Smile Hotel Premium Hakodate Goryokaku — the freshest budget rooms on the star-fort side of Hakodate
If your Hakodate itinerary centres on Goryokaku Park and the cherry blossoms around the star-shaped fort rather than the morning market, Smile Hotel Premium Hakodate Goryokaku is worth a serious look. Opened in 2021, it is one of the newest business hotels in the budget category in the city. With a score of 8.8 from 371 reviews, what guests consistently praise is clean, new rooms, a comfortable bed, a genuinely quiet atmosphere, and an in-room air purifier — simple basics, but done well at every turn.
Smile Hotel Premium Hakodate Goryokaku sits on the Goryokaku side of the city — set apart from the JR Hakodate Station cluster and the Asaichi morning market where most hotels are concentrated. That distance is both the trade-off and the advantage, depending on how you've planned your trip. If Goryokaku Park and Goryokaku Tower are your main draw, staying here means walking out the door and arriving at the star-shaped fort in 15 minutes — without needing to cross town by tram the way guests staying near the station do.
"Spotlessly clean, brand-new feel, comfortable beds, genuinely quiet, and the in-room air purifier was a real bonus — many guests say it's the best night's sleep they've had at a budget hotel in Hakodate."
What guests mention most is the freshness of the rooms. Opening in 2021 means everything — the furniture, the bathroom, the air-conditioning system — is still in excellent shape. Compared with older business hotels in the same city, the difference is clear and immediate. The in-room air purifier is also a feature that comes up often; it's not standard at most budget chains, and for guests with allergies or anyone who simply wants to sleep in clean air, it's a genuine plus.
The Goryokaku location also suits visitors arriving by car particularly well. Parking here is more straightforward than at hotels crammed into the station zone. If you're driving yourself around Hokkaido, you can base yourself here and take the tram across to the station, Asaichi or the Bay Area on the days you want to visit those spots — flexibility without the hassle of circling a busy car park.
During cherry-blossom season (late April to early May), this location is the most advantageous of any hotel in the budget roundup. Goryokaku Park is one of Hokkaido's finest cherry-blossom spots, with cherry trees ringing the star-shaped fort. Walk out of the hotel early in the morning and you can enjoy the blossoms before the crowds build up — guests who visited during this season consistently said it was the hotel's single strongest selling point.
A few things worth knowing before you book — there is no onsen or communal bath, which is normal at this level of business hotel, but if a soak is important to your stay, look at other Hakodate options. Breakfast is not included in the room rate (~¥2,000 extra), and being on the Goryokaku side rather than the station side means that if the morning market and Bay Area dominate your programme, the daily tram ride across town is worth factoring in.
Here's the honest picture — rooms start from around ¥8,000/night for a double. For a hotel that opened in 2021, with fresh rooms, a genuinely quiet atmosphere and the best position for exploring Goryokaku on a budget, that price-to-quality ratio stands up well against anything else in the Hakodate budget bracket. It suits travellers who want new, clean and quiet without sacrificing sleep quality.
In short, Smile Hotel Premium Hakodate Goryokaku is the strongest budget choice in Hakodate for travellers focused on Goryokaku or arriving by car. Fresh rooms, quiet nights, good beds, and honest pricing. If the morning market, Bay Area or Mount Hakodate night view dominate your plans, a hotel near the station makes more logistical sense — but if Goryokaku is on the list, this place delivers considerably more than you'd expect.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ New 2021 rooms — clean, comfortable beds, genuinely quiet
- ✓ In-room air purifier — not standard at budget chains
- ✓ 15-min walk to Goryokaku Tower — perfect for cherry-blossom season
- ✓ Free parking — great for self-drive visitors from outside Hakodate
- ! Not near JR Hakodate Station or Asaichi market — need the tram to reach that area
- ! No onsen or communal bath
- ! Breakfast costs extra (~¥2,000) — not included in the room rate
- ✓ Fresh, clean rooms — noticeably newer than many other budget hotels in Hakodate
- ✓ Quiet — great for recovery after a full day of sightseeing
- ✓ Goryokaku side — easiest early-morning cherry-blossom access of any budget hotel
- ✓ From around ¥8,000 — strong value for a 2021-built hotel
- ! Distance from the station and morning market requires tram travel planning
- ! No onsen — must look elsewhere if a hot-spring soak is essential
- ! Breakfast is a separate charge (~¥2,000)
- 💡If your programme is centred on Asaichi morning market or the Bay Area — this hotel is on the Goryokaku side and requires a tram ride to reach those spots → a hotel near JR Hakodate Station will be more convenient.
- 💡If an onsen is a key part of your stay — Smile Hotel Premium has none → look for Hakodate hotels that include a sento or hot-spring bath.
- 💡If you want breakfast included in the room price — breakfast here costs extra (~¥2,000) → compare room rates with breakfast-inclusive plans at nearby hotels before deciding.