I Looked Into Hakodate International Hotel

This blog mainly focuses on campgrounds and day-use hot springs, but sometimes I decide to look into detours too, like 'let's skip camping today and go for a hotel staycation instead.'

This time I looked into Hakodate International Hotel, located in the bay area of Hakodate City, Hokkaido. I got curious after hearing it has a natural hot spring bath with a view, which caught the interest of an indoor type like me.

What Kind of Place Is Hakodate International Hotel?

Apparently, Hakodate International Hotel is located in the waterfront area of Hakodate City, Hokkaido. It's said to be an 8-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station, and if you take the airport shuttle bus from Hakodate Airport, you get off right at the "Hakodate International Hotel" stop with no walking needed. As someone who barely drives, I appreciated that it seems accessible without a car. It's also said to be close to the bay area where the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse is located.

Check-in is at 3:00 PM and check-out is at 11:00 AM, with late check-out apparently available for 2,000 yen per hour. Room rates seem to vary by date, based on the official site's availability search. If you use the parking lot, it's 1,000 yen per night for guests, with vehicles allowed in and out from 11:00 AM on the check-in day until 2:00 PM on the check-out day. Reservations can be made through the official site's availability search or by phone.

• Building layout: apparently consists of three buildings — the West Wing, Main Building, and East Wing
• Banquet and conference facilities: reportedly handles a wide range of events, from weddings to international conferences and memorial service plans

Checking Out the Natural Hot Spring Bath 'Shiomi no Yu' and the Restaurant Facilities

The natural hot spring bath with a view, Shiomi no Yu, on the 13th floor of the Main Building, seems to be one of the hotel's major draws. The water is apparently a strong saline chloride spring — the kind that tastes salty if you taste it — and it's said to help with bruises, neuralgia, and lower back pain, as well as recovery from fatigue. The men's bath reportedly has an open-air section where you can soak while looking out at the Hakodate scenery, and just imagining the view from the bathtub was enough to make me feel relaxed. That said, I couldn't confirm the operating hours or whether day-use visits are possible on the official site, so if you're considering it, it might be worth checking when you make your reservation.

For breakfast, you can apparently choose between the buffet-style Restaurant Azalea and the Japanese restaurant Unagi Matsumae, which offers a traditional Japanese breakfast set. It's reportedly supervised by a chef recognized as a "Contemporary Master Craftsman." Besides these two, there are six dining facilities in total, including the teppanyaki restaurant Beaumer, the Sky Lounge Le Mont Gagyu with its night view, the tea lounge Le Havre, and the hotel shop Montmorency — the sheer variety of options seems to be one of the hotel's features.

• Shiomi no Yu: 13th floor of the Main Building, strong saline chloride spring, open-air bath available in the men's section
• Breakfast: choice of the buffet at Azalea or the Japanese set meal at Unagi Matsumae
• Restaurants: 6 facilities in total (teppanyaki, Japanese cuisine, Western cuisine, sky lounge, tea lounge, and shop)

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "my area Coverage Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "AAA." That result suggests it should be easy to use inside the building too, so it could be a helpful reference for Rakuten Mobile users checking in advance.

Checking Out Nearby Attractions and Access Too

It's an 8-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station, and from Hakodate Airport, you can get off right at the "Hakodate International Hotel" stop via the shuttle bus, so it felt like a location that's easy to reach using public transportation alone. It's also described as being close to the bay area where the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse is located, though the official site didn't specify the exact walking time, so it might be a good idea to allow a bit of extra time if you walk there.

• JR Hakodate Station: 8-minute walk
• Hakodate Airport (shuttle bus): get off at "Hakodate International Hotel" stop, no walking needed
• Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse / Bay Area: nearby (exact walking time not specified)

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Hakodate International Hotel is that it overlooks Hakodate Port and lets you enjoy the view from the natural hot spring bath, Shiomi no Yu. It also felt appealing that it's easy to reach on foot or by bus from both the station and the airport, making it a good option even for someone like me who doesn't drive. Having plenty of choices for breakfast and dining might also be a nice point if you want a relaxed staycation.

Rakuten Mobile's signal came back as an AAA rating, so if you're curious, it might be worth checking the official Rakuten Mobile tool yourself and using this as a reference too.

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Related Links

• Official Site