We really enjoyed our stay at the ANA Crowne Plaza Appi, in part because it was a short stay so we didn’t get the cabin fever that we sometimes get when we stay in a massive resort hotel for a while. If you love staying slopeside and having lots of amenities without the need to go outside, then you’ll love the convenience of the ANA Crowne Plaza Appi.

We stayed in a lovely room in the Tower with twin beds and a delightful tatami seating area. The views across the ski resort were beautiful and it was very relaxing to sit on the tatami for après ski, sip on a sake, and watch it snowing outside. The bathroom had plenty of space, and whilst other parts of the room seemed to have been semi-renovated, the bathroom fixtures were still old school and some of the furniture was a little dated for a 4 star hotel but it was functional and included some storage. The room cleaning service was exceptional (or you could choose to opt out in exchange for a voucher). Another pro of this room was that it was very spacious.

We didn’t pre-book restaurants as we didn’t realise we needed to, so couldn’t get into our restaurants or time slots of choice. Good to know for next time that we need to book well in advance.

Pros
- It sits at the base of Appi ski resort, which has great piste and plenty of tree skiing
- Ski-in ski-out convenience (but if you’re looking for really really easy access to the slopes, keep in mind that it takes some time to walk from the Tower to the main building, head down to the basement to the big ski locker room, then up the stairs to the slopes, then skate across to the gondola)
- Lovely views from many of the rooms
- Lots of facilities in the hotel and it’s connected via an indoor corridor to the resort centre for more amenities
- Indoor onsen onsite plus access via shuttle bus or walk to an onsen complex that has beautiful open air baths.

Pro or Con Depending On Your Perspective

- It’s a really really big hotel so the service may not feel personalised
- Limited lounge areas to mingle with other guests.
- Meals at the hotel are geared towards those with a generous budget. If you choose the least expensive option, it’s a buffet in a large food hall. Breakfast buffet is also in the utilitarian food hall. Other options are to wander down to the pension village for a few inexpensive eateries.
See our video here

Appi was the third and final leg of Jan-Feb 2023 Japan adventure, and after a fantastic week, our family felt that we had saved the best for last! We were initially booked into Appi Hills but with patronage still being down post-COVID, we were upgraded to the ANA Crowne Plaza.
The quirky yellow building is ski-in, ski-out and has one main lift and the bottom to top gondola right outside the hotel area. From these two lifts all areas of the mountain are accessible, so all your snow requirements are within easy reach.
We had 5 people staying in a family room with 3 large single beds and 2 fold-out couch beds that our children used. Set up in this configuration, there's not a lot of space left in the room, nor is there enough storage space for heaps of gear, but we were generally only in the room to sleep, so a somewhat crowded room wasn't a big deal. The beds were very comfortable and the daily housekeeping was spot on. The staff were also super helpful and friendly (it's Japan after all, so of course they were!).
There is a small gift shop where you can pick up some gear, drinks and snacks, but aside from that, unless you have a car, you will most likely need to eat at one of the in-house restaurants. These aren't cheap (6,000 Yen p/p), but the food is excellent. Fortunately our package included breakfast, which was also a plentiful and delicious smorgasbord, and as we were IHG members, the kids got to eat dinner free with a paying adult.
There is a small coin operated laundry room in the basement area, right next to the extensive ski locker area, but pick your time or be patient, as the post dinner wait can be 3 or more hours before a machine is free.
Other facilities were not always open, again due to crowds being less than normal, but there are some cafes, snack and beverage options around the hotel; they just didn't seem open very often when we were actually in the hotel.
Our stay included one ticket each to the fantastic outdoor Onsen area, and there are another two indoor Onsen within the building that were excellent after a big day on the snow. Unfortunately the indoor pool is not free for guests as we had assumed, and at 2,500 Yen p/p for entry, a family swim would have cost us about $140 AUD, so we gave that a miss. We didn't see a single person using the pool during the week, so I suspect we weren't the only ones put off by the price.
Although a touch on the expensive side (and that's before the cost of dinner), the quality and location of ANA Crowne Plaza makes a stay at Appi well worth it when you have access to an amazing resort, sensational snow conditions and what seemed like empty runs and lift lines Monday to Friday once the weekend locals were gone. Right through the week we continued to uncover new powder stashes and hidden areas to explore.
Appi and Crowne Plaza were great, and we have booked to return mid-January in 2024!
See our video here

Some tower juggernaut hotels at other Japanese ski resorts are way OTT (over the top), yet the Hotel Appi Grand manages to have a distinctively impressive hotel without it being brash and Japanese kitsch.

We stayed in a tower twin room which was beautiful. The décor was understated yet classy, the beds super comfortable, and the room was large, so large that you could swing a family of cats around in there. The views across the ski area were awesome and it was very tranquil in the evenings to look at the illuminated slopes. Everything was just right!

We were impressed with the restaurants and even the breakfast buffet at the Arlberg was delightful - there was no feeding frenzy to get to the buffet food (like you find at some Japanese hotels!). 

And the convenience of being completely ski-in ski–out was superb!
See our video here