Hotel Emisia Sapporo

I stayed in this hotel for the second time It was situated near a subway station. Besides, there were malls operating around. Shopping, dining and entertainment was very convenient. Spa treatments were provided inside the hotel. Hot spring was available at charge. There was indoor parking and the responsible personnel offered helpful service. As the hotel was one of the tall buildings in the area, it could be easily found. The view from the room was far and clear. There was an USB charging socket in the bedside table which was a merit. Since I booked a room for three persons, its size was double that of a normal room. The built-in church was beautiful and suitable for holding marriage function.

Located right across Shin-Sapporo station of the JRail. Building was huge and easy to find. Check-in took a while as I came in with a huge group. Room was of typical Japanese size. Ample space to open suitcases and walk around. Bathroom has heater and bath tub with Japanese toilet. Breakfast buffet was worth it!

I stayed at this hotel and decided to try the onsen in the basement. When I arrived, I took off my room slippers and went straight to the counter to check in. The staff pointed toward the shoe cabinet with his chin while saying something I couldn’t understand—neither in English nor Japanese. I moved closer, but he repeated the gesture and seemed irritated. I politely asked, "What?" and he replied in a commanding tone, "Put shoes in the cabinet," without making eye contact, using any hand gestures, or saying "please." I didn’t realize I had to put my shoes in the cabinet first because the cabinets were inside while the counter was near the entrance. If this is part of Japanese culture, I admit my ignorance. However, the staff's attitude felt unnecessarily rude and unprofessional. A little more courtesy or guidance for non-Japanese guests would have made a big difference. I understand cultural differences, but the unfriendly tone and lack of respect left a bad impression. This incident happened on January 12, 2025, around 10:20 PM. That said, I want to acknowledge that the two women at the counter and the other man who actually handled my check-in were very helpful. They even apologized for their limited ability to communicate in English, which I greatly appreciated.