HOSHINOYA Karuizawa

Karuizawa is already gorgeous, but this ryokan elevates the experience by offering amazing comforts and timeless, understated luxury in the Japanese tradition I'm personally very fond of. Unlike a typical hotel the rooms are spread out in little villas across a large park, so you do need to be comfortable walking. With scenery so amazing, I enjoyed every minute of leisurely strolling around the park. I stayed in a room at an elevated position, offering a great view, but also some stairs to climb. The room itself was immaculate, clean and very comfortable, with a large balcony and a wooden bathtub. I was picked up at the train station and taken right to the entrance; the ryokan is a little bit away from Karuizawa proper so you might want to get a taxi if you want to explore the town. However, there is a small terrace with decent restaurants and shops only a few minutes away on foot, and a 7-11 within easy walking distance. You can also easily reach some excellent nearby nature trails and sightseeing spots such as the Stone Church without needing a vehicle. There are some nature activities you can book, but I didn't feel it necessary. There are two nearby onsen which I strongly recommend visiting. As for food, I had the seasonal "Alpine Kaiseki" dinner and was very impressed with both the food and sake pairings. The staff took great care to introduce each dish and drink despite speaking limited English. All my interactions with staff throughout the visit were very pleasant, including when I made special requests. In summary, I really enjoyed my stay here and would love to come back.