3-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

First of all, the two staff at the check-in counter showed a very strong sense of job burnout on their faces, and the whole check-in process was not very pleasant. However, the next morning during check-out, the ladies at the counter were very professional and everything felt fine. After entering the room, I found it to be very stuffy and hot. When I turned on the air conditioning, it was only heating. Since the weather outside was quite cool, I understand that the system is centrally controlled and set to heating. I then tried opening the window, but it could only be opened a small amount. For some reason, no fresh air was coming in, and the room still felt very stuffy. Later, I went down to the counter (again, the same two male staff from check-in) to ask if the air conditioning could be switched to cooling, but my request was rejected. I then asked if it was possible to borrow a fan, and they refused again with a very impatient attitude. Overall, the stay was not a very good experience. The room itself was actually fine, but it was too stuffy. I hope this review can be helpful to others.

Cleanliness: The room was very clean. Even two or three-star hotels in Japan maintain a high standard of cleanliness, much more meticulous than what you'd find domestically. Facilities: The facilities are comprehensive, and the room isn't small. Breakfast is very local with a good variety of options. Service: The staff are all very friendly and helpful. I forgot to get my breakfast vouchers when I checked in, but the next morning, I found a letter from the staff informing me about them. During the summer, a triple room for 600+ with three breakfasts is really excellent value for money!

📍 Hotel Keigetsu 信州昼神温泉郷 日長庵 桂月 @ Hirugami Onsen, Nagano 🇯🇵 We stayed 3D2N from 13 November 2025 at Hotel Keigetsu (日長庵 桂月), and it turned out to be one of the best choices for our Nakasendo trip. The ryokan sits in a peaceful corner of Hirugami Onsen, surrounded by nature and traditional Japanese charm. There is a designated parking area exclusively for guests, accommodating around 15-20 cars of all sizes, making it very convenient for self-drive travellers. We chose a Japanese-style room with a private bathroom, and the highlight was the beautiful wooden bathtub — perfect for a relaxing soak in complete privacy. In the mornings, the view from our room was calm and peaceful, with gentle bird chirping adding to the serene atmosphere. Our stay included breakfast and dinner, and both meals were exceptional. Each dish was beautifully prepared using seasonal ingredients, and the servers were patient and friendly, taking time to explain each course and share stories about local flavours. Their warm hospitality truly enhanced the dining experience. The ryokan is within walking distance to the Morning Market, just about 10 minutes away, making it an enjoyable little morning stroll. There is also a FamilyMart right beside the ryokan, just a short walk away — extremely convenient for drinks, snacks, or last-minute essentials during your stay. The staff also introduced several nearby activities and hiking trails, and the routes are super visitor-friendly, making this ryokan an ideal base for exploring the Nakasendo area. The onsen baths were another highlight — soothing, clean, and filled with Hirugami’s famously smooth, skin-friendly hot spring water. Perfect for unwinding every evening. Overall, Hotel Keigetsu offers excellent food, warm service, relaxing onsen, comfortable rooms, and unbeatable convenience, whether you’re here for onsen relaxation or the Nakasendo trail. Highly recommended for a peaceful, authentic, and memorable ryokan stay in Nagano. ♨️🍁🌿✨

滑雪方便，温泉舒服

The hotel's location is excellent, very close to Matsumoto Station, and there are many restaurants nearby. It's in a lively area but just far enough away not to be noisy. There's a popular cafe nearby; we went early the next morning to get a number. It's trendy but reasonably priced, and the coffee was really good. We stopped in Matsumoto briefly after hiking Kamikochi and before heading to Karuizawa. We'll definitely come back to properly experience this great place next time.

We really enjoyed our week long stay at Hoshikawakan in Jan 2026. We have been driving around Hakuba for 4 weeks to visit various ski resorts and spent our last week at Hoshikawakan to visit Shiga Kogen. The room was spacious and clean with a small toilet like most Japanese hotels but there was a large public onsen and 2 smaller private onsens that can be reserved once each day for 30mins so you could always take your shower in the onsens like the locals do especially later at night about 10-11pm where I was the only one in the public onsen. The hotel had a lovely buffet breakfast spread with local soba, Japnese curry, cold minced sashimi fish, grill fish station, fried eggs station that will keep you adequately fed for the day's ski trip - it even has a hot drink station with free oden daily at 3-5.30pm which we enjoyed as a snack after a hard day of skiiing. The service was excellent too with the staff helpfully arranging to ship our ski equipment directly to Hanade Airport, daily clearing of snow off the carpark and new towels provided daily. The location in Yudanaka is great too especially if you drive as it is between Shiga Kogen (25-35mins drive) and Kita Shiga Kogen (15-20mins drive) with many attractions like Shibu Onsen, Yudanaka Brewery and Snow Monkey Park within 10-15 drive. There were also ample dinner options nearby within 10-15 mins walk but you may need to try and make reservations by walking in on your first night. The only downside was that the WiFi network is poor and patchy when overloaded by a lot of guests over the weekend but otherwise it was good.

住みやすい家に滞在しているような気持ちでとても快適でした。 窓からも自然の豊かさを感じ静かでリラックスできました。

The location is on the top of the mountain, not very convenient But it's okay for self-driving tours It takes 4.5 hours to drive from Narita Airport to the hotel Check in was already past 12 am The hotel staff checked us in after work But it was snowing, and some mountain roads in the snow were not open and not fenced off We walked in by mistake because the closed mountain roads were not cleared of snow The car got stuck in the snow Luckily it was not far from the hotel The hotel staff quickly helped us tow the car The hotel service was very good, very satisfied There was a cooking stove and tableware in the room Very convenient. The snow outside the hotel is so beautiful that I don’t want to leave

There's a long staircase leading from the outdoor area to the lobby; there's no elevator. Staff helped carry our luggage in. The room was huge, and the view from the window was lovely, with trees and pleasant scenery. The room was a bit old and lacked electronic sensors, so staff used a translation device to communicate. Their service was excellent.

Excellent hotel with a superb location! It's literally a 2-minute walk from the station, which is incredibly convenient if you're arriving from Tokyo. Right next to the station, there's also a bus terminal for trips to the Snow Monkeys or various ski resorts. The hotel itself is very clean, and the room was even more spacious than other business hotels I've stayed in. The service is top-notch. Everything you need is provided; you can pick up toiletries at the reception downstairs, and even pajamas on your floor! The view from the window of the city and mountains is stunning. The hotel entrance is next to Lawson. You'll need to go up to the 5th floor for reception, and then there's a separate elevator for the guest floors.