Hoshino Resorts KAI Kinugawa

Service with a Smile, But lost in translation I recently stayed at this hotel for two nights, and while there were several positive aspects, I feel it's important to address some areas that could use improvement. ### Service Overall, the service was commendable, with staff being very attentive and eager to help. However, I found that most of the employees had limited English proficiency. While some made an effort to listen and assist, others appeared quite overwhelmed when faced with language barriers, sometimes providing incorrect information. ### Dining Experience The dining options were accommodating to our dietary restrictions, as we requested vegetarian meals and dishes without pork. However, during our meals, the staff often only briefly introduced the dishes as "this is vegetarian" or "this one has no pork," without further explanation on how to enjoy them. Out of the four meals we had, two were handled in this manner, while the other two were served by staff members who had a better grasp of English and engaged in more pleasant conversations. ### Evening Activities Given that we visited in winter, the hotel offered limited evening activities, with the main event being a presentation on Yakizome pottery. This was predominantly conducted in Japanese. When the host realized we understood Japanese, they kindly provided an English description for us to read, which was a thoughtful gesture. ### Room Amenities I have a neck issue and inquired about the availability of lower-height down pillows. Unfortunately, the staff struggled to understand what I meant until I demonstrated by pulling out the down from inside a regular pillow. This communication gap could be improved to enhance guest comfort. ### Seating Arrangements During meals, I noticed that guests of the same nationality were often seated together, which seemed to be a deliberate choice by the staff. It felt as though there was a concern about differing dining etiquette between international guests and Japanese patrons, leading to a somewhat uncomfortable experience for us as foreigners. This practice could be reconsidered to foster a more inclusive atmosphere. ### Room Maintenance On our second day, we requested that the trash be emptied and some towels replaced. While we had used all the coffee and tea provided on the first day, we noticed that these items were not replenished after room cleaning. Although the front desk promptly supplied us with coffee and tea when we called, the lack of proactive maintenance in this regard was disappointing. ### Conclusion In summary, while my stay had its positive moments—especially the helpfulness of the staff—the language barrier, dining experiences, and some aspects of room maintenance left room for improvement. I hope that the hotel can take these feedback points into consideration to enhance the experience for future guests.

Spent one night on a oad trip about the Nagano onsen area. The area around here is great for Autumn foliage. The first impression is unique because you take a tram up to the hotel!! The onsen is beautifully laid out with views of the trees. The rooms are larg and well appointed. Our balcony overlooked a forest and mountain view. We also booked dinner which I highly recommend. 9 courses including locally sourced food. Breakfast is a good quality Japanese set including natto! All in all a great experience.

we discovered that you get different meals based on how many days you’ve stayed (i.e. everyone gets the same dinner during their first night, then you get a different dinner the second night, etc.), and this makes me want to stay longer because the first night’s dinner was really just NOT for me, but the second night’s dinner was actually so delicious, and i want to stay to see how the third night’s dinner is gonna be like, but alas. both days had an amazing, traditional japanese breakfast that just hit the spot. i LOVED the rooms, it was spacious, clean, and so nice. i especially loved the bed and how it was elevated on a platform. the entire area is so beautiful and has such a “natural” feel to it. my ONLY complaint is that waiting for the gondola that takes you up to the resort takes a really long time to get there, and that’s kind of annoying when it’s so cold outside.

An extravagant Onsen Hotel experience. I came in Autumn in the depth of fall colours. Every night the wind in the trees lulled me to bed. The rooms with the private tub and terrace are awesome. Dinner and breakfast is luxurious too with a sampling of local Nikko delicacies like Yuba. A hotel for adults looking for calm and solace.

Staff was all very friendly, attentive, and accommodating. Location is not ideal but it’s a nice escape surrounded by nature. Would only recommend going if you have some other reason to be in Nikko area and if you can book a room with a private onsen bath.||Avoid the food. It was not good and disappointing considering the hype and price of Hoshinho resorts. After eating the “premium” kaiseki dinner of sweet cod fish (bottom feeder fish) and steak (which seemed old and frozen), I got sick going on 3 days now.||Again, the staff and rooms were wonderful—the food not so much.

An unique arrival experience and the layout of the resort is customer friendly.|The bedroom layout is nice and comfortable, and the cuisine ( dinner and bfast ) were nicely presented. Good Value for money property . The public onsen place is clean and comfortable.

This KAI hotel is perfect in terms of location, room, food quality, small cable car and service. The only tricky part is that they originally assigned us for breakfast at 7:30am which is too early. After we insisted at changing the time, they took some time to adjust the time. Obviously the staff did not want to change it for us, as it might give him extra work.

I had a fantastic stay at the hotel! The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, making me feel welcome. The room was clean and comfortable, with stunning views. The amenities, including the hot spring and restaurant, were top-notch. I highly recommend this hotel for a relaxing getaway!