusive of both breakfast & dinner.

An onsen hotel with a lot of facilities that can be enjoyed by all ages. Our room was comfortable and hotel is located near next to the lake and surrounding attractions. Service from staff is also very excellent. I would like to especially thank the foreign staff at the hotel for offering such good service when checking in/out and also guiding at the buffets. I can see that they have received very good training from management. Front desk staff were also excellent. There was always staff around the hotel happy to assist and greet at any time. It is our first time staying with Tsuruga group of hotels and won’t be our last.

This hotel has a large public bath with a variety of pools such as whirlpool, bubble, reclining bath, waterfalls, etc. The open-air onsen (on the first floor of the main building) facing the Akan Lake is the best. There is a vast choice of food at buffet dinner and breakfast including Japanese, Chinese and Western. Our room is spacious with a nice lake view. The Ainu village is just in front of the hotel. Staff are very attentive and well-mannered. There is a van shuttle that brings you back to the hotel from the free parking lot.

As a hotel, Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga is impressive. We were only there for a night to experience staying in a ryokan. Though not typical of a traditional Japanese ryokan inn, the large roomy bed rooms did conform. I must add that the beds were made up for us in the ryokan style after we returned from dinner, and were very comfortable. We did not experience the Onsen facilities which would have helped, but suitable attire was provided in the bedrooms. We were most taken by the exceptionally good dinner and breakfast buffets; which in itself would justify the money spent. The spacious hotel interior design and exhibition gallery were outstanding. Though we did not have a view of the lake from our room, the surrounding mountains with ski slopes and a view of the town made up for it. The Ainu Village was a disappointment being mainly shops and a few eating places, but the Kushiro Crane Reserve on the way to Akan Lake with their breeding program was much more rewarding.

Location is great with a beautiful view of Lake Akan right in front. Near to the various activities available in Lake Akan, unfortunately I was not able to book an activity with the operating partner due to limited slots. Love their onsen and buffet breakfasts/dinners. Special thanks to Mr Ichiro Terada for patiently helping me with my bookings for activities and shuttle bus requests. It helps a lot that he can communicate in English. Look forward to visit again.