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.

Charming ryokan with excellent service! After renting a car near Karuizawa station, we arrived at Kusatsu onsen town to find the narrow roads packed with holidaymakers. It was quite harrowing finding our way to the ryokan after circling around. On arrival the front office people were very helpful and led me to a free parking area some distance away. Our experience was very much as described by past reviewers...a traditional ryokan right in heart of the hot spring attraction centre. The room was very spacious. Dinner and breakfast were good enough but no wow factor. What was most delightful for our stay was the very friendly and attentive Nepalese front-end staff named Khadka, who made it easy for us with his good English. He was almost always there to attend to our every need and we enjoyed our conversation with him when he served us at the bar. I would highly recommend having drinks at the bar with its cosy ambience and enjoying the front seats facing the window where we can see people walking by as well as a view of the pagoda. Our stay there was memorable!

Traveling with my best friend, we booked a tatami room with half board (dinner and breakfast included). It had two beds within the tatami setup. The room was compact but very clean, and they provided a basket for each of us with a bath towel and toiletries, which was super convenient for taking to the hot springs. The absolute highlight was the two meals – fresh ingredients like Japanese cuisine and the exquisite presentation of French dishes. Absolutely perfect!

Kusatsu itself is a magnificent place. The hotel is located right in the center. The room type was traditional with futons, and we had a mountain view, which was stunning in the morning. The hotel is well-maintained. We absolutely loved the onsen at the hotel – it was incredibly enjoyable! It was clean, beautiful, and comfortable. I particularly want to highlight the breakfasts and dinners; the selection was absolutely superb. Highly recommended!

Excellent Hotel Review Staying at this hotel was an absolute delight! The room was spotlessly clean, cozy, and well‑equipped. The staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and always ready to help with a warm smile. The location is perfect—quiet yet close to attractions and restaurants. The food was fresh and delicious with a great variety. I had a comfortable and memorable stay and will definitely return on my next visit. Highly recommended

Excellent value for money, with a half-board package that included dinner and breakfast. Dinner was very generous, though the aftertaste was just average; the Jōshū beef was the highlight. Breakfast quality was superb. Very satisfied with the cleanliness and comfort.

Overall, Kizunoniwa is definitely better than Konoha. Dinner was a delicious Japanese meal served in a private dining room, and breakfast was also good. My only minor complaint was that the rice wasn't quite up to Japanese standards. The location is quite far out. If you're heading to Ueno Station in the city, leaving the hotel at 9 AM and having a smooth journey, you'd likely arrive around 1 PM. The hotel shuttle takes ten minutes to the bus stop, then it's an hour and a half by bus to Karuizawa, and another hour-plus from Karuizawa to Ueno. The main delays are due to waiting for various connection times. It snowed on our second day, which was truly beautiful. I'd love to come back during autumn leaf season if possible.

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.

An oasis of calm in a stone’s throw away from Yubatake. Getting up here can be tricky if you drive but the staff are standing by to direct your car to the reserved parking lots. Breakfast and dinner were exquisite Kaiseki sets. The indoor/outdoor onsens were spacious and clean, with zen greenery surrounding the baths. Traditional rooms are spacious and cosy, with staff setting up the futons while you have dinner. Great place to stay with delicious food.