4-Star Hotels in Gunma Prefecture, Japan

The hotel is quite a walk from the bus center, and the uneven roads make it inconvenient for luggage; taxis are also scarce. The room is spacious, and the tatami area with heating was very comfortable. It was handy to be able to pick up yukata (robes) for men and women in the lobby. The service level at the hotel's front desk was generally poor. They didn't even bother with a fake smile, haha 😂. Japanese service is becoming more expensive and the quality is getting worse – a clear sign of decline. The hot spring pool in the hotel is very small and the facilities are quite old, so don't expect too much. My favorite part was still the Nishinokawara露天温泉 (outdoor hot spring) outside the hotel. It's 100% natural mountain spring water, so healing! For 800 yen, there are no services, no showers, and you need to bring your own towel. It was totally worth the trip and instantly made up for the round-trip train ticket from Tokyo.

We stayed in Naraya House for 1 night and it was perfect. The staffs were all very kind and helpful that I am truly grateful for all their assistance given throughout our stay. We had a suite, rm no.206, it was stunningly amazing! I only know I am booking a suite with a beautiful view of the yubatake and private onsen. I didn't know it's a gigantic duplex suite with the best view of the yubatake! The room door opens to a western style living and dining area that fits with a set of sofa for 6 and a dining table for 4 with 2 benches. To the left of this western style area is 2 double beds, a walk-in closet and a toilet. I could see Japanese syle beddings in a cupboard which I believe they would be made when the room is booked for more than 2 persons. Facing the sofa is a TV panel. Behind the TV is a Japanese style sitting area with a coffee table and a view of the yubatake. The view is picturesque. There you can also find a stairs going down to the suite's private onsen bath. It's actually on a balcony overlooking the yubatake, the same gorgeous view as in its Japanese style sitting area above, just without the windows, ie closer and clearer picture of the yubatake without reflections. But be aware ppl on the street can see u too, as you can see the windows r just next to 7.11 The meal provided was fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the freshly made sushi. The salmon roe was just so fresh that they were actually shining like marbles. All the ingredients used are high quality. My kid, who is usually picky on food, was pleased with the menu. He already wanted to come back again. Next time, we will stay here for more nights in order to better experience the beauty of Kusatzu. Ps I usually don't bother to write a review, I am doing this one in return to the hotel's great service and hospitality. Thank you and until next time~

Overall, the hotel looks clean, but the room was dusty in places. The location is excellent, literally 2 minutes from the city center. The staff are extremely helpful, really great people. Unfortunately, they hardly speak any English. In our opinion, the price of breakfast and dinner doesn't match the quality.

The entire hot spring town is absolutely beautiful. Since it was newly renovated in 2024, there was no musty smell in the room. The staff were professional, polite, and warmly welcoming without being intrusive, and their English was excellent. There's a shuttle service from the hotel to the station, or you can walk there yourself. This hotel is exactly what I imagined a Japanese onsen hotel to be. The hotel's own hot springs are fantastic. The location is truly the best – some hotels are up in the mountains or require a bit of a walk, but Ichii offers direct views of Yubatake. On the first floor, there's also a large souvenir shop with many unique items that aren't available back home. I'd definitely choose to spend a whole day exploring Karuizawa and then stay at Ichii again!

Flawless, apart from the price! Both breakfast and dinner were Japanese style, and for the five days we stayed, there wasn't a single repeat. Housekeeping was done daily, and all the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. If you needed to go to the bus terminal, just let them know and the hotel shuttle would take you. Our room even had its own private onsen bath. There's also a library in the hotel, mostly with picture books, showing they really cater to foreign guests. However, during our five-day stay, all the other guests were local middle-aged or elderly people, so the hotel was very quiet day and night. From our room, we could even see Mount Tengu.

The food was delicious, but the place was crowded, so the seat we were shown to was in a hallway with a lot of people coming and going. Other than that, the air conditioning in the room smelled a bit moldy, and the bed springs were soft and uncomfortable to sleep on.

This onsen ryokan in Kusatsu has a public bath and rooms with private hot springs. The add-on wagyu beef set was also of good quality. You can also walk to the nearby sister ryokan to use their public bath.

The rooms are very traditional, with an antique feel, and the courtyard is beautiful. The snow views and sunshine made me very happy. The hotel has three private onsen baths and two public ones, all of which are excellent. The private onsen in the room allows for a more relaxed experience. Everyone's service was also great and very polite. After soaking, I felt completely relaxed 😌

Best place we have stayed in Gunma. Walking distance to tourist attractions and shuttle around Kusatsu going to the bus station. Restaurants, souvenir shops, and a 7-eleven around Kusatsu. Some restaurants might close early around 8PM. We love the experience of going around Kusatsu with the Yukata and slippers, just be mindful to have extra clothing underneath because it was cold during our stay and the Yukata might still be not enough. Vegetarian breakfast and welcome drinks available and included. They also have a restaurant wherein you can dip your feet while eating, if you like to experience. You also have a private hot tub. Room is spacious and feels elegant. Staffs are helpful and smiles always. Would definitely recommend for future stays.

The hotel is very popular among the Japanese traveller. Lots of Japanese with very limited foreign traveller. The communication can be a bit difficult at the hotel. The room were cleaned but there is limitation of daily cleaning of the room. They only take trash out and change towels. The policy is to clean the room every 4 days. When the hotel is fully occupied, there is a problem with the scarcity of hot water. We have to wait for hot water to be reproducing 2 out of 3 nights we stayed. The buffet is very crowded and the food are pretty much the same for all 3 nights we stayed for both breakfast and dinner. Our highlights are the crab and the beef station for dinner and the live onigiri station for breakfast.