4-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

This is our first time to ski Japan.  This hotel was located perfectly with great access to some super beginning facilities.  Good enough about skiing, the hotel is perfect and the staff is amazing. The food and amenities are excellent. We had a private hot spring every evening really added to the enjoyment.  My wife and I and eight year-old daughter had a great time  you so much for the great experience and all the hospitality  Perfect Stay. 100%!!!

From the moment you enter Kokuya Ryokan, be prepared to leave the real world behind and fully immerse yourself in the experience. You swap your shoes for slippers at the door and don’t see them again until you leave. You will receive a warm welcome from polite and gentle-mannered staff, get taken up to your beautiful room, and once you’ve changed into your traditional yukata, it’s time to let the relaxation begin. The multi-course dinner will probably be one of the best meals you’ve had in your life, with many unusual textures and flavors to try. The futons are comfortable, and your room is kept toasty warm. There are even skincare products to keep you pampered and moisturized between soaks in the onsen. Honestly, you won’t even need to open your suitcase while you’re there. The staff will take you through all the logistics when you arrive, but there are some things that might be useful to know in advance. - The ryokan sends a shuttle to Yudanaka station at about 15:00 to collect new arrivals, so time your journey to take advantage of this benefit. - The ryokan also offers guests the opportunity to catch a shuttle to the Snow Monkey Park immediately after breakfast the next morning. - After you leave the ryokan, they will take your luggage down to the coffee shop opposite the station, so you don’t need to worry about those logistics. - Trains from Yudanaka back to Nagano leave at 12:30 and 15:30. - The ryokan itself has several private onsens that you can reserve for a 45-minute slot. Because the onsens are on the property, you can go in with your partner or travel companions regardless of gender. It’s a boutique hotel, so you don’t have to worry about not getting access to all the onsens you want. - The ryokan is on the main road of the Shibu Onsen town. The hotel will give you a key so you can wonder down the main road, visiting any of the public onsens you wish - however, with so many gorgeous and more private onsens in the hotel itself, you probably won’t have time or the desire for this. - Also, there is a coffee machine in the room! (I was worried about having to survive without coffee, and this turned out to be an unfounded concern). We had an incredible and totally indulgent time at Kokuya. Experiencing a traditional ryokan is a privilege that you should try at least once if you can. And adding the Snow Monkeys in give the trip a double purpose, making it that much more memorable. The only thing that would have made the trip better is if we had been allowed to linger longer over every course of our dinner.

We had a wonderful stay at the Mampei Hotel. The hotel is beautifully designed inside and out, the staff are fantastic, and the meals we had for breakfast, afternoon tea, and dinner were all delicious, as were drinks at the iconic hotel bar. Highly recommended and we will definitely stay again.

This hotel boasts an excellent location, just a five-minute walk to the Karuizawa Outlet Mall, and offers a free shuttle bus service to and from JR Karuizawa Station, making travel and shopping incredibly convenient. The property is surrounded by lush forest and greenery. The guest rooms are spacious and airy, with balconies offering serene woodland views. Each room also features a private hot spring bath, where floor-to-ceiling windows bring the mountain scenery indoors. The buffet breakfast is a delightful blend of local Shinshu ingredients and a wide variety of delicious Western options. There's even a FamilyMart convenience store in the lobby, ensuring all amenities are well-covered. The staff are polite and attentive, and guests can rent bicycles to explore the town, creating a relaxed and comfortable vacation atmosphere. It's the ideal base for short, chartered tours around Karuizawa.

Absolutely impressed! It truly lives up to its reputation as a resort town – peaceful, beautiful, and with amazing views. The rooms were incredibly clean, the service was excellent, and the onsen was a perfect 100. The classic-style rooms were clean and cozy, with high-quality furniture. I would definitely return if I have the chance. Parking is free for those with cars, and the hotel also offers a shuttle service for train travelers. The food is high-quality, and the restaurant, rooms, onsen, and views are simply stunning.

I am very satisfied with this hotel, the location is great, the staff is friendly and the room is comfortable. The room was very comfortable in terms of lighting, temperature and bedding. I would especially like to praise the housekeeping sister for keeping the room very clean. The room has two terraces, one of which overlooks the Happo-One Ski Resort. We stayed for six nights and the breakfast food was roughly the same every day, but also rich. We had dinner at different restaurants in the hotel on three nights. On the first night, we had a buffet dinner in the hotel with a wide variety of food. On the second night, we had Western food at The Forest next to the hotel. On the third night, we had Japanese food at The Forest next to the hotel. The prices in all three restaurants were not expensive but the food was delicious. The Dry Room for ski equipment is outside the hotel. It is a real drying room with a machine for drying snowshoes. It is not the so-called Dry Room in some hotels which is actually just a Locker room.

My husband and I planned a trip to Kamikochi and stopped over in Matsumoto. The hotel is about an 8-minute walk from the station, which is quite convenient, but the nearest convenience store is also a four or five-minute walk away. The breakfast at the hotel was pretty good, the tempura was delicious, though the variety wasn't huge, so eating it for two consecutive days might get a bit boring. From 9:30 PM, they offer free ramen, which is a nice touch after a hot spring bath. The onsen also provides free ice cream, and in the morning, they have Yakult. The hotel is also quite clean. Highly recommend it!

Had a really pleasant stay overall. The place was very clean and well-maintained, and the location was convenient for getting around. Service was excellent 👍 staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Amenities were also complete and comfortable. Would definitely recommend for couples looking for a smooth and enjoyable stay.

Excellent! The environment is beautiful! The room is clean! The service is great! The food is decent! The hotel facilities are very comprehensive! It feels wonderful to look out at the snow-capped mountains! Very comfortable! It's very close to the ski resort!

I stayed at this hotel for one night, and overall, it was quite a pleasant experience. I really liked my room — it was clean, modern, and comfortable. The only thing that surprised me was that the window to the balcony didn’t open, though I suppose it was designed that way. The onsen was absolutely wonderful — spacious, relaxing, and with a beautiful view of a mountain river. Definitely one of the highlights of my stay. The hotel also offers many different areas for leisure and entertainment. You can play table tennis, relax in cozy rest zones, visit small cafés and shops — there’s a lot to explore without even leaving the building. Both breakfast and dinner were delicious, with a wide variety of food to choose from. However, due to the number of guests, it was a bit challenging for the staff to manage everything smoothly. On two occasions, someone almost took my table, even though I had already placed the reservation card on it to show it was taken. That said, the staff overall were very pleasant, friendly, and helpful, and I appreciated their attitude throughout my stay. This hotel is clearly family-oriented, with many families staying with young children. There are rooms with child-friendly designs and dedicated play areas, so if you’re looking for a quiet, adult-only atmosphere, this might not be the best fit. That said, I genuinely enjoyed my stay and would consider coming back.