Outdoor onsen with snow-Sapporo & Hakone

Having seen and heard so much about the wonderful experience of enjoying a soak in an outdoor onsen in the midst of falling snow, surrounded by nature/greenery, my girlfriends and I are keen to make this come true - with a trip to Sapporo and Tokyo this mid of February!

Any recommendations for ryokans in Sapporo and Hakone (or Tokyo) where we can experience just that? We don't mind locations a bit further away from the city centre as long as they are easily accessible. In Sapporo, are these located convenient enough to and fro the main Snow Festival sites of Odori Park and Susukino, if they are further away?

And we'd like to do some skiing too. Any good ski resorts in Sapporo and Hakone with lots of nice (natural) snow to recommend - for beginners to intermediate?

Thanks!

I don't think Hakone is covered by snow even in February.

The neaest onsen resort to Sapporo is Jozankei, which is 75 min away from central Sapporo by bus.
This site has a list of accomodations.
http://www.jyozankei.com/english/

To be honest, however, it is not easy to find accomodations in Sappro and nearby areas for Snow Festival at this stage.

I booked my accomodation for Sapporo many months ahead and can tell you that many hotels were fully booked 2-3 months ago. You may still be able to get a room during the Snow Festival but it is likely to be the last of choices - inconvenient and/or not a good standard hotel, or extremely high-priced rooms of expensive hotels. On other hand, if lady luck really takes a liking to you, you may get a good place from rooms that had its reservations cancelled. In other words, you will be in for a tough time to look for a suitable hotel at this moment.

You will have an easier time getting a lodging at a much better price and vacancy after the Snow Festival.

As for onsen, if you are still heading to Sapporo and do not want to travel too far from it, you can consider Dai-ichi Takimotokan at Noboribetsu. They have a shuttle from airport and Sapporo and is famous for having 30 over onsen baths both indoor and outdoor. The hotel is right by the Hell Vallley if you want some sightseeing.

Dear JLady and Nana
Thanks for your comments and info. Yeah, guess I would need a lot of luck to find some lodging during the snow festival period in Sapporo.... Just could not confirm my travel plans till lately. But appreciate your replies anyways...

We stayed at Dai-ichi Takimotokan in late April a couple of years ago. It was definately the off season, at times, I was the only one in the outside onsen. Not sure what February will be like.
It is a big but nice place, good food & great onsens. Plus Hell Valley is walking distance as is downtown shopping. There are also some other smaller onsens in Noboribetsu that are a little more intimate, depending on what you are looking for.