About this Stay
I stayed at Hokkaido Hotel in Obihiro in December 2021. Founded in 1899, this hotel presents itself as a “forest spa resort,” offering “a century-old forest and a tranquil space.” The food is also excellent.
This was my third stay here. The main reason is that I really loved the breakfast. During the Western-style breakfast, a staff member used to bring a basket with about seven or eight kinds of bread, from which you could choose your favorites. I really enjoyed that experience. In addition, the butter served with the bread was locally produced Hokkaido butter and tasted wonderful, which is why I decided to stay here again. However, perhaps due to the COVID-19 situation, the way the bread was served had changed, and the butter had been replaced with a more standard one.
Even so, I was able to enjoy a specially prepared dinner bento, as well as a delicious breakfast including Hokkaido-style soup curry and a “white omelette.”
The hotel is also conveniently located about a 20-minute walk (or around 5 minutes by car) from Obihiro Station.
Hotel Interior
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Exhibits
The Crown Prince (at the time) stayed at this hotel when visiting Hokkaido to attend the National Sports Festival held in 2002.
Photos from that visit, along with the meals presented and the tableware used, are displayed here.
Brochure Counter
This is a counter where brochures for party plans and special bento meals are available.
As this is a hotel in Hokkaido, a traditional carved wooden bear—one of the region’s well-known crafts—is also displayed.
Lounge Area (1)
This is a lounge area located near the reception on the first floor.
Lounge Area (2)
This is the area near the window in the lounge.
The large windows offer a clear view of the garden outside, and it is said that Ezo squirrels sometimes come into the garden.
Guest Room
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Bed
This is the bed in the guest room. It has a calm and relaxing atmosphere.
View from the Hotel
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Winter Scenery in Hokkaido
This is the view from the room.
Since it was December, it was already the truly cold winter scenery of Hokkaido outside.
The Vast Land of Hokkaido
This is another view from the room, looking into the distance along the road in front.
The vast land of Hokkaido stretches out before you.
View of Obihiro City (1)
This is the view looking toward Obihiro city from the hotel.
View of Obihiro City (2)
This is the view of another direction of Obihiro city.
Snowy Scenery
This is the view on the morning of the third day.
It must have snowed overnight, as everything was covered in snow.
Dinner (Day 1)
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Hotel Special Bento
This hotel offers bento boxes for takeout and special occasions such as parties, and they are known for being very delicious.
I made a reservation in advance because I wanted to try one for dinner.
Western-Style Bento
This is called the “Early Winter Western-Style Bento.” Here is what it contains. The pilaf topped with Western-style teriyaki yellowtail looks especially delicious.
The variety of ingredients is also impressive.
- Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, bell peppers, turnips, maitake mushrooms, etc.
- Seafood: yellowtail, squid, scallops, shrimp
- Meat: chicken, pork loin, ground pork
Companion’s Bento (1)
My companion chose a bento that combines both Western and Japanese dishes.
This is the menu list.
Companion’s Bento (2)
This is my companion’s bento.
Companion’s Bento (3)
This is the Western and Japanese combination bento my companion had.
The Western dishes are the same as those in my bento.
The Japanese dishes include grilled Spanish mackerel with yuzu sauce and steamed crab shumai.
Breakfast (Day 2)
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Changes in Style
This is the Western-style breakfast.
・Bread, soup, salad, an egg dish, milk, juice, coffee, and dessert
Unlike my previous stay, the bread was served as a fixed selection of four types in a basket. Previously, staff would come around with a large basket filled with many kinds of bread, and you could choose your favorites. This change was likely due to COVID-19 precautions. The butter, which used to be rich Hokkaido butter, had also been replaced with regular butter.
Bread Basket
This is the bread basket.
If you can’t finish it, you can take the remaining bread home in the white paper bag provided behind it.
White Omelette
The egg dish is a white omelette made from egg whites.
It is served with sausage, bacon, and broccoli on the side.
Dinner (Day 2)
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Bento Delivered to the Room
This is dinner on the second day. Since I had ordered another bento, it was delivered to my room.
Two Types of Bento
On this day, we ordered a Japanese-style bento and a Japanese–Western combination bento.
Menu of the Japanese-Style Bento
This is the menu for the Japanese-style bento.
Two-Tier Japanese Bento
This is the Japanese-style bento. It comes in a two-tier lacquered box.
Japanese-Style Bento
This is the Japanese-style bento. Some items are the same as yesterday’s Japanese–Western combination bento, but there are also different dishes such as smoked duck, chicken meatballs simmered with Japanese pepper, and a steamed chicken salad.
The variety of dishes is impressive. Since bento boxes can be ordered in advance at this hotel, it’s a very convenient option. There is also a fairly large shop on the first floor where you can buy freshly baked bread, local Hokkaido specialties, and various alcoholic drinks. By picking up some drinks and snacks there, you can easily enjoy a satisfying meal in your room.
Menu of the Japanese–Western Bento
This is the menu for the Japanese–Western combination bento.
It is almost the same as the previous day.
Japanese–Western Combination Bento
This is the Japanese–Western combination bento on the second day. Like the others, it offers a wide variety of dishes, and both the taste and overall quality are excellent.
This hotel is well known for its food and is quite popular. If you wish to have dinner at the restaurant, you need to make a reservation in advance, usually by the day before, using a designated reservation form.
Breakfast (Day 3)
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Drink Corner
This is the drink corner at the breakfast venue on the third day.
You can enjoy milk produced in Hokkaido.
Soup Curry
On this day, breakfast featured Hokkaido’s local specialty, soup curry.
Soup curry is a light, broth-like curry served separately from rice. The traditional way to eat it is to scoop up some rice with a spoon and dip it into the soup curry before eating.
Bread Basket
This is the bread basket.
White Scrambled Eggs
The egg dish was an omelette yesterday, but today it is white scrambled eggs made from egg whites.
