Hoshinoya Karuizawa

For a high end place, the service was severely lacking. I don't feel the front desk had a good handle of English because there was great confusion many times for our entire stay. Also completely stroller and wheelchair inaccessible. You'll need to call upon staff to help you down the various stairs. Or take the van in and out from your building to the front but then you won't get to enjoy the beautiful grounds within. It was beautiful there but the service was so lacking. The cleaning staff had arrived as I was departing and I changed my mind and told them I no longer needed amenities refreshment. It seemed to be a big ordeal, eventually there were 3 staff members there with confused looks. I asked for more water in the room please and that was also very confusing so I said nevermind. There was also confusion about the dining and reservations. I called to make a reservation and was told in room dining 830 okay. Then I spoke to my friend in another room who said they couldn't do in room dining until 930 so I called back to verify. They could not do in room dining because one of her children is older and required a second meal while I only have a baby so I needed just one meal. However upon my calling back, she also inquired if I wanted Western or Japanese. Good thing I called back because she didn't ask initially. Then the morning of, they inquire about us being vegetarians. I'm vegan but my daughter is vegetarian so there were a lot of questions there. They think vegetarians can have fish and for the purpose of not starving myself or my daughter, I had to accept bonito and fish broth. It was very sad. I'm glad my daughter ate most of the breakfast, because I did not want to. Upon our checkout, my taxi had arrived and they did not help to take my bags to the trunk. I have my baby I put in the car so I didn't want to leave her to grab the bags but I had to because no one was coming despite looking at me and confirming my taxi arrived. They helped once I started to grab my bags but too little too late. My biggest issue is for such a nice place with foreign visitors, how are they unable to accommodate vegans. I just don't understand why they can't have a couple vegan options available. Some tofu and noodles, it's not asking for much. There are really no other options, there's no delivery services up here and the town is not very walkable with the stroller or wheelchair. You walk on the main road a lot which is unsafe with 3 young kids in tow. The kids room was a pleasant surprise, it was sufficient for our 1, 2, and 6 year old. The rooms were spacious and the bath was very nice. Overall, while there were many families with young kids here, I would not say it's family friendly. And certainly not vegan friendly.

We arrived at check in time to find a run down room with dirty walls, a size of a claustrophobic match box, with light knobs that didn’t work and no view (we booked a mountain view). When we asked to change rooms even with a charge, the front desk lady said they had absolutely nothing that night but the next. We unpacked, unhappy about this room we paid top dollar for, we then tried the manager and now they all of a sudden had two rooms available. It was right before dinner so we agreed to move after dinner. We then moved all our suitcases with the manager’s help, but found out that we actually had to move again the next day! That room was reserved and we had to again pack and check out at noon the next day and re check in to a 3rd room at 3pm!!! We were pnly there 2 nights where we were hoping to rest in these beautiful grounds . Not only they caused us to move due to the bad first room, but they charged top dollars for the upgrade even for the first night!! Any first class hotel will at least waive the surcharge for the first night due to the hassle.|Moreover- the Onsen had NO staff at any time, and it’s only open before 10am and after 3pm.!|It felt like they were doing you a favor that they allow you to stay there. Some staff was friendly and the dinner was great. They are pretty stingy about everything else.

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.

Do not go: - Not a 5 Star hotel - Rooms are very old and not like the pictures - Mountain view rooms don't see the mountains. They see a tree and nothing else - Staff cannot speak english and actually uses a voice translator and they lack the minimum problem-solving skills - Impossible to get a shuttle from the station to the hotel without having to wait long time - Concierge service is non-existant and the staff doesnt help booking restaurants and experiences. As in this part of Japan no one speak english is virtually impossible to book DO NOT GO

My wife and I spent two nights here as a special birthday treat. We had a great time and the experience overall was like a dream. It was one of the nicest hotels we'd set foot in - let alone stayed at. Very expensive, but felt worth the price. If you'd like to eat at the main hotel restaurant, I suggest booking early. We weren't able to secure a reservation, but were very pleased with the in-room breakfast and the more casual dining options near the hotel.

Such a beautiful hotel at a beautiful location. Our stay was wonderful and I loved all the amenities. They have a free shuttle dropping you off at the plaza nearby or to the station if you reserve in advance and it’s walking distance to the nearby public onsen and restaurant as well. They have snacks and drinks available and private onsen as well. I also loved the hinoki bath inside our bathroom. Lovely place, 10/5. I also enjoyed having dinner there as well. The meat quality of the shabu was fantastic.

Hoshinoya Karuizawa is the worst price-to-value hotel I've stayed at in Japan. I was optimistic given the high price point and marketing material, but I experienced many of the same downsides that other reviewers noted. A few of the lowlights:||Service: The 'bad service' story starts at check-in. Once you check in at reception, they give you a map and your key, and send you on your way. No offer to help with bags or to show you to your room. This is fine for a lower-end hotel where there's not an expectation of decent service, but for a place with the Hoshinoya price point, it's just embarrassing. This strange level of discourtesy popped up a few more times when interacting with staff, and it was confusing because I'd literally never encountered that at any hotel I've stayed at in Japan.||Mold: Significant visible mold in the room. Particularly bad in the bathroom, near the glass doors, and near the bed.||Room service and access to food: One of my most bizarre experiences in Japan was calling the hotel's room service line at ~4:30pm, and being told that they were out of food for the night. The nearby restaurants were also booked with 1h+ queues, so our best option for food was to walk to the nearby konbini. This is hilarious, sad, and embarrassing for a luxury hotel. ||Prior to booking my stay, I had skimmed some of the negative reviews here. I decided to take a chance on a short stay anyway, and it was a very poor decision.

It is located in a serene and beautiful nature. The facility is not brand new, but well maintained. Staffs were very attentive and kind. We enjoyed Harunire Terrace and bird sanctuary nearby.

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