Name: the Kinta Naeba
Address: 469-91 Mikuni, Yuzawa-machi, Yuzawa, Yuzawa, Yuzawa, 949-6212, Japan
Rating: 8

Elevator/lift

Smoke-free property

Terrace

Reception desk

General

Laundry

Safe-deposit box

Dry-cleaning

Luggage storage

Services and amenities

Breakfast

Restaurant

Vending machine

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Library

Hiking

Recreation

Parking

Sauna

Beauty and wellness

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hotel

the Kinta Naeba

Yuzawa

Thank you, Mr Kinta and all the team for a few relaxing days skiing and enjoying a most welcoming and warm hotel experience. Our expectations were high, set by our friends, who had been there three times before, and we were not disappointed. We would happily come again!

Wonderful boutique hotel

To begin with something positive, the chef (owner's son) was a delightful person, very friendly, spoke good English and cooked amazing food. If he had been in charge of the hotel instead, the experience would have been completely different, but definitely in a positive way. 

Unfortunately, this is about all the positive there was during our stay.

On our date of arrival, we got in at 4.45pm (we had emailed and gave an estimate time of 5pm), the owner said he was expecting us but also questioned why we were early!? (and expected an answer!) ~ it was certainly a confusing moment as we didn't understand what he was implying.

We had a pleasant enough dinner, although he did gloat a lot and talk about himself almost exclusively. At one stage he even asked my mother to feel his supposed 6 pack?!

When we were shown to our room, we found out that we (3 of us) were the only guests in the whole property. This was a bit strange considering it was ski season, and the neighbouring Naeba Prince Hotel was chocka full. 

We asked about rental, he spent around 10 mins, getting rentals organized for us, no fitting, minimal waxing, no sharpening the edges, and then we were done. 

The real turning point came in a car ride to a restaurant that he insisted that we go to (his good friend's restaurant). He insisted that he takes us in his car, so he could make sure we were looked after. 

In the car, we asked if we could have breakfast the next morning at different times, he blantly said "No! Why you want to make my life difficult?, I explained to you that breakfast must be at 8am already, what's wrong with you?" .
When we explained that we wanted to get on the slopes as soon as the lifts starts at 8.30am, he said again, "the gondola does not start till 9am, you don't need to go skiing till then, what's wrong with you!"

We let it go, as we wanted to keep the peace.

Then we asked if it would be ok for him to order a taxi for us after dinner to bring us back to his hotel, this is where he really went completely out of line. He said "it's only a short distance in the snow, why can't you walk back to the hotel?"  You all say you are healthy and fit, like me, when why can't you walk back and why make it difficult for me?"

By now I was feeling quite upset. My mother had fallen off her skis that morning and hurt her knees, and she was finding walking in the snow taxing. (not that this was the information I particularly thought I needed to share with anyone). I told him to please refrain making assumptions and to stop making silly comments as we are his paying (good money) guests. Kinta abruptly stopped the car in the middle of the road and went off his head. He basically said "how dare you call me silly, and you must know I am going out of my way to help you here taking you to my friends restaurant in my car, it's not my obligation, but my good heart! You have really upset me...."

We checked out of his hotel the next morning, two days earlier than planned. At check out, he said again "why you leave early, what's wrong with you?!"

Absolutely understand there may have been some communication breakdowns due to cultural difference, etc. but it's not hard to tell when someone's just being rude, and deliberately making you feel uncomfortable. We have never had an experience like this before.

We ended up losing out on 2 nights accommodation, 2 days of skiing, and in return we had the worst ski experience in Japan in the 12 years we have been going. 

We choose this place based on good reviews, unfortunately this as you can see was not our experience. We had a terrible time at Kinta Naeba Hotel.

Terrible Experience!

Naeba Kinta is a beautiful hostel (auberge in French). The architecture is modern and beautiful. A good even if simple breakfast is served everyday. There is great art and paintings in the hostel. The rooms are large, traditional and comfortable. There are great hot baths. The host, Kinta San, is simply fantastic and will introduce you to all the best eating places in town and take great care of you - much more the relationship you would have in an AirBnb than a hotel. There is very good skying equipment for rental. Naeba is a beautiful ski resort just one hour and 20 minutes from Tokyo train station with many trains connecting, and also a very easy connection by train from the Narita airport. Just be careful to ask the hostel to book you a taxi in advance to Naeba as otherwise the waiting time at the train station can be long. The slopes are more on the easy side (greens and blues). Just perfect escape from Hong Kong or anywhere else in Asia. 

Fabulous

Four friends stayed in the Kinta for three nights skiing.  The location is about 10 mins walk from the Prince Hotel bus stop in Naeba.  We had a great time, Kinta and his son Kenta looked after us very well.  Restaurant advice, help with bookings, ski tickets, drop-offs - they went out of their way to make things easy.  Check out the outdoor hot bath in the tower block.  Make sure you have drinks in the conversation pit by the fire.  The building is delightfully decorated with quirky art pieces.  Good for families.  Lots of rental kit there also.  I would like to return!

Cool, quirky and friendly

Excellent family run boutique hotel with quirky industrial look, complete with a cozy wood stove in the lounge area with free marshmallows, a bar that appears by pulling down a hatch etc. Great mountain view from the room which has an abundance of storage space. Supper, a fusion of Japanese and European, is delicious and plentiful, which is just as well as the breakfast is fairly light. Shared baths are small and not open during the day but not too busy. Lovely view of the Naeba ski fireworks from the front of the hotel. 
It's like visiting a friend or a family. You feel like you are getting an individual service. Beats staying in a large soulless hotel, even with a walk to the slopes. 

the Kinta Naeba

Main amenities of the hotel

Available rooms

Location

Description of the hotel

What other amenities are there?

Policies

Check-in terms and conditions

Additional information

Payment