Imagine Hotel & Resort Hakodate — the onsen resort that keeps the kids smiling all trip
If your kids love splashing around, Imagine Hotel & Resort in Yunokawa Onsen is the kind of place that will keep them grinning from check-in to check-out. The onsen here is not the quiet soak-and-reflect variety — it has a large pool, bubble pool, sauna and an open-air rotenburo that children can actually get into. Add a games corner, table tennis and board games to borrow, plus a seafood buffet where you build your own kaisen-don rice bowl, and a score of 8.7 from 388 Booking reviews that says families who have been here agree.
Imagine Hotel & Resort sits in the Yunokawa-cho district on the eastern side of Hakodate. The first thing that sets it apart from a typical family hotel is its onsen complex — large enough for children to genuinely play in, not just sit and soak. There is a big indoor pool, a bubble pool, a sauna, and an open-air rotenburo where you can lie back and take in the resort garden. Guests who have been here with young children consistently say their kids asked to go back to the pool more than once.
"The kids loved the pool and bubble pool, and the adults genuinely relaxed in the rotenburo that evening — many families say it was the best night of their Hakodate trip."
Beyond the water, the resort takes care of the problem every parent knows: what do kids do after dinner? The games corner, table tennis tables and free-to-borrow board games fill that evening slot well. Rather than restless children in a hotel room, families here have somewhere to go — and many reviews single this out as something they did not expect at this price point.
The rooms are built for groups, not couples. Alongside Western Twin rooms with a sofa, there are Tatami/Family rooms that comfortably sleep four to five people on futons laid out across traditional tatami flooring. Families of four or five do not need to book two separate rooms as they often have to at city business hotels — everyone can sleep together, which matters when you are travelling with young children.
The dining is a genuine highlight. The buffet restaurant lets you assemble your own kaisen-don — a rice bowl topped with the fresh seafood of your choice from the buffet spread. Local Hakodate hairy crab, sweet squid, and fresh shellfish all make appearances. Children who get to build their own bowl tend to eat the whole thing. Because the Yunokawa area has limited dining options outside the resort, booking the half-board package (breakfast and dinner included) is strongly recommended.
One of the most practical things about this resort for families flying into Hakodate is its location — just 10 minutes by taxi from Hakodate Airport. There is no need to drag luggage onto a tram for 25 minutes into the city on the day you arrive. For a first night after a long journey, or a final night before an early morning flight, this proximity is very useful — soak in the onsen, sleep well, then go straight to the airport.
A few things worth knowing honestly before you book — Imagine Hotel is an older resort, and while the onsen facilities are well maintained, some rooms show their age in the décor. Several reviews mention the interior looks a little tired in parts. Beyond that, the Yunokawa location means you are around 25 minutes by tram from central Hakodate, including the morning market, Goryokaku Fort, and the historic waterfront. If your itinerary is built around walking the city each day, the commute adds up.
Overall, Imagine Hotel & Resort is a strong choice for families who want a proper onsen resort stay — not just a hotel with a bath. At roughly ¥12,000 per night including breakfast and dinner, the value stacks up well when you factor in the large-pool onsen, kids' activities, seafood buffet and airport proximity. It is not the newest building in Hakodate, but the experience it delivers for families travelling with children is hard to match at this price.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Onsen with large pool + bubble pool + sauna — children can actually play in the water
- ✓ Games corner, table tennis and board games to borrow — kids stay entertained in the evenings
- ✓ Wide tatami/family rooms sleeping four to five people comfortably
- ✓ 10 minutes from Hakodate Airport — ideal for first or last nights
- ! An older resort — some rooms are not recently refurbished
- ! Around 25 minutes by tram from central Hakodate — less convenient if you plan to walk the city every day
- ! Dining options outside the resort are limited — half-board is recommended
- ✓ Kaisen-don seafood buffet with fresh local ingredients — a hands-on experience for children
- ✓ Open-air rotenburo with a peaceful garden view
- ✓ Western Twin rooms with a sofa — comfortable for small families
- ✓ Friendly staff and attentive resort-style service
- ! Score of 8.7 is the lowest among Hakodate family resort options
- ! The building is older — some decor shows signs of age
- ! Check-in is 15:00 — arriving earlier means storing luggage at the front desk
- 💡If your itinerary is built around walking central Hakodate every day — Yunokawa is about 25 minutes by tram from the morning market and Goryokaku → factor in the commute cost and time, or consider a hotel closer to JR Hakodate Station.
- 💡If you want a freshly renovated room — Imagine is an older resort → check recent review photos on Booking or Agoda before deciding; room quality varies and some sections are in better condition than others.
- 💡If you are not booking half-board — dining options in the Yunokawa area are limited → including breakfast and dinner in your booking is more convenient and better value than searching for restaurants outside.