5-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Location: The hotel is situated at the foot of a mountain in Satoyama, a considerable distance from JR Matsumoto Station. However, it offers a unique charm with panoramic views of Matsumoto Castle from the hillside. Transportation: Unless you're driving or taking a taxi, here are your options: 1) The hotel provides a shuttle service to and from JR Station. There are two morning departures at 9 and 10 AM, passing by Matsumoto Castle before heading to JR Station. Return trips are at 4 and 5 PM. The pick-up point is at the temporary parking area to the right of JR Station Matsumoto Castle Exit (not a bus stop). 2) You can take the Meigahara Onsen bus line from the bus terminal downstairs at Alpico Plaza, opposite the temporary parking lot of JR Station, and get off at Fujii Station. You can find the bus schedule on Google Maps. Service: There are English-speaking staff at the front desk, but no Chinese speakers. Simple communication is not an issue. The service was impeccable. Dining: The breakfast is a buffet style with both Japanese and Western options, very extensive and delicious. There are also welcome drinks, including ice cream, juice, coffee, hot tea, and even draft beer! P.S. There are not many dining options near the hotel, so you might want to eat near JR Station before returning to the hotel, or dine at the hotel. I booked one of the few rooms with a private onsen. Soaking in the hot spring while enjoying views of the Northern Alps was incredibly relaxing. The hotel also has a large terrace, perfect for enjoying a drink during the evening 'blue hour' – truly one of life's most comfortable moments.

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.

Except for the inconvenient location, everything else is good You must drive to get there! Their service is superb! The room is very large and there is a fire in the hotel

Amazing experience as always with the Fufu brand. We stayed at the Hakone one previously and thought it was one of the best hotel experiences we've ever had. Our trip to Karuizawa this time was driven by our intent to try Fufu Kyukaruizawa, and it did not disappoint one bit. From the zen interior to the most attentive and friendly staff to the never-ending dining experiences (yes, even for breakfast it was a multi course menu), we were utterly blown away by our two-night stay. The fireplace in the lobby and in our room was such a pleasant touch even though we stayed during May, our teppanyaki chef personally seeing us out to the lift and bowing until we were out of sight shows how they go above and beyond, and we really appreciated how at each interaction the staff knew and clarified our coming arrangements, ensuring our entire stay was a seamless experience. Fufu remains our favourite Japanese hotel brand. Just wish they had a loyalty program as we are looking to check off all the Fufu hotels in our lifetime.

I've been to Karuizawa several times, and each time I've stayed at a different hotel. The only advantage of Prince Hotel is its dedicated lobby at the station, where you can hand over your luggage directly to the staff to be delivered to your room, allowing you to head straight to the outlets for shopping. Similarly, when checking out, your luggage can be sent directly to the station, which is very convenient. However, the drawbacks are also obvious: the hotel facilities are quite old. There were cobwebs in the room and a strange odor, which is quite unusual for hotels in Japan. My daughter sneezed all night, and we coughed all night. Most importantly, the design is extremely impractical. Typically, after shopping and dining at the outlets, we'd return to the hotel around 7-8 PM. To use the hot springs, you need to take a shuttle bus to the West and Main buildings, and the last shuttle back is just after 9 PM, leaving absolutely no extra time to enjoy the onsen. If you do go to the hot springs, you also need to wear your own clothes, as the hotel doesn't provide yukata or slippers for the trip. The next day, we rented the hotel's free bicycles to explore the area, only to discover upon returning that the hotel also offers electric-assist bikes. It's unclear why this alternative option wasn't mentioned to us.

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.