The Windsor Hotel TOYA, Vignette Collection

It took me less than an hour to be made to wait in the lobby until I arrived and checked in, and when a woman at the front desk asked me what I was not good at eating, I said, why? I was laughed at by the woman and was offended by her very rude behavior. Also, when I went to the famous restaurant in the hotel at the time I booked, I was led to a shabby seat in a corner that looked like it was hidden behind a curtain, and the ingredients that I was not good at were not removed, which disappointed me that the hotel was still a mess. I was amazed to book a high-grade room, but the view of Lake Toya and the size and facilities inside were European-style, and only here was it filled.

I am writing to express my disappointment with the service my family experienced during our stay at The Windsor Hotel Lake Toya from July 9 to July 12, 2026 Unfortunately, the incident occurred during our very first breakfast, which made an unfavorable first impression of the hotel's hospitality. Upon check-in, we were never informed of the breakfast serving hours. As first-time guests, we naturally assumed the breakfast buffet would continue for a reasonable period after we arrived at 8:30 a.m. It was only then that we learned breakfast service ended around 9:00 a.m. Unfortunately, before we could even begin, the restaurant host took a considerable amount of time verifying our room number before allowing us to enter. This further reduced the little time we had to enjoy breakfast. My 83-year-old mother has Parkinson’s disease and uses a wheelchair. Because of her condition, her mobility is very limited, and everything takes her considerably longer than the average guest. Once we realized the buffet was about to close, we hurried to collect our food and ate as quickly as we could. Despite our efforts, my mother simply could not eat any faster due to her illness. What disappointed me most was not that the buffet closed at 9:00 a.m., but the lack of empathy shown by the restaurant host. About five minutes before 9:00 a.m., the staff began removing the food from the buffet, which we completely understand. However, the same host came to our table twice to warn us that breakfast service was ending and asked us to leave the restaurant. Why was it necessary to pressure us to leave while we were still quietly finishing the food and drinks we had already served ourselves? Allowing us just a few additional minutes to finish our meal would not have delayed the staff from clearing the buffet, but it would have demonstrated kindness, respect, and consideration for an elderly guest with a disability. The Windsor Hotel is known as a luxury property, and with that reputation comes an expectation of exceptional hospitality. True luxury is not only about beautiful facilities—it is also about compassion, attentiveness, and treating every guest with dignity. Sadly, that was not the experience we had during breakfast. I hope management will review this incident and provide additional training to ensure staff show greater understanding and sensitivity, particularly when serving elderly guests and guests with disabilities. A small act of patience and empathy can make a tremendous difference and leave guests with a lasting positive impression rather than a disappointing one. stellahwshih@yahoo.com

We recently stayed here for three nights and we were impressed by the professionalism of the staff and the show stopping lobby area- with its floor to ceiling view over Lake Toya. On arrival, we drove up to the entrance and were greeted by an army of gentlemen happy to take our bags- we were then directed to park our vehicle in the underground car park. We made our way (via elevator) to main reception and the lovely lady at the desk explained everything we needed to know (ie included breakfast options, shuttle bus timetable etc). Our room was on the 6th floor and over looked the tennis courts a the sea. The view from the other rooms, over looked the Lake! Our room was a generous size , but was a little dated - we had all the mod cons - ie coffee machine, usb outlets etc - but it looked a little 80s. That said, the bed was comfortable and the shower /bath combination had good pressure. We had breakfast included and you have an option of buffet, American and Japanese. The buffet offering has plenty of Eastern and Western dishes. Don’t let The American option fool you- you have a choice of 5 meal options and if none of those interest you, you can request freshly cooked eggs your way. The hotel is about a 20 min drive down to the Lake, so you either need a car or use the shuttle bus option. We didn’t use the restaurants for dinner, nor did we use the activities (ie golf) or pool or onsen. Overall, this was a very lavish stay, at a reasonable price!