Madarao Accommodation at Madarao Mountain Resort

Accommodation Options Madarao - Lodges, Inns & Hotels

Madarao Mountain Ski Resort is located 11km from Iiyama which is under  2hrs from Tokyo via Shinkansen. Madarao Accommodation is varied and eclectic in type and style. Most accommodation in Madarao is Lodge or Inn style evolving from a vibrant history around the late 60’s / 70’s era, developing as a Pension Village.

Once upon a time, in its more colourful days, Madarao was a playground for the more affluent Japanese snow enthusiast and holiday-maker, looking to establish holiday homes and Bed & Breakfast Lodges ( Pensions ) as part of their early retirement plans in their 40’s. It was also the location of a vibrant world-class Jazz scene. Like many Japanese ski area destinations its gone through somewhat of a boom and bust, so to speak and now more recently a revival with the introduction of new capital from western ski enthusiasts and property investors.

Type of Accommodation in Madarao

Types of Accommodation in Madarao

As far as Madarao Accommodation goes there are four main types of lodging that could be characterised as:

  • less than a handful of larger hotels ( suitable for tour buses etc ) like the Madarao Kogen Hotel & Monalie
  • less than a handful of mid-size hotels ( between 25 - 50 rooms ) also suitable for a tour bus visitor
  • Lodges / Inns usually between 9 - 14 Rooms and up to around 30 guests
  • a number of private homes however not much offered on Airbnb

Quality of Accommodation in Madarao

Quality of Accommodation in Madarao

The quality of Madarao Accommodation varies from recently renovated ( these are usually western owned and operated lodges, that make up part of the new capital entering Madarao in the past two years ), to well maintained Japanese owned and operated Lodges to buildings abandoned and or in a state of disrepair.

There is no question, Madarao is now, well and truly discovered. Up until more recently the marketing message of the Resort was - “Madarao, the Best Kept Secret Ski Destination in Japan”, with the claim to fame being 60% of the mountain terrain un-groomed, with significant powder tree skiing. As such the last eleven real estate transactions in Madarao since 2016 have been to Australian & NZ syndicates looking for property investment returns from winter lifestyle assets outside of Australia. Japan is the obvious choice.

So why Madarao for your Snow Accommodation?

So why Madarao for your Snow Accommodation?

Western Ski Enthusiasts and Lodge Owners have a love affair with Madarao for a number of reasons listed below;

  • its a village located up an 11km road from Iiyama so it has a village feel, located on-mountain at elevation
  • its convenient to Tokyo via Shinkansen so is easy to get to by Train and Bus
  • it gets on average between 9 to 13 meters of snow per season
  • its varied terrain and quality of snow makes the skiing conditions excellent
  • it’s a dual mountain with Tangram Ski Circus and therefore I consider a 10 to 14-day destination ( at least )… truth be told you could ski here a whole season an discover new terrain options in the side country endlessly.
  • it’s affordable - truth be told everything is still very cheap ( particularly the ski lift tickets )
  • it has a good vibe… meaning it just feels good.
  • it has a liberal side country, self-responsibility ski policy
  • its bar and dining options are growing as part of the new capital entering the market and Madarao Renaissance we are experiencing
  • it’s somewhat landlocked so the likelihood of Madarao being over-developed is low and therefore it should retain a nice balance between Japanese Culture and Western service.

There is very little if any self-contained apartment style Madarao Accommodation. In the future no-doubt, new developments in Madarao will accommodate that style of western accommodation as the demand grows from Australian, Chinese and European Ski Enthusiasts and Families.

Madarao Village Accommodation

Madarao Village / Accommodation 

The Madarao Kogen Hotel is considered the center of Madarao Village ( or Madarao Highlands as it’s sometimes referred to ). There is a Madarao Mountain Map / Village Map that shows the location of most of the Lodges / Inns that make up the village ( please note, only Lodges that are part of the local Madarao Tourist Association will appear on the Village Map and printed signboards offering directions around the village road network ).

When considering what Madarao Accommodation to stay at first things first decide whether you want more of a Japanese experience or a Western-operated experience. The standard of care and attention may be the same however there will be differences. The language barrier may be something to consider. Another consideration will be the type of Bathing - traditional Japanese Onsen vs western shower/bath. And yet another consideration may be the style of Breakfast served, Japanese vs western/continental or American style.

Madarao Accommodation with Dining Options

Madarao Accommodation with Dining Options

One of the things that we love about Madarao is sending our guests out to over 26 restaurants and dining options, many of which are located in the Japanese owned and operated Lodges. Many of the western, Madarao Accommodation options choose not to offer dinner in their lodges as is the case with Aya Lodge Madarao. The main reason being we want to support the exiting Japanese businesses, and truth be told the Japanese dining options in Madarao are excellent ( so why even try and compete with experts at the local cuisine ).

If your planning a Ski Holiday in Japan contact Aya Lodge Madarao directly for all your Madarao Accommodation requirements. We also have referral arrangements with trusted local Japanese Lodges so you can come for two weeks and mix things up with a fantastic cultural experience. We can also recommend other preferred Accommodation in Myoko-Kogen and Nozawa Onsen.

Aya Lodge is a boutique ski lodge owned and operated by ski enthusiasts, for ski & snowboard enthusiasts... we know what you need and desire.

Click here to download the Madarao Accommodation Food & Dining Guide