The Tokyo Dome Hotel Sapporo was renamed in 2011 from the Korakuen Hotel in an effort to reach a broader audience with its marketing. It is a nice Standard hotel and one of Sapporo’s largest. Its parent company manages the Tokyo Dome baseball dome and adjacent Tokyo Dome Hotel, hence the name which can be a bit confusing, because in fact the hotel is nowhere near either Tokyo or the nearest dome, which would be the Sapporo Dome on the East side of the city. Instead, it is one of the only hotels located right on Odori Park, with beautiful views of Odori Park Block 8, as well as the Moiwa mountains to the West.
It is the perfect location for enjoying events in Odori Park such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, Yosakoi Soran Dance Festival, and Odori Park Summer Beer Garden, all of which take place right at its doorstep. It’s also within easy walking distance of the Sapporo Art Museum, Hokkaido Botanical Gardens, and is about a 15-20 minute walk from Sapporo Station, Odori Subway Station, and the Susukino entertainment district. Shopping is nearby at PARCO, Mitsui Imai, Mitsukoshi, 4Pla and Pivot department stores, and there are 1000′s of dining options within walking distance.
The hotel features a large central atrium that rises from the lobby to the 14th floor, from which is suspended a string-light chandelier, accented by large, illuminated potted trees which rise up from the lobby. Lounge chairs are situated around the center of the lobby between the trees. The North entrance opens onto the road just across from Odori Park, and the West entrance opens onto a side road with covered bus access. There are shuttle busses here to Chitose Airport and other attractions like the Asahikawa Zoo. Outside of the North entrance there is also a Porocle rental bicycle port. Inside the lobby on the first floor are the atrium lounge Confort with large windows overlooking the park and a nice selection of cakes and sweets, and the Chinese restaurant Lu-hua which serves Beijing cuisine. On the second floor there is the restaurant Patio, an Italian restaurant (which unfortunately does not actually have a patio), and cocktail bar Dante, a chic modern bar with a great international selection of wine and cocktails and a massive wooden bar. The breakfast buffet is served at Patio and features over 50 Japanese and Western style dishes with Hokkaido’s local specialties like Ruibe salmon, squid, seasonal cooked rice, Yubari melon and fresh Hokkaido seafood.The 3rd floor Japanese restaurant Koishikawa serves delicate Japanese cuisine by kimono-clad waitresses.
The hotel is divided into Superior rooms on the 8th to 12th floors and Excellency rooms on the 13th and 14th floors. Superior room types include Single, Double, Standard Twin, Standard Twin Odori View, Hollywood Twin and Deluxe Twin. Excellency floor rooms include Standard Twin, Standard Twin Odori View, Connecting Room, and a fusion Japanese and Western room which features tatami mats and low tables where one sits on the floor, together with Western style beds. The rooms are tastefully furnished with standard furnishings common to any Standard hotel worldwide, and are fairly spacious by Japanese standards. A full range of amenities are included, all necessary bath soaps, shampoos, towels, etc.
As the clientele is predominantly Japanese only a few staff members speak English or other foreign languages, but the service is good. The meeting rooms are fully equipped with audio visual equipment and a simultaneous translation service in 6 different languages. This hotel is recommended for business travelers looking for a full range of services and leisure travelers who will enjoy the central location, peaceful setting next to the park and proximity to Odori Park events.
This post is also available in: Japanese