Romantic Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

I booked two rooms for two nights, but due to a system glitch, one of the rooms wasn't successfully booked. Trip.com customer service then recommended another hotel. However, the next day when we arrived at the new hotel, we still couldn't check in. All payments for both rooms had been made by 10:30 AM, so they should have been reserved for us. Yet, the hotel again cited a system error and said our rooms hadn't been held. They then told us to return to the first hotel, and it was already around 11 PM at that point. I was utterly frustrated by the whole situation. Despite all this, Trip.com's customer service was very responsive and helpful, thumbs up to them.

This hotel has a really cool design. The room was small but had everything you needed, though there wasn't enough space to open two large suitcases. A pleasant surprise was their happy hour in the evening, and after 9:15 PM, they opened a 'mystery room' with free drinks and snacks – that was a lot of fun! I was lucky enough to meet a staff member who spoke Cantonese; their service was excellent and very friendly. The location is also quite good, about a 12-minute walk from the JR station.

My stay at Hotel Indigo Karuizawa was incredibly comfortable and relaxing. It offered a completely different vibe compared to hotels in central Tokyo. The moment I arrived, I felt like I was on vacation. The design is unique and tasteful, not at all ostentatious, blending beautifully with Karuizawa's natural surroundings. The room was more spacious than I expected, and the balcony offered a great view; waking up and opening the curtains in the morning really brightened my mood. The bedding was very comfortable, and it was quiet at night, leading to excellent sleep quality. The onsen (hot spring) and public areas were also a big plus; after exploring Old Karuizawa, a soak there completely unwound me. The staff provided natural and unobtrusive service, yet they were always there to help when needed. Overall, it's a perfect place to slow down and enjoy the pace of Karuizawa for a night or two. If I come back, this hotel will definitely be my first choice again.