Yama Lodge Madarao

Our stay at Yama Lodge was nothing short of amazing, it truly exceeded our expectations in every way. - The staff were incredibly friendly and went out of their way to help. They provided a free shuttle service (To and from dinners every night) which was super convenient. - I personally loved the location, quieter part of the mountain but a short walk to the slopes (Practically ski in and out). - The private onsen was incredible, and the main common area had such a warm, cosy atmosphere that made it feel like home. They even had another area with some gym equipment and yoga mats. - As a newer lodge, everything was spotless and beautifully maintained. The beds were super comfy and soft, which we found quite rare in Japan! - The free breakfast was exceptional, far beyond the usual standard. All of these factors made Yama Lodge, in our opinion, the best value for money you could find for snow accommodation in Japan. Highly recommend!

We loved it so much, that we didn't like leaving haha.

Fantastic Host. Will definitely be back!

Good location for ski/board access to first lifts. Not a super busy mountain which was good. Also enjoyed the private onsen, drying room facilities and the option to get shuttles to and from restaurants. Staff were super friendly and happy to help out with anything.

Location, fireplace, cosy great room, room to stretch or do yoga, drying room, in house onsen.

Smoke from the fireplace crept upstairs to the bedrooms a bit more than was pleasant at times.

We absolutely LOVED this property. It should be known that this is a TRUE LODGE. It’s not a big hotel with a ton of guests. It’s cozy, family friendly, and has a homey feel. Despite other reviews we’ve read, this is a TRUE SKI-IN, SKI-OUT. You take a quick 1 minute walk to the top of the street, cross the main road and you’re clipping in for a short ride down to the main lifts! The Lodge provided a shuttle service to and from Madarao Kogen Hotel where you catch the bus and even did shuttle services for dinner. We loved the 2 private onsite Onsen’s, each with an indoor and outdoor hot spring. The Onsen’s were unique, especially for foreigners, because you could reserve a specific time just for those in your room. They had a side room just for your boards/skis and a heated room for your boots, gloves and snow gear. We also loved using the hangout space downstairs that had some workout equipment and area to stretch. Upstairs had a nice space for the check in desk, tables and chairs to eat breakfast and some couches to chill in front the fire. The staff were amazing, super friendly and helpful. HUGE SHOUT OUT to Kane and his staff (Braden, Luca, Emma, Conner, Ruby, Daisy and Bonnie) for making our stay unforgettable!

Location to shops/restaurants. The Lodge is nestled up toward the top of the mountain so it’s a bit far from most shops or restaurants. You can walk but it’s pretty far from everything, especially if you have kids. You’d need a car or the Lodge does a shuttle service which works great. Also, the lodge doesn’t have an elevator. It’s only about 3 flights of stairs but if stairs are a problem for you, that could be difficult.

Staff went the extra mile to help with anything that was needed including drop offs and return to property from restaurants at night, the breakfasts were a good start to the day, the onsite onsen were a excellent bonus after a hard day boarding, superb

Nothing, absolutely first class

Location is perfect. End of quiet side street, easy access to P7 parking lot, where you find side access to mountain and quick ski down to ticketing and lifts. My last run of the day I skied all the way to the front door of Yama (not always ski accessible - but after a nice dump very doable). All the seclusion you want for the private outdoor onsen, and all the convenience you want for quick access to the mountain. The dry room downstairs was perfect to dry out all the wet ski gear to be ready to roll to hit first tracks next day. Loved this place, they lean into what they are good at and do it great; provide a lovely family friendly setting for a killer ski holiday. And like any good business owner they avoid anything they can’t do top notch, but provide wonderful alternatives. So, they don’t really do much on the food and dining side: but they are very helpful in booking local restaurants and providing shuttle services to get to the restaurants. So kudos to Yama for concierge service. The owner knows the area, knows the ski business, and built a lodge that he’d always wanted to stay in. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to hit the slopes early, shred and come back to a super comfortable evening paradise, a warm fire, a cup of warmth and an idyllic onsen at night. My family of 4 had a perfect stay.

Breakfast is light and not overly complex. But that said, it really hits the spot, no more no less.

The staff were exceptional, nothing was too much to ask. The location was great, just off the main strip (15 min walk or the staff drove us there and back) which meant it was super quiet and relaxing. 100m walk until you can click in and ski down to the main lift! The facilities are unreal, private onsens on site to help recover after a long day on the slopes.

Honestly, couldn’t fault it!

1. Close to the slopes - practically ski-in / ski-out 2. Fantastic staff who are friendly and will drive you to restaurants and pick you up 3. Welcoming lounge with fire and games room 4. Knowledgable owners who arranged a trip to nearby Suginohara for a day to ski 5. Snacks and coffee / tea available throughout the day 6. Onsen! A must after a day on the slopes

Nothing!