Madarao Elm Pension

Location: Madarao Kogen, Iiyama, jp

Star Rating: 2 Stars

Property Type: Guest houses

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 02:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Free beach shuttle
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Parking
• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• BBQ facilities
• Luggage storage
• Fax/photocopying
• Ironing service
• Ski storage
• Shared lounge/TV area
• Concierge service
• Ski storage
• Ski-in/ski-out access
• Ski equipment rentals on site
• Self parking (surcharge)
• Free beach shuttle
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Internet access
• Japanese garden
• Fishing nearby
• Ski lift privileges
• Snow sports gear
• Accessible shuttle
• No accessible shuttle

Rooms Available

• Twin Room with Extra Bed and Shared Bathroom

  Carpeted rooms feature a seating area, western bedding and a view of the garden. Bathrooms and toilets are shared with other guests.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (3 Adults)

  • Seating Area
  • Heating
  • Shared toilet
  • Slippers
  • Sofa
  • Linen

Guest Reviews

• Sayaka (4/5): Owners are nice people and friendly,but lacking in cleanness and management - The meal included both fish and meat dishes, along with a salad and soup, and the portion sizes were generous. Owners were welcoming and attentive. Our room on the 2nd floor had a nice view, and we enjoyed the snowy scenery.　The shared washroom and toilet on the second floor looked almost clean and well-maintained. There wasn't a drying area, so we had to put on wet shoes and gloves again the following day. The pension is three stories high, the experience will vary a lot depending on which room you stay in.　The bathroom and toilet on the ground floor were very damp and dirty, the sink had lots of hair and grime on them, there were lines of ants. We couldn’t stay there for more than 5 min. The room on the second floor is clean and comfortable. During the night, it was quite hot because we couldn't adjust the temperature. Since there's no vending machine, we got the water from the tap. The room doesn't have any tissues, mirrors, or towels and toothbrushes, so I'd recommend bringing your own.　Things we had in our room were beds, a sofa, a small stand and a trash box and some hangers. The upper areas were neglected, with visible cobwebs and dust in the rooms and the shared washroom. After our one-night stay there, my family and friends' family members suffered from a terrible stomach full for a week.
• Hanna (9/5): - We felt very welcomed and comfortable during our stay! The dinner and breakfast were very good and convenient. Tosh will drive you up to the ski hill, except if it snowed too much and the roads aren’t clear, but it was a nice walk and the powder at the resort was amazing, so can’t complain about that! Walk back is downhill and easy. Tosh was able to receive our boards we shipped from the airport. The beds were comfortable and the shared bath facilities (you can lock the door for privacy if you want) were nice after a long day snowboarding in the cold. Many thanks to Tosh and his wife. It’s simple but comfortable accommodations so just make sure you read the description to see if it is right for you. I suggest making sure you get a towel at check-in because there wasn’t one in the room.
• Marcus (9/5): - The elderly Japanese couple are super lovely and will help you with any request. Their food is delicious and they will assist you with booking snow gear from a neighbouring accommodation. The onsen bath after the ski was perfect also. Nothing. But it might upset some people that the building and facilities are quite dated and walls are thin.
• Helen (8/5): - Great breakfast to set you up for the day
• Milan (1/5): Never again would I stay at this place !!! - Nothing Clensines was unacceptable, full of dust, old and not cleaned properly, trash in the coners of the room under the beds, old matresses and pillows, dirty pillow cases full of hair, web cob and dust on the lamps. Could not close and lock the room door properly. Had to move out after the first night and request my refund for the rest of my stay !!!
• Hyangryul (4/5): 宿選び間違った。 - わからない。、 食事に問題があった可能性があるか グループのみんなが翌日帰宅してからお腹が痛いと言ってた。
• wendy (8/5): - The service and connection from our hosts was excellent Access to skiing needed pre arranging....plus pick up
• Aspen (10/5): Perfect peaceful stay in Madarao - Toshi and his wife are very welcoming, kind and hard working. Their pension is beautiful and we had a lovely stay. It is only a 10 minute walk up to the main town, and Toshi will pick you up after skiing and take you up the hill each morning. Nothing
• Shangchuan (7/5): - 連住了4天，每天餐點都有一點點變化 有泡澡池，但是老闆並沒有每日注水，溫度也沒有調好，有接送到斑尾飯店滑雪或坐車，但老闆會約一段時間例如4:30~5:00pm，多組客人就這樣在雪地等，建議要約一個固定時間，不能一次接送的客人約另一個時間。
• Ian (10/5): An excellent pension to stay in for a few days at Madarao. - Quaint accommodation with a reasonably sized double bedroom. Excellent breakfast and dinner included. The owners were very friendly and helpful. They both speak excellent English. Only 2 minutes by car from Madarao lift ticket office. There is nothing to dislike.
• Stephen (9/5): We had a great stay here and the snow was excellent too. - Relaxed and roomy for a ski location. Good location. Excellent hosts who looked after us really well. Food was varied, well prepared and substantial.
• shigeo (7/5): スキーを堪能できました。 - 食事は朝食も夕食も美味しく大変良かったです。 部屋も暖かく快適でした。 テレビが部屋にないため、夕食後、することがなく朝まで寝ていました。
• Nicol (9/5): Toshi and Yoshiko were very accommodating hosts and really nice people! - Every morning breakfast was ready ahead of schedule, then Toshi would drop us off at the slopes in time for the first lift to hit some MADAPOW!
• Rebecca (10/5): -
• Leon (4/5): 性价比太低 - 房东友善 1.地理位置是离雪场最远的一家了。2.虽然房东都能接送，但是大雪天，没法清扫路面，房东年龄也大了，不方便开车上山，但是我们滑雪爱好者就是为了大雪来的，每次下大雪都需要带着装备步行上雪场。爬山路需要30分钟左右。
• jonathan (10/5): -
• THI BICH (10/5): We had a great time staying at Madarao Elm Pension and skiing at Madarao Mountain Resort. - Great hospitality, discounted ski rentals and lift tickets, free transport to and from ski field (3 minutes), excellent altering Japanese dinner, good English speaker (Toshi), cosy and comfortable room, great hot bath, beautiful view of sunrise through window. The owners (Toshi and Yoshiko) went above and beyond to make sure you had the best stay. Highly recommended! Thank you Toshi and Yoshiko! Nothing
• Bridget (10/5): If you want a traditional homey Japanese stay in the mountains then this is the place for you! - Oh my gosh Toshi and Yoshiko (the hosts) were so wonderful we absolutely loved our stay. I don’t think the photos do this place justice. Granted the rooms are on the smaller side but they are comfortable with beautiful views of the snow covered trees. The breakfast was delicious which you paid extra for (would recommend) and it was so lovely to have an Onsen at the end of the day, exactly what you needed after skiing. Toshi is also happy to drive you to the ski slopes in the morning as it is a little bit of a walk but don’t let that stop you. This Japanese owned pension is an absolute must, and we wished we had hired the gear from Toshi’s connection as that was also Japanese owned but we had hired elsewhere. Toshi can also organise discounted lift passes as well. We would absolutely stay there again, you can also have dinner for an extra fee and that was delicious as well! They also could provide for my friend who was a vegetarian just make sure you tell them. Thanks Toshi and Yoshiko, we loved your place! Honestly we couldn’t really fault it. Maybe the distance away from the slopes but that is not a long walk and Toshi was happy to drop people and pick people up. When we arrived at Madarao the bus station is just a small stop outside Madarao Kogan Hotel and he picked us up from there when we called (but I would organise that in advance next time).
• Ian (9/5): Comfortable Pension with friendly hosts - We were made to feel very welcome, From the pick up at the bus stop... Until our departure. Assistance with everything from ski passes to booking our onward taxi over to Nozawa Onsen. Our room was comfortable...and came with a private bathroom. Madarao Kogen village is quite spread out.... So heading out for dinner required a 10-15 minute walk. Also be aware that there is no ATM in the village.
• Ian (9/5): -
• Chapman (10/5): -
• Julie (10/5): A fantastic pension experience with fabulous hosts. - We had an amazing stay with Toshi and Yoshiko, from being picked up and dropped off to the amazing Japanese and Western style food we had a great time. The bath was super hot and great at the end of the day. Nothing was a problem for them and they went out of their way to look after us. We will miss them and know that theirs was a special spot that would be hard to replicate. There is actually a small convenience store near the Madarao Kogen Hotel where you can buy snacks and souvenirs. Nothing we loved it.
• Simon Høiberg (9/5): Great little pension with a nice elderly couple that do their best to give you a comfortable stay - Lovely and cozy
• 井出 (8/5): - オーナーご夫妻の人柄がとても良かった。 古いですが、きちんと掃除されていて快適でした。 ご飯の時間が予定より遅くなったのは残念です。
• marc (10/5): Highly recommended for those who like to slow down and enjoy genuine Japanese hospitality. - Authentic, low-key Japanese guest house. Very friendly and helpful owners, great breakfast with fruit, yoghurt and eggs, and a delicious hotpot for dinner. Great skiiing and a Japanese bath afterwards, what more do you want?
• Shiho (10/5): 信越トレイルのハイカーは是非！ - 信越トレイルのゴール後に泊まった。オーナー夫妻はハイカーのニーズを知悉しており、送迎サービスから居室の備品に至るまで痒いところに手が届く細やかさで、とても助かった。施設は年季が入っているが清潔で、温かいもてなしとともに文句なし。宿は人だなとつくづく思わされた 特になし
• akaike (7/5): -
• ueda (1/5): -
• Daniel (10/5): The most wonderful hosts! - Quiet, secluded location. All very Japanese, not so common in Madarao anymore.
• Owen (10/5): Thanks you Tosi San for driving me to the resort every day and always on time.I very enjoyed the stay here - The owner is super warm and nice person . Great food every day. We enjoy dinner and wine every night and it really warmed my heart. None.
• Jamie (10/5): Exceptional - Staff extremely friendly and helpful
• Vui (8/5): I had enjoyed my stay. - Yummy hot pot after a full day of skiing. Toshi and his wife were great host. Probably the distance from the slope. Walking takes approx 20 mins. Most morning, Toshi kindly dropped me off to the slope.
• Bev (9/5): Fabulous hospitality and delicious meals - We received a very warm welcome from Yoshiko and Toshi at their delightful pension making us feel right at home. All of our communication prior to arrival was excellent and helpful. Our room was comfortable and warm with beautiful views over the snow covered fields. The Onsen tub was a perfect place to relax in after a day skiing. Toshi kindly provided us with a lift to the ski field in the mornings and we chose to walk the pleasant 10 min stroll home. The meals and communal dining were the highlight of our stay The food was delicious and very fresh with generous portions and wonderful variety. Yoshiko and Toshi were fabulous hosts and we look forward to staying again soon.
• Stephen (9/5): Amazing stay with great conversations! Will come back - Lovely owners, cozy rooms, delicious and substantial food filled us up after skiing. Nice hot onsen style baths were also amazing. Great base to explore the numerous ski resorts nearby
• Lisa (8/5): We had a very pleasant stay, Elm is good value for money and Toshi is an excellent host. - Breakfast was very nice, lodge was warm and comfortable, hosts were extremely friendly and helpful.
• Adam (10/5): Excellent pension with great customer service and food! - Great hosts
• Tina (8/5): Awesome trip in madarao - Toshi and Yoshiko are beautiful friendly hosts. Their accommodation is well located by a few minutes drive or 10-15 min walk to the ski slopes. Toshi was available for skiing pick up and drop off's at beginning and end of the days. Ample Ski/board/ boot storage is available at the entrance to dry off. I was able to get ski lift passes directly and they were able to arrange luggage forwarding services for me to my next ski destination. WiFi was great and free. Rooms and common areas are clean and warm. Beautiful snowy views from the windows! I had breakfast included which was basic but delicious. Communication via booking.com was stress free and easy when it came to pickup and drop off at the bus stop. Maps and brochures are available for the area as well as bus information to get back to iiyama or other cities. Please try to pay cash when settling any smaller transactions. That being said, bring cash before heading to madarao as there are no ATMs anywhere. I learnt this the hard way, but I was able pay by card as I was low on cash by the end of my stay. Toshi and Yoshiko saved me! I personally had no issues as my expectations were met based on the information provided on booking.com. the following reviews are based on observations. Please draw your own conclusions to see if this place is right for you: The rooms are very basic with no TV or fridge to put your own drinks or perishables. There is a Japanese style living room area with a piano and TV if you're feeling sociable though. If you're not into sharing bathrooms and toilets, you might want to look into staying at a hotel instead of a pension. But I didn't mind as this is expected for this kind of accommodation. Getting to madarao kogen hotel (ski slopes, ski hire, onsen, restaurants, buses to iiyama and other places etc) is an uphill walk from the pension. So please keep that in mind when lugging skis / snowboards around, or if you get hangry easily by doing extra walking to a restaurant only to find them closed at night.
• Merrick (10/5): Exceptional - The stay was great, the host was sooo helpful. Would love to go back there again. We would have stayed longer if they had any vacancies.
• Sabrina (8/5): Very good - Good location, friendly staff. Large room. The mattress was a bit old and uncomfortable. The breakfast was a little small. Breakfast was western, we prefer Japanese style breakfast
• Jim (10/5): The owners were exceptional hosts making our stay very enjoyable. - Overall it was a wonderful place to stay. The owners were warm, genuine and hospitable. The food was excellent. A neat and tidy place, that is good value for money. The ski area was easy to access because the owners dropped you off there every day.
• Christine (7/5): Good - Toshi and Yoshiko who run the place are a lovely couple. The place is a bit far off but they provide shuttle service to Madarao Kogen Hotel.
• Emanuel (10/5): I'll come back for sure! - The hosts were amazing. For dinner we had Nabe and the portion was generous. We also got lifts to the ski resort. There was nothing I did not like! I will come here again.
• Theodor (10/5): Great pension, fantastic food and friendly hosts - By far our favourite stay in Japan! The room and facilities were good, but the reason the stay was so great was the owners, who really went out of their way to make us feel at home with fantastic food, helping us get to and from the piste, giving us great tips and generally being fantastic hosts. We'll definitely come here again if we're heading back to Madarao in the future.
• Michael (10/5): Great local owners in quiet location, but v.close to everything you need - Family owners were attentive and very helpful Local family feel
• Andrew (1/5): I got my key and saw my room and the bathroom area and left, and booked somewhere else - nothing
• Steven (10/5): Exceptional - Toshi was an exceptional host. Food was great with an easy walk to the ski lifts. Highly recommend……
• Kuangning (10/5): Exceptional - Excellent meals and host. Toshi-san has done an incredible job managing the guesthouse by himself. He drove me to the slopes every morning, and shared fresh local produce with me during meals. Toshi specially prepared some wasabi and Japanese rice for me to bring back home when he found out that I really liked them! Also found out during the stay that Toshi went to the same university as I did nearly 50 years ago, so we had a good time sharing our experiences. Toshi is one of the most experienced pension-owners in Madarao and is extremely knowledgeable about the community. Will definitely be back next year for my snowboarding season!
• Phil (9/5): Superb -
• Barbara (10/5): Really kind, friendly Pension - communal atmosphere- comfortable - Very friendly, family run pension. The staff are extremely friendly and inviting. It is very comfortable and the dinners and breakfasts are delicious, home-made Japanese dishes. Warm and good wifi. Excellent shared bathroom facilities plus a bathing area. Distance from the centre of Madarao Kogen but this is reflected in the lower price of the property.
• Pat (9/5): Had a great stay - Host & staff were outstanding Location to ski hill was some distance away
• Irina (8/5): Nice hosts, slightly old facilities. - Maybe we were lucky to share the pension with respectful guests, or maybe the rooms had better insulation than most places, but it was really quiet. The beds were old but comfortable and the hosts were very helpful. Breakfast and dinner were good, too! The facilities are a bit dated and dusty. I wouldn’t have had an issue, but “mountain prices” are ridiculous this year: the basic room with shared toilet and baths was more expensive than a nice hotel room in central Osaka…
• David (9/5): A nice old fashioned pension - Very relaxed location, staff were welcoming and helpful. Room was basic but would be excellent value for 2-3 people. Good meals. Was a bit of a walk from the lifts and bars/restaurants but the owners gave you a lift to the mountain each day, so not a massive issue.
• Siu (10/5): It was a pleasant stay. They drop us off at the ski resort and we walk back. It takes about 10 minutes back, not very fa - Friendly staff, good breakfast and tasty dinner
• Mb (5/5): Nice staff but disappointing experience overall - Location The staff were nice people Old and not well maintained Hygiene should be improved (could find webs, almost no soap on ofuro and public sinks) No amenities included (no towel, no toothbrush, etc) It was half-board but food was scarce Room was cold No pick up from the slopes (15' walking)
• Daniel (8/5): Very good -
• Jesse (10/5): Will definitely stay here again - Wonderful host. Great food
• Jonathan (5/5): Great accommodation with warm hospitality and breakfast but lacking in cleanliness - The breakfast was good and the owner was very hospitable and friendly. Owner is able to give you a ride to Madarao as well as discounted lift tickets. The bathrooms were very dirty and had not been properly cleaned in at least many days. The sinks had hair and a lot of built up grime on them. The garbage in the bathroom wasn’t emptied in the three days we stayed there further attesting to lack of cleaning. We wouldn’t normally comment like this without first talking to the owner but we did request the bathroom be cleaned and it was not during the remainder of our stay. This lack of cleaning is unacceptable, especially for a shared bathroom.
• Sik (8/5): A great experience. Thanks! - Owner and team are awesome. Thanks Toshi San and Takahasi San. Not much
• Kristina (10/5): Exceptional - The host was so friendly and accommodating
• Arvind (10/5): Exceptional - A very lovely place to stay. The owner Toshi is a wonderful host. He picked us up from the bus stop, prepared an excellent dinner and breakfast. The beds were very comfortable and the shower/onsen was amazing!
• Byron (10/5): Exceptional -
• Athersuch (10/5): Toshi gave us a fantastic Japanese experience - Warm and friendly atmosphere and a host that couldn’t do enough for us The property had everything but if one thing could be improved by the inclusion of a drying room for Skiers otherwise it was fantastic 😎
• Jin (10/5): A perfect plafe for your ski trip at Madarao ski resort - The first and foremost is the service and hospitality provided by the owner (Toshi san) and his staff. Although this has been mentioned in all the reviews, I just want to add a bit personal experience. On the day before our checkin, Toshi san’s wife had a fall and was hospitalised. Toshi san spent the whole night at the hospital after her surgery. Yet he still came in and helped us check in. We only found out this after he checked us in. Also I left my reading glasses in the room after checked out. We were in the hurry to go to Liyama station since all Shinkansen were cancelled due to the earthquake the day before. Toshi san found my glasses and then mailed to my address in Tokyo next day. Toshi san and the staff will help at their best of you ask. They make you feel you are staying a home from home! Also the food (breakfast and dinner) here is delicious. The information on booking.com was incorrect. They offer breakfast and dinner. They also serve different meals each day (Western or Japanese). None
• Adrien (10/5): great stay with homely vibes - amazing hosts, great diner and brekkie. special deals on rental and lift tickets. Highly recommended needs a car to enjoy to its fullest, but the whole resort is built this way.
• Adrien (10/5): great stay amazing hosts - already reviewed. already reviewed.
• Andrew (10/5): Exceptional - The owners Toshi and Yoshi were wonderful hosts and Yoshi cooked some of the best Japanese food that I have had on this mountain. They offer transfers to/from the ski fields each day which was much appreciated. Staying at the Madarao Elm is a great option for those who are looking for an authentic experience.
• Matthew (10/5): Absouletely amazing in every single way - Toshi and Yoshi were an absolute pleasure to stay with. There accommodation and amenities were clean and homely. They were very accommodating providing us with breakfast each morning before driving us up the mountain to snowboard. There hospitality was second to none and I could not recommend any accommodation more. If you are looking to stay in Madarao, look no further then Madarao Elm Pension. Both hosts speak great English and provide many insights into the history of Madarao and surrounding towns while always providing 10/10 service. We are hoping to re-visit Madarao and will look no further then Yoshi and Toshi’s place. Thankyou again to Yoshi and Toshi. You made our trip much more memorable!!! We hope to see you again soon!
• David (10/5): Exceptional - The hosts are phenomenal people. Unfortunately, I was sick one day (the worst for a solo traveler) and they made sure I was ok and looked after me. I couldn’t find the place on the map, Toshi told me to call him and he will pick me up. Truly wonderful people.
• Mats (6/5): - Pensionatet är ganska enkelt, den närmaste omgivningen erbjuder i stort sett bara naturpromenader, det speciella här är ägarna! Mycket hjälpsamma, talar bra engelska och är intressanta att tala med!

Photos