Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino — 518 rooms, built 2018, the biggest budget chain in Susukino
Let's be direct: among budget hotels in the Susukino area, if you measure by how new and how large, Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino wins outright. The 14-storey building opened in 2018 with 518 rooms — the biggest in this budget tier in the area — which means when every small hotel fills up during the Snow Festival in February, there's still a real chance of booking here. Score 8.5 from 1,850+ reviews, an on-site restaurant, a 6-minute walk to both Susukino Station and Sapporo TV Tower — this is the hotel for travellers who want a reliable modern chain at a budget price in the heart of Sapporo.
Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino stands at Minami 3 Nishi 4 in Chuo-ku — the central Sapporo district where Susukino is simultaneously an entertainment hub, a restaurant strip, and a transit interchange. It's a 6-minute walk to Susukino Station on the Namboku Line, from where you can ride up to Sapporo Station or Odori Park in minutes. In the other direction, the same 6-minute walk brings you to Sapporo TV Tower overlooking Odori Park. You can spend the whole day exploring on foot without needing to touch a taxi.
"The building is new and noticeably clean. The room isn't huge but the layout works well, and having a restaurant in the building on a heavy snow day is genuinely useful — a lot of guests said they were surprised by the value at this price."
What distinguishes Smile Hotel Premium from other budget chains in the same neighbourhood is the freshness of the building. Opened in 2018, everything from the walls and furniture to the plumbing and ventilation is still in good condition and looks contemporary — unlike chains that opened 15-20 years ago and show it. The standard single room is 13 sqm, which is the typical size for a Japanese business hotel, laid out with a work desk, flat-screen TV, fridge, kettle, and a bathroom with bidet — everything works, nothing feels tired.
A feature guests mention often is the on-site restaurant open 06:30 to 22:00. In Sapporo's winter, when heavy snow sometimes makes stepping outside feel like an expedition, not having to leave the building for breakfast matters in a real, practical way. The breakfast buffet at ¥1,500 is cheaper than the cafés around Susukino by around ¥800. And for evenings when you simply don't want to venture out, a dinner course at ¥2,800 means you never have to.
An advantage that doesn't get talked about enough is that 518 rooms is a genuine competitive edge during peak season. The Snow Festival in February is when small Sapporo hotels sell out 4-6 months in advance. With 518 rooms, Smile Hotel Premium still has capacity when others don't — you still need to book ahead, but not necessarily at the start of the year. And if you're travelling in a group of three, the Family Triple at ¥12,500 averages out to far cheaper per person than booking separate standard rooms.
To be straightforward about the drawbacks — Smile Hotel Premium is 6 minutes from Susukino Station, which is further than APA Hotel or Comfort Hotel at just 2-3 minutes away. On a day when snow is falling hard and the pavement is icy, those extra few minutes feel longer than they look on a map. Breakfast is also not included in the room rate at ¥1,500 per person, unlike Toyoko Inn or Comfort Hotel where it comes free. If a free breakfast is your priority, factor that into the comparison.
Honestly, Smile Hotel Premium Sapporo Susukino works best for family groups, couples, or solo business travellers who want a reliable, modern chain at a budget price without settling for an ageing property. Starting at ¥7,200/night for a building that went up in 2018 — that kind of value is hard to find in central Sapporo.
This review is based on real guest feedback compiled from multiple platforms. Guests consistently say the same things: for the budget price range, the newness of the building, the in-house restaurant, and the dependability of the Smile Hotels chain are the reasons they come back every time they visit Sapporo.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Opened 2018 — rooms and facilities are noticeably clean and modern
- ✓ 518 rooms — you can still get a booking during Snow Festival when smaller hotels fill up
- ✓ On-site restaurant open 06:30–22:00 — very convenient on snowy days
- ✓ Family Triple ¥12,500 for 3 guests — excellent value for groups
- ! 6-minute walk to Susukino Station — further than APA or Comfort Hotel
- ! Breakfast ¥1,500 not included — unlike Toyoko Inn / Comfort Hotel
- ! Standard single is 13 sqm — typical Japanese business size, not spacious
- ✓ Smile Hotels chain — reliable, consistent service standards
- ✓ Free Wi-Fi throughout — stable connection
- ✓ Full bathtub + bidet in every room — above budget-tier norm
- ✓ Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade 3-minute walk — indoor shopping without the snow
- ! Smile Hotels brand less well-known internationally than APA
- ! Paid parking only — no free parking
- ! Check-in from 15:00 — arrive earlier and you'll need to leave bags at the desk
- 💡If you want the shortest possible walk to the station in heavy snow — 6 minutes is further than ideal → consider APA Hotel Susukino or Comfort Hotel which are just 2-3 minutes away.
- 💡If you want breakfast included in the room price — Smile Hotel charges ¥1,500 extra → look at Toyoko Inn or Comfort Hotel where breakfast is already included.
- 💡If you're travelling solo and 13 sqm feels too tight — ask about Superior or Double rooms with more floor space before booking.