Alley Oop Hakuba

Friendly staff. Laid back atmosphere. Good transfers to/from Tsugaike Kogan ski resort. Awesome skiing!

It's a bit isolated from restaurants/shops etc.. Uber/Taxis are very hard to get in Hakuba Valley particularly when your lodge is a bit remote. You need to plan food shopping and meals well ahead. It is old and quaint but were a bit disappointed to be charged 10,000Y (Cash only) for a key lost on the premises because the locks are old and there was no spare key! Room security is a bit of a concern given how easy it was to open our locked room with a credit card!

A cozy house located in a beautiful setting, with a fantastic shared space perfect for relaxing and spending time together. The atmosphere of the place really makes you slow down and enjoy the moment. Special thanks to the host (Sean) and the staff for the warm welcome and wonderful hospitality.

In the duplex apartment, the mezzanine area tends to be cooler than the lower level, which may be an issue for those who prefer warmer temperatures.

Alley oop was comfortable, cosy and in a nice quiet location. The property is older with great charm. Some of the facilities do need updating but are being done. The new owners are great, Sean and his staff are very friendly and welcoming and after settling in it feels like a home away from home.

As a westerner with a young child the shared shower facility wasn’t ideal but I am sure in time the owners will add more western type facilities The location of alley oop is quite and secluded having your own car or transport is a must

Comfortable stay overall. Volunteers were exceptional. Kieran was a standout. He was so incredibly helpful, friendly and all round just an absolute legend. Dylan was amazing too - he was so warm, welcoming and helpful. Jess too - super lovely. Their support materially improved our stay. The rooms were spacious and beds decent. The lounge was cosy and had a great vibe. Lots of potential at this place.

For the price, a few basics were missing. The owners were pretty invisible and there wasn’t much onboarding or helpful info when we arrived (facilities, supplies, faults, who to contact, local essentials etc). We’ve stayed in Hakuba four times and other lodges usually have the owners introduce themselves and offer support, so this felt like a gap. It honestly felt like the volunteers were the ones running the place. Even small things like luggage support felt inconsistent we were helped up the stairs in the snow on arrival (which we really appreciated), but when leaving there was no one around to assist. The lounge was cozy but could be improved with a working fireplace, a speaker, and proper guest access to the TV. The showers were the biggest issue though. So bad. Consistently unstable water temperature made them uncomfortable every time. Breakfast was also a bit chaotic: overcrowded, sometimes missing basics, odd food choices, and not enough equipment like toasters. Finally, ¥1300 for a beer felt expensive, and we weren’t really told where to get one anyway!?