Hotel Neuschloss Otaru

Despite some of the bad reviews, I found this place to be special. It is isolated and can look creepy, but that only added to ambiance. The rooms are huge, with an incredible view looking over the cliff. The food was not Japanese, but was still good. Make sure to go to 7/11 to pick up snacks/drinks. Other than a vending machine, there is nothing here. They have a shuttle bus from Otaru station, make sure to make reservations. Would consider coming back again just for the view.

The property is about 30 years overdue for a renovation. Their website tried to sell it as a luxury stay, but it's hampered by so many strange (and avoidable) issues. Doubtful that I'd come back again. Upon checkin, you are given a set of printed instructions on how to complete the setup of your own room. This includes having to remove a massive cover on the in-room onsen and finding a place to stash it within the bathroom, and even more bizzarely having to turn on the in-room refrigerator by yourself. These feels like basic steps that should be done by housekeeping. Room furnishing was extremely dated, and dusty. The ensuite shower operated on a 10second timer like a an old tap in a public washroom, so you'd need to constantly be hitting the lever to keep the water flowing from the shower head. On the bright side, at least it wasn't musty on top of that. The primary plus point of the hotel was the views owing to its location and nothing much else. At dinner service, the waiters were dressed up in tuxedos to sell the image of upscale dining. However, the wines were served in cheap and chunky glasses more commonly found in Airport lounges. Choices of wine were from "red, white or sparkling", with no further details available on varietal or country of origin. Guests were not allowed to walk over to look at the bottles they were being served from either. The food served at dinner was quite inspired by the 1950s (cooked beans and shrimp molded into jelly and layered on top of a sponge cake).

Poor communication and disappointing service. At check-in, we were never told the check-out time, and the information sheet had no mention of it. We assumed it was 12 PM, but were later told to pay a late check-out fee because the hotel’s check-out is at 11 AM. They said they called our room at 11 AM, but we didn’t hear it. When we called back, there was no English-speaking staff to explain the situation, which is unacceptable in a city full of international visitors. Later, we discovered the front desk manager spoke fluent English but did not step in to help. The issue is not the money, but the poor attitude of the only staff member who could communicate with us. Management should ensure important information is given clearly and that English-speaking staff are available at all times.