The family that runs the hotel is lovely. They genuinely care about their guests and go out of their way to help you out. The location is very convenient (but unfortunately does mean loud noises at night). The little fridge and hot urn was great for making tea and coffee in the morning.

Noise - bring earplugs. Unfortunately being on the Main Street, and close to the bars, meant we were woken up every night between 11:30pm and 2am by very loud Aussies who decided to party in the street. One night it sounded like a whole AFL team outside our window. Then the snow plows would wake us up again at 3:30am onwards.

Miwa, the owner, is an actual angel! She was happy to help out with anything that came up. Staying at her hotel was a delight simply because of her! Things I think people might like to know: The shower and Onsen are together in one room (separated by gender) so it’s a communal shower space. Having an onsen right there in your hotel is quite nice! The beds are a traditional set up. 2 mattresses on a tatami mat floor with a duvet and pillow (extremely cozy duvet, I wanted to bring one home) The building has been around for a minute so some things definitely feel dated (not a critique, just an observation.) I paid extra to have breakfast at the hotel. You could choose between Japanese Style or Western Style. Japanese breakfast was typically a piece of smoked salmon, a variety of pickled items, cold egg, a salad, rice, nori strips, green tea and some fruit, and coffee. Western breakfast typically included granola, toast, egg, a salad, some fruit, milk, coffee and maybe one Japanese item of some capacity. They were a good size and were a little different each day. There is a burger restaurant on site that’s open some nights for dinner as well as a crepe stand. (I had a crepe and it was delicious!) The drying room was huge and super effective! Overall I would happily return to Hotel Senke and stay with Miwa again!

Location was incredibly central on the main street. The room and bedding were exceptionally cozy and comfortable, The onsen was brilliant. I loved the hot tea dispenser so much! Hotel Senke is an amazing place for a low-frills, Japanese style lodging. But far and above my aforementioned rave reviews the most notable pleasure of our stay were the hotel proprietors. Miwa and her Mother are an absolute delight, and hands down the most gracious hosts. They are genuinely caring and always present to help guests. If I return again to Akakura Onsen, I wouldn't even consider other options, I loved my stay too much at Hotel Senke.

Many of the other larger hotels in town offer a shuttle service to/from the train station, which makes it hard for Hotel Senke to compete with. Short of paying for a taxi, there is a community bus option, however it doesn't run as frequently as I had expected it would. Thus, you'll have to build in a little extra time, patience and flexibility to get yourself there and back if you don't have a car.

Travelling as one adult and two kids, it was our first time to Akakura and we absolutely loved hotel Senke. The owners make you feel right at home and make sure you have everything you need. They genuinely cared for us and made us feel right at home. They helped us with our bags up to the room. The Onsen is special, it's surrounded by natural rock tiles and is piping hot, fresh from the source, with windows you can open to let in the cool air. The location is right in the middle of town, walking distance to the Akakura Onsen lift, gear hire shops, convenience store and other food shops. The hotel itself has a restaurant which is delicious. The kids loved Mr Burger and the crepes, but they also do fabulous Japanese food, all at reasonable prices.

Nothing not to like, we loved our stay! Just be aware there are stairs and no lift, and shared bathrooms (but we rarely saw others). The hotel is on the main street and we had a room overlooking the street which was wonderful, but a little loud in the evenings sometimes.

Miwa san is such a wonderful host, so kind and helpful. We really enjoyed the Japanese breakfast. The futons and duvets are very comfortable to sleep in. The onsen everyday after a long day of skiing feels heavenly. The location is also great, a short walk to the akakura onsen lift entrance, and to the bus station where you can take shuttle bus to the other resorts.

The facilities may be slightly old but it is a tradition ryokan style hotel and value for money

Friendly family run hotel - traditional Japanese Ryokan style. A wonderful experience to be immersed in the Japanese culture of daily hot baths:Onsen (excellent set up) tatami mats, slippers and futon beds. Delicious generous breakfast - we stayed 7 nights and enjoyed a mix of western and Japanese breakfast - both great. We dined in a few times, good meals, lovely staff. Miwa made everything comfortable and easy, she was kind and accommodating for children’s needs. An easy walk to bars, restaurants, ski hire, lifts and transport. For a truly Japanese experience this is the place to stay, reasonably priced, right on Main Street, quiet rooms, great service - not westernised like many other places..

The futon bedding took me a couple of nights to get used to and feel really comfortable.

The hotel was walking distance to ski rental stores, restaurants, the shop, cafes, the bus and two ski lifts. There was a great drying room in the basement. The host was really lovely and welcoming. And the traditional onsen was perfect after a day of skiing. We loved the Japanese style room as well- it was really warm and cozy.

We didn't have our own bathroom, but luckily the facilities were all really clean and the onsen was great after skiing anyway!

It seems like a family run hotel, Miwa, the hostess is fabulous. Really friendly, really helpful. The Japanese breakfast was excellent, although common theme it was different every day, and she explained what I was eating. Best miso soup I’ve ever had, everyday, and each day different. They also run a restaurant with great food and a “creperie” that serves 50 different flavours in the crepes, they are fabulous

The snow plough coming by at 5am, but then if you want snow, as I do, then can’t really complain that they clear the roads.

Miwa, the owner/ operator was great. She accommodated our dietary needs..we had the Japanese breakfast every morning. Helped us with having our bags shipped to and from the hotel. The onsen was nice, comfortable space. The ski gear drying room was great. Convenient parking right next door.

The common sink areas could be a little nicer/cleaner, but was not a problem for me.

Great location in the heart of Akakura Onsen. Their in-house restaurant serves delicious food and the Japanese breakfast is superb. The host, Miwa-san, is always smiling and willing to help and the drying room is very efficient. It's great to have an onsen on the second floor to soak in each day.