WE Hotel Experience
We wanted to view the architecture of this pretty new hotel which seemed to be located in the middle of no where in Toya. We were lost off track several times and ended up in areas which was snow everywhere as we cannot see any defined roads. WE Hotel is designed by the same architect who did the new Tokyo Olympic Stadium. On arrival in the thick of winter, after much ado, as we got lost a few times even though we had GPS assistance, we were greeted with a special ambience in the hotel. If you are visiting fir the first time, you would be "wowed" by all that you see. Especially the interior design treatment of the EZO Restaurant and the Bar area, decked with barrels on ceiling and bottom of bar counter. Room was interesting - you need to experience it to enjoy it. Description cannot convey the enjoyment felt. It was simple indulgence just soaking in the wooden bath tub in my room balcony, overlooking the pretty wintry scenery of Lake Toya.
However, the hotel dinner is far too expensive - LACKED VALUE FOR MONEY!!! The food served was tacky and unrefined. It also lacked refinement in taste and skill.
For this amount of money spent (EZO Restaurant mid-priced course set dinner @ 18,000 yen per pax before tax), I could get a lovely French course set dinner in Hirafu's Kamimura, which served one of the best French fine dine. The food served was simply heavenly and this is what value for money is. You must enjoy what you pay for!
The management is also lacking in details as its outdoor onsen was soo cold we could not use it. Being experienced onsen users, we were surprised by this low level glitch. After feedback, then only did the staff realise that the outdoor onsen was far too cold. Thus, we lost the night time slot to soak and rejuvenate in the outdoor onsen after dinner. We only realised how wonderful the outdoor onsen was the next morning but there was little time left for us to enjoy it and bask in its 'hot' water.
Such a shame!
Breakfast buffet spread was small but acceptable. Their pastries were delicious, as in all of Hokkaido, with land flowing with good milk and butter.
The WE Hotel explerience would fave been even better if they had strong FB support and a team who cares about details.

Hotel is new with spacious room, lake view, but the rate is a bit pricey. With this room rate, food is no surprise. Set dinner, Chinese style, shrimp and scallop are the appetizer and main course, no other food choice nor wagyu beef, buffet breakfast, more like western style.

If you are expecting Chinese Chef, Onsen hotel other than the traditional Japanese style, tired about the Japanese Hot Spring bath decoration (eg. woods, stones etc) and want to try something new, you can have a try.

Staff are nice and warm welcoming, they can speak Japanese, Putonghua, English and Cantonese as well.

The hotel is beautiful, well designed and it makes you feel really luxurious once you stepped inside the lobby. They provided high-graded amenties in your room, and they have coffee maker in your room so you can have ur coffee anytime that you like. And the view of Lake Toya from the room is really exceptional. So if you like a hotel that can provided a beautiful view, various of facilities that you can experience (the onsen, the bar, game room etc.) and the best of sleeping quality, WE Hotel Toya is really a place for you.

The only thing that I didn't like is the location. Even though the hotel is located in quiet area of Lake Toya but it's very far from the place they have the fireworks display. We had to drive around 20 mins for the fireworks so if you don't have a car it might be a bit difficult to watch the fireworks