Novotel Sapporo

I lived in Sapporo for 1 ½ years in the late eighties and last visited it in the mid nineties. This 2-week trip was a long awaited revisit and reunion with a dear friendship I made in the eighties and have not seen since the nineties. The hotel was selected based on its location to Nakajima Koen, which is very familiar to me, and the modern and clean look of the interior spaces of the hotel and the guest room. It was in a quiet neighborhood, near the Toyohira Kawa (again familiar) and convenient to the Makomanai subway line for travel to the shopping (street or underground levels) and entertainment areas. The staff and amenities were perfect. If the website had indicated the amenities included shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, I would not have lugged mine from the US. The mini frig was a nice surprise (storing outside food), an electric water kettle, and tea and teacups. A room safe and much larger closet (it was no more than 2 feet wide) are preferred, but definitely not a deal breaker. Only area for improvement would be to get rid of that terrible “sour towel” smell emitting from the cloth shower curtain, which occurs when you leave wet clothing/towels too long to dry in an area not conducive to air circulation/drying, resulting in that awful smell. Several times, I drew soapy baths to soak/clean the shower curtain, then after rehanging on the curtain rod, I draped the bottom portion over the clothesline to dry with air circulating (not wet and bunched up or matted against the tub walls). Helped a little but that curtain needed a major hot bleach water wash. The walls are thin though as a few nights I heard someone snoring from the adjacent guest room and I am a light sleeper requiring quiet. The front desk staff was excellent. Without noting she was off at 5 PM, one exceptional person agreed to meet me the day before I left to assist me in performing my online airline check in on the hotel computer. I only learned she was assisting me on her own time after we encountered problems with the site. I was extremely grateful and impressed with her customer service skills.

One of the best hotels I've stayed in in Japan, not necessary facilities wise, but really, the friendly and helpful staff made the stay there truly comfortable and enjoyable. It's location near the Nakajima Park subway also makes it very convenient for those who do not drive.