Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel's Unforgettable Stay (Odorikoen)
Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel's Unforgettable Stay (Odorikoen)
Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel (Odorikoen) - My Unfiltered, Unforgettable (and Slightly Chaotic) Stay
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your typical, sterile hotel review. This is my experience at Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel (Odorikoen), and let me tell you, it was… a journey. Forget the glossy brochures and polite, predictable descriptions. We're diving deep, folks, into the good, the slightly wonky, and the utterly delightful.
First Impressions: Location, Location, Location… and a Dash of "Where Am I?"
Finding the place was a bit of a Sapporo scavenger hunt. The hotel, nestled near Odorikoen Park, is a definite plus. You're smack dab in the middle of things, close to the action, yet somehow tucked away enough to feel… well, luxurious-ish. The initial "wow" factor? Not quite there. It's a modern building, sleek-looking, but the entrance felt a little too minimalist. I’m used to a bit more… pizzazz. But hey, maybe that’s the premium part, right?
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag (But Mostly Good!)
Accessibility is a big deal for me, and I was genuinely impressed. Elevators galore! (Crucial). The lobby and common areas were spacious and easy to navigate. I'm talking wide open spaces! The hotel seemed to be making a real effort. The website promised a few accessible rooms. I wasn't able to check those rooms myself, but I did see some features like grab bars in the bathrooms which I appreciate.
The Room: My Personal Fortress (and a Mild Intrusion From a Cleaning Lady)
The room itself? Surprisingly spacious. Honestly, a welcome relief from the usual shoebox accommodations I've encountered. I'm a bit of a "settler," so the extra room let me spread out. We're talking Carpeting! Blackout curtains (a godsend for beating Hokkaido's sunrise), Slippers, and a comfy bed with extra long length! I appreciated it. There was a closet big enough to conceal a small family (if you’re into that), and the air conditioning was a godsend. The in-room safe was a decent size but I'm not planning on carrying around a lot of gold bricks, so that was fine, and the free Wi-Fi worked like a charm.
The view, though? Okay. It wasn't the dramatic mountain vistas I dream of. It was a view of… other buildings. But hey, at least it wasn't a parking lot! I did appreciate the little things like the Complimentary tea to give the stay a more thoughtful feel. The daily housekeeping was efficient – a little too efficient, actually. One morning, I was still wrestling with the world (me trying to wake up, which isn't always pretty), and the cleaning lady just sauntered in. Awkward! But I'm pretty sure I forgot to put the "Do Not Disturb" sign out. My bad. Still, a little warning knock would have been nice.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: A Culinary Adventure (Mostly Positive!)
Alright, the food. This is where things got interesting. Let's start with this: the 24-hour room service? Absolutely fantastic. It saved my hide on a couple of late nights. Think sushi at 2 am. Amazing. The bar, though? It was… there. The decor was a bit bland, but the drinks were strong and the staff was friendly.
Breakfast was a buffet of international cuisine, and that was pretty darn good, I thought. My stomach and I love buffets -- its a tradition at this point. They had the usual suspects: Western breakfast, Asian breakfast, and all the usual suspects. I loaded up on the pastries, a little too much, if I'm being honest. (Don't judge!). And yes, there was a coffee/tea machine in the restaurant. The coffee wasn't the best, but hey, it was free.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: Spa Days (and a Gym I Briefly Met)
Okay, this is where LiveMax really shines. The spa. Oh, the spa! I can't even begin to describe that level of bliss. They had a sauna, a steamroom – the whole shebang. The pool with a view was just beautiful. I spent a solid afternoon just floating around, looking at the clouds. Pure, unadulterated relaxation. The massage I had was incredible! I could feel all my tension melting away. Seriously, if you do nothing else, get the massage. Worth every single yen.
The fitness center? Well… I saw the fitness center. I even went in the fitness center. I don’t own any gym clothes so I didn't workout because I felt out of place. Respect to anyone who did. Now that is an impressive feat.
Cleanliness and Safety: Sanitized Goodness (and a Few Quirks)
The hotel takes its hygiene seriously, and it shows. They used some anti-viral cleaning products that they would apply to everything! The staff wore masks, and there were hand sanitizers stations everywhere. They even had individually-wrapped food options (a nice touch). I appreciated the daily disinfection in common areas. However, there were a couple of things though -- I swear I saw someone at the buffet line wearing their mask under their chin! That kind of defeated the purpose -- but hey! The staff trained in safety protocol.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things (and Some That Weren't So Little)
The front desk staff was always helpful and seemed genuinely happy to help. They had a concierge service, which was super-useful for navigating the city. Luggage storage? No problem. Laundry service? Perfect. The complimentary Wi-Fi was available everywhere and was lightning fast. The hotel also had an on-site gift shop with some cute little souvenirs!
Things that Could Be Better (Let’s Be Honest!)
- The "Proposal Spot": Okay, they list a "proposal spot" as a feature. Is it a special view? A romantic setting? This needed a bit of expansion. I’m not sure where it is!
- The Decorations: The decor was a little generic. A bit more personality wouldn't hurt!
- The "Smell" Thing: The hotel as a whole, it had a weird smell. Not bad. Just… weird. Like a mix of cleaning products and… I don't know!
- The Restaurant Menu: The menu at the restaurant could use some updating. It offered Western and international dishes but it was fairly standard.
My Final Verdict:
Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel (Odorikoen)? It's a winner! Is it perfect? Heck no! But the good outweighs the bad by a country mile. The location is fantastic, the spa is divine, the staff is friendly, and the rooms are comfortable. The minor hiccups? They just added to the experience, making it feel less like a cookie-cutter hotel and more like… well, a real experience. And the unforgettable? Absolutely true. I'm already thinking about when I can go back!
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Meta Description: An unfiltered, honest review of Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel (Odorikoen) in Sapporo, Japan. Discover the good, the bad, and the wonderfully quirky details of my stay, including spa experiences, cleanliness, dining, and accessibility insights.
Title: Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel (Odorikoen) - My Unfiltered Review!
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Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because we're about to dive headfirst into the glorious, messy, and utterly unpredictable world of my Sapporo adventure, based out of the esteemed (and, hopefully, comfy) HOTEL LiVEMAX PREMIUM Sapporo-odorikouen. Prepare for a rollercoaster. And maybe bring a barf bag. (Kidding… mostly.)
Day 1: Arrival! And the Absolute Chaos of Convenience Store Lunches.
Morning (7:00 AM - 11:00 AM): Dear God, the flight. It always feels like a prolonged exercise in sardine-packing and enduring the endless symphony of sniffing and coughing. Finally, FINALLY, wheels touch down at New Chitose Airport! Instant glee. Then, the tsunami of baggage claim. My backpack, a glorious, overflowing testament to my impulsive packing habits, emerges victorious. Now, the train ride to Sapporo Station. Smooth, efficient… classic Japan. I secretly loved how calm it felt after the flight. It's like the city was giving me a giant, collective, "Shhh, you're safe now."
Midday (11:00 AM - 2:00 PM): Check-in at the LiVEMAX Premium! The room. Okay, it's… compact. But hey, it’s clean, the aircon works, and the view, overlooking the Oodori Park, I wasn't expecting. (Maybe I should have taken a video from the hotel.) The real fun begins: the grocery store blitz! Lawson, FamilyMart, 7-Eleven… It’s a religious experience. I go absolutely feral, grabbing everything that remotely looks edible. Onigiri (duh), weird-flavored chips (seaweed, anyone?), the obligatory Matcha latte, and some little pre-packaged desserts that promise to melt in your mouth but probably won’t. I'm pretty sure I spent more time in those stores deciding on the snacks than in the actual hotel room. Lunch, consumed in the hotel room, felt like a small victory.
Afternoon (2:00 PM - 6:00 PM): Oodori Park wander time. It’s… lovely. Green spaces, a few sculptures I pretended to understand, and the realization that everyone in Sapporo is ridiculously stylish. Like, effortlessly chic. Me? I'm in something that resembles travel pajamas. I stumbled upon the Sapporo TV Tower, paid the (minorly inflated) entrance fee, and went up because, "Well I'm here." The view? Standard cityscape, but I loved it anyway.
Evening (6:00 PM onwards): Ramen! Gotta have ramen. I wandered aimlessly for a good hour before finding a little ramen place. There were a number of other options as well, but I was just absolutely starving. (I think this is because I tend to eat snacks at any given moment). The ramen was a glorious, hot, slurp-worthy masterpiece. Afterwards, I wandered back to the hotel, utterly content, and promptly fell asleep at like, 8:30. Jet lag is cruel.
Day 2: The Sapporo Beer Garden & The Majestic Potato.
Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Wake up, slightly hungover from… well, the fact that I woke up. Needed some coffee STAT. Managed to find a nearby cafe with a surprisingly good latte, and, more importantly, a super comfy little chair to sit and do some reading.
Midday (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM): Sapporo Beer Garden! This is where the itinerary goes off the rails. The "Sapporo Beer Garden" is a sprawling complex. I’m talking multiple restaurants, beer halls, and general levels of amazing organized chaos. The beer is, obviously, phenomenal (obviously). The Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) didn’t disappoint, nor did the fried potatoes.
- Anecdote: I may have accidentally ordered a lot of lamb. Like, enough to feed a small village. The server, bless her heart, just smiled and said, "Enjoy!" I enjoyed. Oh, I enjoyed. Food coma incoming…
Afternoon (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM): Post-beer garden haze. Decided to wander through the Hokkaido University campus, which is beautiful. Think stately buildings, cherry blossoms (if you're lucky enough to be there during bloom), and a general sense of, "Wow, this place is fancy." More importantly, I went to the university museum, and by chance, discovered the potato! I swear, the exhibit on potato farming in Hokkaido was… fascinating. I could probably write a dissertation on potato history now. (I definitely didn't realize how much love a potato could garner).
Evening (6:00 PM onwards): Decided to explore the Susukino entertainment district. Neon lights, questionable… offerings. It's all a bit much for me. Found a quiet little izakaya (Japanese pub) and ordered some yakitori (grilled skewers) while drowning myself in the background noise of the crowd. Back to the hotel early… I wasn’t feeling up to anything.
Day 3: Chocolate, Snoopy, and the Existential Dread of Packing.
Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Shiroi Koibito Park (the chocolate factory!). It's a theme park about cookies. I was skeptical. I'm human. I should have known better. The cookies are delicious, the architecture is adorable, and the entire experience is pure, unadulterated joy. I bought way too many souvenirs and ate a mountain of soft serve ice cream. Zero regrets.
Midday (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM): The Snoopy Museum. (Yes, there's a Snoopy Museum, and yes, I went.) It's… charming. You go in, you become a kid again, you remember all the comfort cartoon characters gave you. The Peanuts gang is just… timeless. I just wish they had more of them.
Afternoon (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM): Packing. The bane of my existence. Having to squeeze all my souvenirs, snacks, and slightly-worn travel pajamas back into my already-bursting backpack. The room looks like a bomb went off. It always does. I swear, I'm a master of creative space-stuffing. (It also always feels as if my luggage has a mind of its own!)
Evening (6:00 PM onwards): One last ramen meal, this time near the hotel, a quiet place. Sigh. I need to come back here. I want to come back here. I'm sad already. I'll leave a long trail of memories here, I'm not taking anything with me, I'm glad. But I'll be back.
Day 4: Departure! (Again, with the Airport Chaos)
- Morning (7:00 AM - 10:00 AM): Check out, final grocery store run (because, obviously). The train ride back to the airport. Bags are heavy, heart is heavy.
- Midday (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM): Airport food court feast. One last chance for ramen. And more snacks to take home.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM - onwards): The flight. Back to reality. But with a belly full of ramen, a heart full of memories, and a backpack full of cookies. Until next time, Sapporo! You beautiful, messy, unforgettable place.
And that, friends, is my highly-imperfect, but thoroughly enjoyable, Sapporo adventure. Hope you enjoyed the ride!
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Sapporo Luxury: LiveMax Premium Hotel's "Unforgettable Stay" (Odorikoen) - Let's Get Real
Okay, spill. Is this "premium" hotel actually... premium? And what’s with this Odorikoen thing? Sounded fancy.
The rooms! Tell me about the ROOMS! Did they have those tiny shampoo bottles that you spill everywhere?
*Anecdote time!* I remember one morning, groggily fumbling with the coffee maker (which, thankfully, *did* have decent coffee). I ended up spilling half the cup. On myself. On the bed. And on the nice, fluffy hotel slippers. The shame. Pure, unadulterated shame. But hey! The bedsheets were clean. And the view of another building was, at least, a reminder to be grateful. That’s what I keep telling myself.
Breakfast? Was it worth the extra Yen? I hate hotel breakfasts.
What about the staff? Friendly? Helpful? Did they speak my language?
Okay, let's talk about the REAL stuff. What was your *favorite* thing about the hotel? And the absolute WORST?
Alright, this is where I get REALLY real. My FAVORITE thing? Without a doubt, the *location*. Being able to stroll out of the hotel and be instantly immersed in the energy of Odori Park? Priceless. Having *that* view, soaking in the seasonal changes, and practically falling into a ramen restaurant in five minutes? Glorious.
Now for the WORST… Oh boy. Here goes. The WORST? Well, can I just say, this hotel does a *remarkable* job of making you feel like you’re packed like a sardine in the elevator. It’s an elevator lottery... and you almost always lose. Honestly, the elevator situation was a comedy of errors. Waiting. Waiting. More waiting. Then, the doors open and you *squeeze*. And occasionally, you have to deal with the awkward silent stare-off of the other guests. And the worst thing? The elevator music. It was the same *three* songs, on repeat. And one of them, I swear, haunted my dreams. I still can't hear a certain instrumental version of a certain song without getting elevator anxiety. So, let's say… that was a small imperfection in a mostly enjoyable stay.
*Ranting aside*… Honestly? It's a good base. Would I stay there again? Probably. Mainly for the location. But I'd bring my own shampoo, plan for elevator delays, and maybe, just maybe… sneak in some earplugs.
Anything else I should know before booking? Hidden gems? Traps to avoid?
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