The Joint Hakuba

I had the pleasure of staying here 2 weeks ago on a friends recommendation. Was looking for a place that was a little bit away from the main "Happo" area, with less busy slopes. Mont Bien fit the bill perfectly. Reasonably priced, warm & spacious rooms and friendly staff. Literally 200 meters from Iwatake and you could sit in the cozy 2F common area and watch people go down the mountain. Excellent location for powder days! Iwatake has some really good tree runs as well. They have a French chef that does a fantastic 4 course dinner. I didnt have breakfast unfortunately... Massage chair for after a day on the slopes and a cozy Onsen bath area that goes from 4pm until 11 or so. Wax / Storage area located in the B1 floor and is heated which is nice so you can comfortably wax your skis / board while having a glass of wine :P The only downside to this place is that it is located away from the main Happo & Echoland areas and so if you want to go into town, you either need a car or take one of the local shuttle busses. This is also a plus in that its nice and quiet here. Very relaxing. Wifi works fine (use the "guest" account) in the common area. The signal is a bit sparse in the rooms. Staff do not generally speak English however if you use google translate or speak slowly, they will patiently do their best to communicate with you. The Mama / Owner is really really nice. Im booked to go back next weekend and couldnt be more excited.