Suffice it to say, that Hokkaido and Sapporo, in general, is not an area well known for luxury chain hotels. All chains have a very small footprint in this area. In Sapporo itself, nothing much interests me. I do have to say that the ANA Crowne Plaza is probably the largest chain hotel and the most international hotel in the city. I was attracted to it given my IHG Diamond status and its central location. Most of the hotels in this part of the world are independent hotels and local stays. This is the best option for me. Prices are very attractive during my travel dates to Hokkaido since you are in between seasons. Furthermore, I got a very competitive rate via an OTA. I will be staying here for three nights over two stays. The hotel has a very central location with it being within walking distance from Sapporo Station. This comes with a direct line to the airport and you are also well accessible to all Sapporo attractions.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I booked via an OTA for both stays since they were significantly cheaper. I stayed 2 nights for my first stay and one night for the second stay. For my first stay, the nightly rate was around 128 SGD a night including tax. The second night was an outstanding 47 SGD. I was prepared to give up my elite benefits and points given how attractive they are. Before my stay, I reached out to the hotel to get some information about my stay and also tried to attach my IHG Diamond number to my reservation. I was surprised to see that a room upgrade have been accorded a couple of days out from my stay. This is very nice of the hotel since I did not book directly. I was upgraded to a Premium Twin room which is the best available category and just a level below the suite. This would have cost around 470 SGD a night. ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo features 412 guest rooms and suites spread across 15 categories. You can find the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Bathtub | Room Size |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Single | Yes | 16 Sqm |
| Standard Twin | Yes | 21 Sqm |
| Standard Double | Yes | 23 Sqm |
| Standard Corner Twin | Yes | 23 Sqm |
| Standard Large Twin | Yes | 38 Sqm |
| Standard Triple | Yes | 21 Sqm |
| Comfort | Yes | 21 Sqm |
| Comfort Corner Twin | Yes | 23 Sqm |
| Comfort Large Twin | Yes | 35 Sqm |
| Quadruple | Yes | 37 Sqm |
| Deluxe Double | Yes | 21 Sqm |
| Deluxe Twin | Yes | 23 Sqm |
| Deluxe Large Twin | Yes | 35 Sqm |
| Premium Twin | Yes | 42 Sqm |
| Suite | Yes | 80 Sqm |
Checking In
After a transit flight in Haneda, I got onto the express train line that would take me to Sapporo Station in less than 45 minutes. From here, the hotel is within walking distance. Do take note that not all the exits have elevators. The hotel is very easy to find. The hotel has two entrances. The main entrance is better suited for guests arriving with vehicles and the side one is better for pedestrian access. There is no one on hand to help with bags.
The actual reception is located one level above and you can access it via the escalators. Upon arrival, I was immediately helped by a friendly associate who then warmly welcomed me as a diamond member and even went through the benefits. The room upgrade was reconfirmed and late check out is even automatically extended till 2pm.
Premium Twin Room
This room type only comes with twin beds. I have no idea why a king configuration isn’t possible. This is the best room type in the hotel. I was assigned a room on one of the highest floors of the hotel. I got room 2019 which is at the end of the corridor. It is just a short walk away from the elevators. Upon entering, you have a little entranceway with the minibus set up on the right. Here you can find some packaged tea, a kettle and a mini fridge that is left empty for your use.
Towards the left, is the wardrobe. This is on the smaller side. It is well equipped with an ironing kit, plenty of hangers, a safe and bath slippers.
The bathroom is separated into two. The toilet on the right-hand side comes with a typical Japanese bidet-style toilet and a mini sink.
The bathroom on the left is spacious with a single sink and plenty of platform space. All sorts of amenities are provided and they are very thoughtful about having everything that you might require for the stay, They had beauty facial products to hair wax for guys. I am very impressed.
Both the standing shower and bathtub are inside the shower room. I love this concept as it allows you to get from the bathtub to the shower easily without water from getting all around. Water pressure and temperature control are excellent. I love that the tap of the bathtub can be shifted to one side. Bath Bombs are provided as well. Taking a hot water soak is one of the best luxuries in the cold weather. I am surprised to see that they had antipode amenities, this is one of my favourite brands ever. They are located in large pump-sized bottles.
We move onto the main space of the room, which is actually in a rectangular configuration. The room measures a spacious 42 Sqm and is the largest room in the hotel. It could have been classified as a junior suite with a separate sitting area. Right in front in the middle of the room is a television mounted on the wall. The mounting allows it to be pivoted to be viewed from both the bed and the sitting area. I did feel like the television was a little small for the room. They could use an upgrade perhaps to a smart TV with casting capabilities as most of the channels here are only in the local language. That might not be very suitable for international travellers.
Flanking both sides of the television is a view of Sapporo city. The view is pretty good given how high up we are.
On the right-hand side of the room, you can find a sofa that could fit 3 pax comfortably over a coffee table. There is also another armchair by the side. This can also be a bed for the little ones.
In the corner, there is a working desk with a proper office chair that provides great back support. Power outlets are within reach and the Wi-Fi connection is very good. You can find a proper coffee machine over here. I love that they provide a proper espresso coffee machine in the room. This will come in handy.
Alongside, there is also a very generous welcome amenity consisting of some local snacks. On the table, you can also find some extra amenities for use such as an eye mask and packaged tea. This hotel provides everything.
On the other side of the room is where you can find the twin beds. The bedding was plush and beddings were high quality. The pillows provided great neck support. There is also a pillow menu to customize your sleeping expereince. Power outlets are within reach and lighting controls are available too.
Fitness Centre
The gym is located on the first floor just beside the cloakroom. It is on the smaller side and very basic. It comes with just a couple of gym equipment. There is nothing much to it besides getting a little workout or so. Nothing fancy.
Breakfast at MEM
Surprisingly for my second stay, the hotel extended breakfast to me despite booking via an OTA. Breakfast is served at MEM which is located just next to the reception. Guests can also opt for a Japanese breakfast. Breakfast would have cost 3025 yen if not included in your rate. The restaurant is gorgeous and bright. Breakfast is served buffet style. Breakfast is served from 6am to 10.20am.
Let me share some pictures of the buffet line. It is not overly huge but everything was delicious. I love the local items and omelette. It is a decent enough breakfast to enjoy if you have access to it. But with the city offering so many delicacies, I would rather just head out for something else if I had to pay for this.
Conclusion
I had a comfortable stay. This is one of the better options in town if you want to stay at a chain for the familiarity, to earn some points and nights. The location is excellent for checking out the city and the staff are great. The hotel is slightly dated but they are very food with elite recognition. I got a nice upgrade. Rates are very affordable if you are coming at the right time. I will have no qualms coming back again the next time I am in Sapporo.
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