BEB5 Karuizawa by Hoshino Resorts

I would normally book a local ryokan for a peaceful stay. But was suggested to stay at this place from a couple who is hosting a wedding. So in order to stick to the group I decided to stay here. The place has a very modern yet warm vibe that fits well with the autumn and winter atmosphere of the forest. The rooms were of a decent size with comfortable beds. Just lacking in high tech stuff expecting from a modern establishment. I did wish the restaurant and cafe had a bit more Japanese options. The big let down was the housekeeping as there was none to speak of. I stayed two nights between the 16-18 Oct and expected housekeeping on the 17th. I got back late in the evening and saw that the room wasn’t cleaned, towels were not replaced. I think this is something that needs to be brought up either during booking or during reception.

Stayed at this hotel for 2 nights. Pros: Good vibe, clean, nice public area, close to the Hoshino Area where you could explore the onsen and other attractions in the area. Cons: Not walkable to the Karuizawa station and the Outlet. Served by bus which comes not frequently so I pretty much relied on Taxi. Limited meal options nearby. Beds are comfortable but the room is not spacious. Hit my head a few times.

We have our family trip and stayed with this hotel we love the bed are so comfortable we all have a real good sleep. Also the hotel provides snacks and free drinks at night time so you can play and chat with families 😄 at the hotel lobby ☺️ love it so much 😁. We will return. Thank you for all the staffs being so helpful and friendly as well ! Keep up your great work!

Friend getting married that day and I asked the front desk where the church is and they point me to the wrong church. I even told them the name of the couple getting married, but I guess they just weren’t notified or English level too low. Not going back again ever.

I stayed here as a guest at a wedding. came by free shuttle bus from the wedding venue. The room was a small space with two bunk beds. It was cozy and the low, so my friend hit his head on it couple times during whole nigth. Be careful. The rest of the place was very clean and comfortable. Breakfast was so good with a choice of two types of plates. There is a beautiful courtyard and free snacks in the lobby, so it's fun to spend time outside of the room.

The only star is because of the onsen. Although we really appreciate the free pass to the onsen, as it was an incredible experience, the hotel rooms were really small and the bathrooms smelled so bad. Also one of the staff members was really rude as we asked to wait for the bus inside the hotel (that was coming in 25 min and it was 3 degrees outside) and they told us that we had to leave immediately. Not coming back that is for sure, all of our japan trip was amazing except for this hotel.

We booked this hotel after we heard a lot of good feedback about Hoshino Hotel Group. We were so looking forward before our stay but it turned out to be BIG let down: ||Check in:|The reception was neither friendly nor helpful . We provided her with our check in QR code. The next minute, she just handed us with two room access cards in one card folder, breakfast & onsen vouchers without talking to us. I did ask for more information about the hotel but she asked me to scan a QR code and read it on my own. The worst part is when we were about to check out, we only found out that there were 6 x1000 yen spending/meal vouchers in the room access card folder. We were totally unaware of these vouchers and the reception didn't inform us about them upon check in. As we had to catch Shinkansen back to Tokyo, we were unable to use them all. ||Breakfast: |The breakfast was not good per the reviews said. We ordered one American breakfast and one french toast (chef recommendation). The French toast was a disaster, it was too sweet and still mushy in the middle. ||We were in Japan for 10 days and staying at different hotels. Sadly to say, BEB5 Karuizawa was truly a big disappointment in terms of the money we paid for.

This is a lite service hotel with small but adequate rooms. Interesting bunk style sleeping area which was actually cosy but could be a hassle for the mobility impaired and elderly. The surrounding environment was peaceful but the shuttle around the Hoshino resort area (to the onsen, dining Harunire terrace) was always full. We missed two shuttles (ten min intervals at night) and the kindly provided a car to send us to the onsen. Food can be limited so definitely visit the restaurants early. The walk to the Christmas illumination at Karuizawa Kogen Church was beautiful! Perfect open night skies.

The first Hoshinoya property, this is a mountain retreat built for getting away. I came in the winter and even with the bare trees, the grounds were beautiful, which leads me to believe there probably isn't a bad time of year to visit. Each room type is unique and compelling in its own way, and though many will argue for the riverside views, I opted for a higher mountain view room, which I didn't regret, especially for privacy and the views after it began snowing on my last day there. Adjacent to the lobby, the restaurant is the perfect place to take advantage of the Japanese style breakfast, which is a real treat in a phenomenal setting, with the sun coming through the soaring windows. And up the stairs from the restaurant is the library lounge in the main building for relaxing, sipping tea, coffee or blueberry and ume juice, where you will likely find yourself multiple times a day gaffling the cute snacks. The on-site meditation bath is impressively mystical, with the main chamber branching off into a path just large enough for an adult to wade through to the final tiny room, lit only by a few underwater lights. Be sure to walk or get a car ride down to the nearby Harunire Terrace for its shops, cafes, and restaurants. Though most will flock to the Japanese and western style restaurants, do not miss Sajilo Cafe, which was my favorite meal here, hands down. Though it did not ruin an otherwise luxurious stay, it unfortunately has to be mentioned that parts of the rooms are aging, and none more so than the toilet rooms, which have a very noticeable musty, old plumbing/public restroom smell. I raised this twice with the staff, understanding there was not much they could do, and they helpfully let me borrow a deodorant spray. Sadly, holding my nose every time I walked in there ended up being the easiest solution. As with the Hoshinoya Tokyo, service is above and beyond. At every turn, the staff are there to make your stay as perfect as they can, whether it's picking you up from dinner (and then patiently waiting as you dart in to buy a last minute souvenir) or accommodating a request to handle check out the night before you leave. If you are going to Karuizawa, this is an amazing place to make some very special memories.

I would say this is a great spot for relaxation. If you enjoy nature and hot spring, I would def recommend this place. However as for room quality and price, I think it is on the stiff side. Room did not meet my expectations. We also got a reservation for dinner at the lobby area. Service was fantastic, every staff was super nice. Food was also delicious and have the best plating. It is a prefix menu comes with different sets of dishes. My favorite is def their beef shabu. Beef in Japan never disappoints me. It was melting in my mouth. However some dishes were not really impressive and flavor was lacking like their bamboo rice and some appetizers. Overall, I enjoyed the facility and nature of this place but in terms of price point and food, I probably won't return.

Hoshinoya Karuizawa, one of the highest quality resorts in Japan, has 77 guest rooms in a small, newly created village. Rooms are arranged in lines along a pure stream running through a valley between hills. We got up early and had a nice walk in the morning, then went out and spent time outside the village on bicycles. We came back to the village in the afternoon, and then relaxed at the spa and library. This is what Hoshinoya looks like and feels like: https://youtu.be/kzWWDbXD-h8 This is their food selection: https://youtu.be/ewR3LGTqGx4