The curse of the cheap hotel: A global tour on a shoestring

Before the world shut down (by the COVID), my boss—now the Chairman—and I traversed the globe on business. It sounds glamorous, but the reality was a punishing schedule mitigated by my zealous, near-pathological dedication to cost containment. I always chose the cheapest possible hotels. We stayed in places where we genuinely wondered if pitching a tent outside would have been an upgrade. It was common to find rooms so small we couldn’t even fully open a suitcase. Many of the places were so small and obscure that when we arrived late at night, even the local taxi driver couldn’t find them, and I would inevitably curse myself for making such a ridiculous choice. I am confident that my boss, witnessing my terrible choices, absolutely wished to curse (or murder) me as well.

My boss’s primary complaint for years was simple: “Please sell more furniture, make more money, and let me stay at better hotels!” This year, he finally stepped down from the President position, and our frugal global escapades have ended. While I deeply regret never fulfilling his one wish, I must confess, I genuinely enjoyed those penniless trips with him. We shared the kind of misery that forges a very Japanese, unbreakable bond.

The chairman’s delight: A new meaning of luxury in Sapporo

Last week, the Chairman sought me out at my desk, practically glowing with delight. This is why I remembered his old complaints. He had been invited to a private viewing of a new hotel in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido: Royal Park Canvas.

The hotel’s core concept is “Make it happen,” designed to encourage guests to create new value by deeply experiencing Hokkaido. It’s not about gold faucets; it’s about sustainable luxury and local value.

The building itself is an architectural manifesto. It’s an 11-story structure using a hybrid approach: reinforced concrete (RC) up to the 8th floor, and a wooden structure above that. This approach reduced carbon dioxide emissions by a massive 1,380 tons. Furthermore, wood waste from the construction was cleverly repurposed for the interior finishing. I am certain their restaurant will equally commit to showcasing local ingredients.

The Canvas paradox: Sustainable design eases travel trauma

This is not a “super luxury” hotel. But the design standards and commitment to sustainability are exceptional. While it may still be over my stringent old travel budget, I was delighted to hear that our furniture is installed in the lounge space.

This is the great Canvas Paradox: a truly modern, sustainable hotel that prioritizes the use of local wood and reduces its carbon footprint, yet achieves a sense of luxury far beyond the cheap concrete bunkers I forced the Chairman into.

I hope that seeing the comfortable, locally made furniture—designed and crafted by us right here in Hokkaido—will finally ease his decades-long frustration with my travel policies.

If you have a chance to come to Sapporo, please do stay at the Royal Park Canvas. You won’t just be staying in a hotel; you’ll be experiencing a blueprint for the future of sustainable, conscious travel in Japan. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be sitting in the chair my Chairman finally approved of.

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Photo Credit: https://www.the-royalpark.jp/canvas/sapporoodoripark/

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