ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort by IHG

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to the ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort – I mean, it’s tucked away in the mountains of Hachimantai, and you know how some remote luxury places can feel a bit… isolated in the wrong way? But this place actually gets it right. The moment you walk into that lobby, there’s this immediate sense that someone really thought about how to blend serious luxury with the raw beauty of Iwate’s highlands. The staff doesn’t just bow politely and disappear – they genuinely seem to know the area, and I had more than one conversation about local hiking trails that weren’t just rehearsed talking points.

What really struck me was how the resort handles the seasons. I visited in late autumn (which, let me tell you, is absolutely the move if you can swing it), and the way they’ve positioned the main building means you’re getting these incredible views of the Ou Mountains without feeling like you’re stuck behind glass all day. The onsen – well, it’s one of those experiences where you understand why people travel halfway across the world for a hot spring soak. The outdoor baths face west, so if you time it right around sunset, you’re basically soaking in liquid gold while watching the light fade over the peaks. Room-wise, they’ve managed to keep things feeling authentically Japanese without going overboard on the traditional touches. My room had this perfect tatami seating area where I actually wanted to spend time, not just admire for thirty seconds before ignoring it.

Here’s the thing about staying way up in Appi Kogen – you’re about twenty minutes from anything resembling a town, but that’s actually part of the appeal. The resort’s restaurant situation is legitimately impressive (their kaiseki dinner made me rethink what hotel food could be), and there’s enough going on property-wise that you don’t feel trapped. Winter’s obviously the big season here with the ski slopes right there, but honestly? The shoulder seasons might be even better. Less crowded, better rates, and you get the mountains pretty much to yourself. The only minor downside I’d mention is that the resort can feel a bit quiet if you’re used to more social hotel scenes – this is definitely more about unwinding than networking over cocktails. But with a 9.4 rating, they’re clearly doing something very right, and after three nights there, I totally get why people keep coming back to this particular corner of Japan.