Scout loves
- Excellent service
- The outdoor onsen (Rotenburo) is the best in the area
- The large western style rooms
- The food which will impress discerning foodies
- Kodama-san and his son/manager Yoshihiro-san who are very friendly and accommodating
- The snow monkeys which usually hang out at the windows of the rooms. They are adorable but a little sneaky so don’t leave your windows open as they might just steal your snacks!
Scout tips
- Half-Board (Breakfast and Dinner) is the only option
- Ski-in/ski-out in the Shiga Kogen Giant ski area
- It’s quite far from Ichinose Village
- Shuttle service is available to and from the Hasuike bus stop
- Free wifi
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Hotel Alpenberg is an authentic Japanese experience which may pose challenges to some travellers. Read our story about Staying in a Japanese hotel.
SCOUT REVIEW
A fusion of the best of the east and the west, Hotel Alpenburg was built in the 1990s in preparation for the area’s hosting of the 1998 Winter Olympics. It is a ski-in/ski-out hotel that enjoys a 60% repeat customer base. It has Austrian style and was built by European carpenters who were brought in just to build the hotel, so everything is authentic both inside and out. Not surprisingly, it was the home of the Austrian ski team during the Olympics including the giant slalom gold medallist, Hermann Maier. But the king of ski racing isn’t the only Royalty that has stayed here, there was a room built especially for Japan’s prince and princess to use during the games (the room is available for rent and is, not surprisingly, called the Princess Room).
All the rooms are western style and feature lots of woodwork and traditional European style furniture. Rooms types are standard twin, deluxe twin and special rooms. All the rooms have bathrooms and are very spacious and comfortable; and most of the rooms have balconies and great views of the slopes and of the Giant ski area. The larger rooms have sofas which can be turned into sleeper sofas.
All the rates include breakfast and dinner served in a lovely dining room (It is not possible to get only breakfast since there are no nearby alternative restaurants for dinner). The dinner alternates between western style dishes and Japanese cuisine. The menu is in English so you know what you are exactly eating. The dining room also serves lunch. The hotel has a bar with a nice fireplace where you can relax and chat with Kodama-san who will be more than happy to share some Japanese whisky, beer or sake with you, and he seems like the sort of guy who’ll be very happy to share more than one.
You will love the outdoor onsen of this hotel which Scout thinks is one of the best in the area. It’s set in stones with lots of snow around and the natural hot spring water emits a slight sulfur smell (which means it’s great for your skin!). The hotel also has an indoor onsen, swimming pool, sauna and Jacuzzi.
Hotel Alpenburg will make you feel like you are in Europe but in a different setting and with Japanese hospitality and warmth. No wonder, it is a long-time favorite of skiers who come to Shiga Kogen to enjoy the skiing.
Who should stay here
Hotel Alpenburg is perfect for couplesor families looking for ski-in ski-out accommodation in Shiga Kogen that don’t need to be based in a village.
Location
Hotel Alpenburg is located in the Shiga Kogen Giant ski area. Shuttle service is available to and from the Hasuike bus stop. A shuttle bus is required to get to Ichinose Village, and sadly this shuttle finishes service at 7pm, meaning it’s almost impossible to get there to enjoy the restaurants or a bar once it stops running.
- Ski-in Ski-out or slopeside
About Shiga Kogen
Shiga Kogen is an intermediate groomer lover’s paradise. It’s one of the biggest (and highest) ski areas in Japan with 21 mostly interlinked resorts scattered among five valleys. There’s a variety of accommodation in Shiga Kogen, much of which is ski-in ski-out. It’s the perfect place for families or couples who love cruising and who want to explore somewhere different to the masses of Australians. Just be ready to bring out your Japanese phrasebook from time to time!
Read more about Shiga Kogen and other hotels in the area.
Hotel Policies
Arrival Details: Hotel Alpenburg offers a pick up service from the local bus station. If you would like Scout to arrange this for you we will need to know your arrival details at least 1 week prior to arrival. No dinner is available after 6pm so if you are arriving later than 6pm no meal will be available.
Hotel Alpenburg is a typical Japanese hotel with onsen facilities. Please read our guides on staying in a Japanese Hotel and to Onsen Etiquette.
Property T&Cs:
- All guests may be required to give their full name, age, passport number, postal address, nationality and occupation on or prior to check-in, in compliance with Japanese Law.
- Property is non-smoking.
- Cots (cribs) and highchairs can be requested at time of booking and are subject to availability and an extra charge.
- Guests accept responsibility for damage to the property, fittings, furniture, keys and other chattels caused during their occupation, including any consequential losses incurred.
- Credit card details and authorization may be required to be provided upon prior check-in as a security deposit.
- Check-out is 10AM. Late check-outs may be possible on a request basis and a charge applies.
- Parking during winter months is severely restricted and must be requested and confirmed for each booking if required.
- Children aged 2-6 years are at a reduced rate. Please contact Scout for an updated quote based on the ages of those travelling.
Deals & Packages
Thank you for your inquiry. A copy has been emailed to you. We will scout out availability and rates for your selected properties and get back to you as soon as possible with an answer.
There are currently no pre-set packages at Hotel Alpenburg. To create your own package use the Room Selection booking process and one of our agents will get back to you to confirm availability and add your extras
Select RoomCheck Package Availability & Rates
You will need to contact us to check availability and rates for this package (this does not confirm the reservation). Please take a moment to complete and submit the request form below. We will then contact you directly to confirm the details and if you wish to proceed we will arrange your reservation.
Please tell us if you'd like to tweak the package to change the dates, number of nights or number of people. And if you'd like us to add in any extras just let us know, anything to make your snow holiday simpler and more enjoyable. < Back to Packages
Scout Booking Terms & Conditions
- Availability: Booking of all packages & accommodation is subject to availability at time of confirmation of package option by customer.
- Rate includes: All associated taxes. Some hotels charge extra fees for parking, cots, rollaways etc. Such fees can be confirmed on request based on your requirements.
- Payment Schedule:
- Deposit: 25% of the full amount is due WITHIN 7 DAYS OF CONFIRMATION to secure the booking.
- Final Balance: Invoice will be issued for the remaining balance 80 days prior to departure. PAYMENT IS DUE 70 DAYS PRIOR to departure. Failure to pay by 70 days may result in the auto-cancellation of accommodation by the accommodation provider or late payment fees.
- Bookings within 70 days: Full payment is required within 7 days to secure the booking.
- Variations: In some circumstances suppliers may have different payment policies to the above. Additionally some Early Bird deals require full payment by or soon after the book-by date. In these instances Scout will clearly communicate any variances prior to confirmation.
- Cancellation Policy:
- All deposits are non-refundable once received.
- For balance payments made within 70-45 days prior to the trip the deposit amount is non-refundable.
- No refund for total amount for cancellations 45 days or less prior to arrival and no-shows. In unexpected, unfortunate circumstances (family death etc) Scout will work to negotiate with the supplier for a full or partial refund, however this is not guaranteed. We recommend taking travel insurance to make sure you are covered. Cancelling due to weather, missed travel connections or lack of snow is not considered an unexpected circumstance and is one of the risks you must wear as part of taking a ski trip. Unless the supplier has a snow guarantee or weather cancellation policy, Scout will not refund any part of the package due to these factors.
- Variations: Please note that some hotels may have stricter policies (such as no refund within 60 days) and we are required to pass on these policies. We will communicate any varations to the above cancellation policy prior to confirmation of booking.
- Changes Policy:
- Once bookings are confirmed and deposit is paid service fees will apply for every amendment to existing elements, late final payment and travel document re-issue in addition to fees charged by suppliers
- In a few instances we purchase products through third party providers. If you change part of your package whilst at a destination, the 3rd party provider may have a different refund policy to that of the supplier in the destination. Wherever possible we will work to recover any refunds that come from a change at the destination, however it is not guaranteed.
- Surcharges: Scout does not charge any additional fees for the booking. Prices quoted are for cash (bank transfer) payments only. Credit card payments (Amex, Visa or Mastercard only) will be subject to 1.8% surcharge.
- Booking Currency: Scout will quote and charge in one currency of your choice from AUD, USD, CAD, JPY, EUR or GBP only.
- Currency Exchange Policy: If you book an international destination all remaining balances are subject to change (based on currency fluctuations) until the final payment has been processed. This can go either way (if your currency gets stronger you will be invoiced less!). We will confirm at the time of invoice what the final amount is, based on the exchange rate at that time. Should you wish to pay the balance earlier (prior to when it’s actually due) to secure that current exchange rate you are welcome to request the final invoice at any time. Once payments have been made (deposit or final balance), no refunds will be given for changes in the amount of what that payment would be, based on currency changes at any time prior to your trip.
- Travel Insurance: Once your booking is confirmed, we strongly recommend taking out travel insurance as it will often cover the cost of cancelled reservations.
For any questions regarding booking terms & conditions please email: inquries@scoutski.com
Available: This selection is currently available for this price. Once you submit an inquiry our agents will confirm your booking via email and send you an invoice for a deposit. You will need to pay a 25% deposit within 7 days (unless otherwise specified) to secure the booking.
On Request: Our agents need to confirm availability of this room. Once you submit a request we will endeavour to get back to you by the next business day to confirm availability (some properties may take longer). If prices are listed they are the exact prices for your dates, room selection and room occupancy. Where prices are not listed we will confirm the price when we confirm availability. In either instance, you are not committed to your selection until after we confirm availability and price. Once you agree to that confirmation, you will be sent an invoice and will need to pay a 25% deposit within 7 days (unless otherwise specified) to secure the booking. If your requested room is not available, we will present alternative options.
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