Lisa and her staff really go above and beyond - from answering various mails before arriving to helping with advice and recommendations whilst there they were just great. I asked for a floor fan in my room and there was one there upon arrival. Breakfasts were good - not a huge selection but all you need before a good day on the slopes. Location is very close to hill - short walk up and you can ski back to the door. The onsen was a great way to relax at the end of the day. Rooms are much bigger than normal Japan hotels and the bed and sheets were super comfy.

It would be nice to have more Japanese food on the menu and a fireplace would be so good and really set you apart!

Comfortable room with adequate storage, comfortable bed and pillow and a nice view over the valley. Nice breakfast and dinner (which we had included) but if you are staying more than a few nights, you'd want to try some other dinner options. Dinner menu had several Japanese options and then a couple of specials. Really loved the apple pie. Hotel unexpectedly had a hot pool which unfortunately was not very hot at 5 pm (apparently needed to use later). Location is a very short walk to the ski lifts and the Madarao Hotel Onsen - which was excellent to use. Lisa and her staff were excellent to deal with and I loved the yes attitude. We asked for a dry rack and extra lamp for the room and Lisa provided immediately. Also really liked that Lisa would organise your luggage to be collected from the bus stop and taken back to the bus stop so we didn't have to drag our bags on the 3 min walk in the snow. Will stay again when we go to Madarao.

Would love if there was a really warm central area with comfy couches that you could relax in. Bar provided some of this but it was a bit cool as was the foyer couch area - mind you we had just come from very over heated Japanese hotels where we walked around in shorts and t-shirts AND it was VERY cold outside. The snow just didn't stop falling.

The hotel is close to the lifts, just a short walk to them and also conveniently located close to restaurants. Breakfast was freshly cooked with lots of options. We also booked for dinner which was great and the apple pie was a stand out. There is an on-site bar which is a good place to hang out and chat to other guests. The room was a good size, plenty of storage and the bed was super comfy. You were made to feel super welcome the minute you stepped in and Lisa and her team were amazing and couldn't do enough for you. Would definitely recommend and would definitely stay again.

We had an amazing time spending 5 nights at Active Life Madarao as a group of 8 friends spread across 4 rooms. The rooms were huge compared to any accommodation we've experienced in Japan, very comfy and warm (the ability to open the windows and a space heater to customise the room to the perfect temperature for your preference was great!). Very close walk to the Madarao slopes and the open air hot bath was a perfect way to relax at the end of the day (Remember to bring bathers!). But above all, our host Lisa was such a delight, her exceptional service helped us so much through our time and really made us feel at home during our stay (helping us find alternative instructors when our ski school cancelled on us at the last minute, finding us taxis when the bus routes were altered, organising luggage transfers, and even organising with the chef to make a birthday cake for our mate celebrating his 30th!) Thank you so much!! We will be back 🙂

The location was excellent, very close to ski lift and rental place (about 5 minute walk across a parking lot). Breakfast was great with daily specials included (ham & eggs, french toast, etc.). The staff was very friendly and helpful, especially Lisa, who is the manager and personally checked in with us every day to make sure we had everything we needed and to give tips on local food and how to get around. The atmosphere overall was like being part of the family. We particularly liked the large dining room / bar area where you can come down after a long day and play games to relax. The rooms were simple, but absolutely adequate for a family of 4. The beds and pillows are incredibly comfortable, which is very important after a day of skiing.

It was difficult to dry clothes at the end of the day since there are not many options to hang anything. There are dryers but it seemed like they were always taken. You could also hang larger items downstairs where you kept your ski equipment, but it would have been nice to have more places in the room to dry things.

Lisa, the manager, was an absolute star to help with everything during our stay and made our trip awesome. All the crew who worked there were great. Morning breakfast buffet had good basics and we enjoyed the cooked to order daily options included. Comfy beds and quality towels appreciated. Dinner at restaurant convenient and delicious. Good choice of wines at the bar for an apres drink.

It’s not an ideal place for skiiers as though it’s a short walk to the slopes, it’s uphill and not comfortable in ski boots. We wore shoes and left them in a locker at the bottom of Madarao to avoid the pain. Ski equipment rental in Madarao was more expensive than anywhere else we rented at other resorts and less variety to choose from. Seems to be a Madarao specific thing (not the place we rented from). Only thing I would recommend is they label the skis as we had one set taken on the slopes by someone as they were identical.

Everything about this property felt cozy and inviting! From the moment we arrived, Lisa and her staff gave us a tour of the hotel and the surrounding area, noting restaurants and how to get to the lift which was just a mere 2-3 minute walk away. The rooms were very comfortable, the onsite locker for ski gear was phenomenal and the onsen was just stunning and so relaxing! It's both an indoor and outdoor onsen so against the snow it was magical. At the end, staff helped us get our belongings to the bus and made returning our rental gear a breeze. Everything felt seamless and taken care of. We truly appreciate everyone there and hope to be back!

Active Life Madarao exceeded all expectations. We were met warmly by Lisa who made us feel welcome and could not do enough for us. During our stay, Lisa booked dinner for us at a local restaurant, ordered us a taxi and returned our ski rental gear. She went above and beyond the role of manager and made us feel nothing was too much trouble. The rooms were clean and a generous size by Japanese standards. The bathroom was a little on the tight size, but this seems standard for Japan. The bed was so comfortable and like sleeping on clouds which was welcomed after a long day on the slopes. A buffet style breakfast had a good variety of choice and eggs and bacon were cooked to your liking. A coffee machine meant you could order a coffee (paid) of your choice which turned out to be the best coffee I had in Japan. The staff at breakfast were warm and friendly and the service was excellent. In particular, it was lovely to talk to Ben and Louis and hear their stories. The bar was a great spot to sit in the afternoon after attacking the slopes and Matt did an awesome job in that space. The location of the hotel was prime, just a short walk across the carpark to the slopes. The hotel had an outdoor hot spa which was surrounded by snow. Another wow experience! Stuart was also helpful, sharing all his knowledge about the snow, ski fields and town of Madarao. Active Life Madarao is a gem of a hotel with an ideal location and great facilities. It is defiantly the staff and the service we received that made this property the highlight of our travels. After staying only 3 nights, it was like saying goodbye to family. Thank you Lisa, Stuart and staff for a truly remarkable stay.

Everyone at Active Life were so approachable and helpful and nothing was ever a problem. Lisa was so warm and so friendly, she took such great care of me and my family, we loved her and she made our stay in Madarao even better. It was like staying at home. The food was great, the breakfasts were fantastic and Active Life is so well situated in Madarao with the lifts just a couple of minutes walk away. Thanks Lisa and everyone who works there at Active Life, you’re all amazing! Angus and family

There was nothing we didn’t like

The property is so close to the main Madarao lift, the staff (Lisa, Stu, the chef, everyone) go out of their way to make your stay everything it needs to be. Nothing is a problem that can’t be solved. Breakfast included every day is great, dinner and bar on site is good as well (or lots of other options in short walking distance as well). Beds are comfy, rooms are quite large by Japan standards, onsite onsen was great, free use of washer/dryer.