3-Star Hotels in Nagano City

First off, the location is incredibly convenient. It's quite close to the Zenkoji Exit of JR Nagano Station. From there, if you're heading to Togakushi, you can buy bus tickets at a small shop located at Platform 7 in front of JR Nagano Station. For Zenkoji Temple, you can either walk or take a bus from Platform 1. A taxi to Zenkoji would cost between 1300-2000 yen. As for the hotel facilities, they're perfect, except for the rooms being a bit small. The front desk on the first floor offers complimentary coffee and juice, and the coffee beans are excellent. From 9:30 PM to 11:00 PM, they serve free soy sauce ramen. The rooftop onsen is wonderfully relaxing, and they even provide ice cream and Yakult. There's a 7-Eleven right next to the hotel. Plus, the hotel doesn't look old at all. Highly recommend for a stay in Nagano.

There are only about 10 suites within the Onsen resort. The hotel’s location is about 10mins drive from Nagano’s JR station. The resort is opened to public and hotel guests share the facility. There are a variety of Onsen pools both indoor and outdoor. A very different experience totally. Staff are friendly though only one or two did their best for English speaking tourist like me. We booked the Shinyi room.

Smile Hotel Nagano is a solid choice for travelers looking for a convenient and affordable stay in Nagano. One of its biggest advantages is the location — the hotel is just a short walk from Nagano Station, making it very easy to access transportation, restaurants, and shops. The staff are frequently praised for being friendly, polite, and helpful. Many guests mention that the service is welcoming and professional, which creates a comfortable atmosphere throughout the stay. In terms of cleanliness, the hotel generally performs well. Rooms are described as clean and tidy, with basic amenities provided. However, the hotel is somewhat older, and some guests note that the furniture and facilities can feel a bit dated.

The location is superb as its just infront of Nagano Station. Room was fine but a bit outdated but still acceptable. The local Japanese staff was really friendly and helpful but the Indian/Bangladeshi guy who was at the receptionist was cocky. We asked whats the nearby attraction places we could go while waiting for the check-in time (because he did not allow early check-in, which still understandable) but he simply said, ‘you can go to the infomation counter at Nagano station’ Bruh???? What’s wrong with you? Who hurt you, brother? Hence, i cant really appreciate his service, but the older Japanese guy was really friendly and tried to help even he was not really fluent in English but i still appreciate his effort. Oh btw, there is no free parking for guests. You will need to park it somewhere else nearby the hotel.

Considering the price, I can only give it full marks. A bathtub is a must-have for me, so getting two nights for just over 400 yen (which is incredibly cheap) was a great deal. The tub is small, fitting a maximum of three people, but during off-peak hours, you can have it all to yourself. It's very close to Nagano Station, right across from the exit. You can walk to Zenko-ji Temple. Taking the JR train to Ueda to see things related to Sanada Yukimura is also very convenient. The only downside was seeing a notice that a lost room key would cost 9,000 yen – that's almost as much as the two-night stay itself...!

Receptionist was very friendly, recommending places to eat and things to do. Room was clean. The washing machine is free to use. Bed was very soft and comfortable. Location is about 15-20 mins walk from nagano station. And about 10 mins walk to zenkoji temple, you can wake up early and walk to see the early morning prayer that occurs at sunrise. Lots of food options as it is beside gondo shopping street

The hotel is very close to Zenkoji Temple on foot. It is a very special experience to attend the morning class at 6:30 in the morning. Transportation: Across the road from Nagano Station, the buses to the city are all at the station entrance (both 1 and 7 are OK for Zenkoji. I took 1 bus which is closer. I bought the ticket before getting off). After getting off the bus, you can walk to the hotel in a few minutes. Hotel service: There was a Japanese waiter on the night we went there, but it was difficult to find someone if something happened. Hotel food: We booked a one-night stay and two meals. Although they were all vegetarian, they tasted surprisingly good. In addition, I ordered grape juice for my daughter, which tasted special in beige. Hotel facilities: You can't ask for too much from the facilities of the shukubo. Try not to bring luggage. We stayed in a Japanese-style room on the third floor. If you bring luggage, it will be very difficult to carry it up the stairs by yourself. Plug: There is no USB, please bring enough two plugs; Toilet: Only on the first floor, no room, you need to run down every time if you live upstairs; Washing: Only in the bathroom on the first floor and near the men's bath, it is relatively simple, and there are no face wash and skin care products. Although the room has air conditioning and a gas stove, the overall temperature is not high and it is a bit cold, but surprisingly, the tatami is very warm. I looked at it and it turned out to be Nishikawa's down quilt. The hotel basically has a curfew at 9 pm. Temple sightseeing: Buy a 1200 pass for Zenkoji Temple at the hotel. Volunteers will lead you to the temple for morning classes at 6:30 in the morning. As an experience, it is very good, but remind you to dress warmly. The time for listening to the chanting is a bit long. My feet are sore from the cold. The volunteers finish at about 8:30. After returning to the hotel for breakfast, you can go to Zenkoji Temple to buy amulets and worship on your own. There are many souvenirs and food, as well as Starbucks on the street directly opposite the main temple. If you are not very tired, you can walk back to Nagano. We encountered heavy snow when we returned to the temple after breakfast. It felt very good. I wish you all a happy trip.

Here’s a polished review you can post for Nagano Plaza Hotel: --- I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the team at Nagano Plaza Hotel, especially Ms. Omi Hikaru. Despite my late check-in at around 10+ PM, she went the extra mile to warmly greet me and ensure that my room arrangement was smooth and comfortable. What truly touched me was her thoughtful initiative after learning that I had to leave early for a day tour and needed to be at Nagano Station by 0640 hrs. She kindly prepared and packed breakfast for me in advance so that I would not miss my meal before the trip. Such genuine hospitality, attentiveness, and dedication deserve to be highly recognised and commended. Small actions like these create unforgettable experiences for guests. Thank you once again to Ms. Omi Hikaru and the team for the outstanding service and kindness during my stay. ---

Very good location, just opposite the train station. Reception is on level 2, but staff is helpful to help carry luggages to and fro ground floor. Room is small and toilet is squeezy, but still decent for a short stay. There is a Shampoo Bar at the reception to pick up stoiletries. Breakfast is good, the complimentary soba noodles on selected weekday nights is also great. Nice view from the 10th floor, and also free space for customers to chill during the day. Water was not provided complimentary to customers but instead was earned through a game.