Hoshinoya Karuizawa (Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture) Verified Reviews | Tablet Hotels

"The notion of a “land of contrasts” might be the most tattered cliché in the travel writer’s vocabulary, but the extremes on display in Japan are remarkable. From the sensory overload of Tokyo to the utter tranquility of the countryside around Karuizawa is just over an hour by train, but the two places feel like entirely different worlds. Hoshinoya Karuizawa’s environment is as pastoral as can be; it’s set on a hot spring, by the side of a small lake, surrounded by forests that double as a sanctuary for wild birds — and it’s no stretch to think of the resort itself as a sanctuary for travelers." - Tablet Hotels