5-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

It was the best. We booked a room with an open-air bath, so my parents and I could relax. The breakfast had a wide variety of options and we really enjoyed it. The jazz concert in the evening was a great surprise!

Overall, this was a rather disappointing hotel stay. Before our trip, our plans changed, and we asked the Trip.com concierge to help with cancellation/modifications. However, they were unyielding, and we couldn't cancel for free, so we had to proceed as planned. After checking in, I waited alone in the waiting area for a long time, expecting a staff member to accompany me to the room and explain the facilities. I waited for half an hour with no one attending to me. When a large group of tourists arrived, the front desk became crowded. After inquiring again, I was told there was no escort service to the rooms and I had to find my way myself. At 3:30 PM, housekeeping was still ongoing in the room areas. The room space was cramped, and the view was unremarkable. For a room rate of over 4,000 yuan, the hardware and service provided were far from satisfactory. The hotel's Italian restaurant had decent food, but it wasn't positioned as a high-end restaurant, and the wine list was very limited. The next day, I asked the front desk to call a taxi to the restaurant. For some reason, perhaps they didn't understand English, there was a long delay. After further communication, a car was arranged half an hour later, which was baffling. Considering all these experiences, I will not choose this hotel again in the future.

This hotel is definitely one for the bucket list! The service is excellent, and the food is delicious. They also offer a shuttle service to Karuizawa Station, with a polite driver and soft music playing in the car. My only minor complaint is that the hotel doesn't provide bicycle rentals, but you can easily find rental shops nearby.

Hotel La Vigne Hakuba was a wonderful place to stay. The hotel has a beautiful minimalist design and feels clean, cozy, and very welcoming. Both the lobby and rooms were pleasantly scented, creating a relaxing atmosphere. The concierge team was extremely helpful and the overall service throughout the stay was excellent. The room was spacious, very clean, and thoughtfully designed with a very functional layout. The bedding was also very comfortable. The hotel also provides excellent facilities for skiers, including a dedicated storage and locker room for ski equipment, as well as a separate shower room where guests can freshen up and change after skiing on the day of check-out. Overall, a fantastic stay at Hotel La Vigne Hakuba — highly recommended.

The rooms and facilities were absolutely amazing! Each room had its own private indoor onsen, and the fridges were filled with various drinks. Bathroom amenities were beyond expectation, with face wash, lotion, etc all provided. The hotel provided free drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) in the lounge and garden in the afternoon. Dinner and breakfast were perfect! There was more food than we could finish, but the quality of each dish was spectacular. Leave time for a long breakfast because the food keeps coming. The hotel was also very accommodating in helping us forward our luggage to our next destination. It was the perfect place to relax and refresh. We stayed two nights but wished we stayed the whole week.

The Prince Hotel always maintains high-standard service quality and is the perfect choice for a trip to Karuizawa. The hotel environment is excellent, with picturesque views from the window. The breakfast, booked through Trip.com, was of superb quality, and dining with such a view was truly delightful. The shuttle bus makes it convenient to visit the hot springs, the station, or the outlet mall. You can spend the morning exploring attractions, the afternoon shopping at the outlet, and then return to the hotel for a relaxing hot spring bath in the evening. With temperatures just over 20 degrees Celsius, it's truly an excellent summer resort. Perfect!

Highly recommended! The hotel offers a shuttle service, and the surrounding area is very pleasant. Both breakfast and dinner are exceptional and unique. I hope to have the chance to visit again in the future. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, all with wooden structures that give a very calming feel.

Everything you expect of a 5 star stay, Curio Karuizawa delivered. From fluffy duvets, a superb hospitality and concierge team who went above and beyond to recommend sightseeing visits to local attractions complete with assistance with taxi bookings, delicious breakfast and in-room snacks, the hotel delivered. Only minuses are that the central heating was a bit warm even when tuned to it 21 degrees and the decor is a little dated (but still well maintained). Overall, I enjoyed my stay. Thank you team Curio for taking such good care of us!

Le Grand Karuizawa Hotel & Resort is a perfect place for great views, relaxation and luxury retreat. We stayed on the top of the resort where the view of the Asama Mountain is breathtaking. The room is spacious but cozy. The dinners were very good. We stayed two nights (half board), the two fine-dining French dinners with local ingredients we had were superb. The courses served at the dinners didn’t have any repeat. I will definitely come here again for other seasons.

The place looks exactly like the photos, no exaggeration at all. The entire house is enveloped by nature. In the mornings, I meditated and read in the garden with birds singing in the woods – it truly felt like my body was completely at one with nature. The owner mentioned that this particular unit boasts the largest garden among all their room types and was designed to mimic the architecture of the Kogen Church. The upstairs features an open sleeping area with four futons, which could easily accommodate six people. Downstairs also offers a tatami sleeping area. One thing to note is that sound travels easily between floors, as they are all open-plan rooms. The bathroom facilities are absolutely fantastic! With a built-in drying system and a hairdryer, the floor dries instantly after you shower. All the room amenities felt like they were from premium brands. My favorite item, surprisingly, was the trash can, haha! It's exactly the kind of setup Shanghai's waste classification system desperately needs. I'm already 'sold' on it and planning to get one myself, haha! Guests can also cook their own meals here. The owner's breakfast was not only generous but also incredibly delicious. I'll definitely have to try the steak for dinner next time – I'm sure it's excellent. The owner was incredibly kind and patient, helping us arrange taxis and even providing pick-up and drop-off services. We're very grateful. Karuizawa's summer weather is wonderfully comfortable and refreshing. The hotel's location is also fantastic, within walking distance of the Wild Bird Forest. Just a quick note: breakfast and dinner need to be reserved in advance!