Where to Stay?Always the tough question in Hakuba...
With so many resorts, picking the right area can be
a bit of a challenge. Here's a few thoughts.
Ski In / Out is not readily available in Hakuba, and
those that are available can be in poor locations
for wining and dining.
The
Wadano area of
Happo is quite popular, with many options, The road
from the Tokyu Hotel to the Kokusai Lifts is flat,
and an easy walk, but the main road up to the Sakka
slopes has a bit of a slope so it can be a bit of a
hike to the slopes, and to dinner, especially up the
top end of Wadano.
Central
Happo is flat all the way to the
Nakiyama slopes, but there is a climb if you want to
get up to the Gondola. There are quite a few places
to eat and drink. The Sanroku area around the
Gondola is some of the best ski in / out
accommodation at great prices, but you need to walk
down into Happo proper.
Echoland
has the greatest number of bars and restaurants in
Hakuba, so wining and dining is within walking
distance. But it is not on any one ski resort, so
you need to take one of the shuttles to get to the
slopes. Not too much of an issue as they are
frequent and free of charge.