gco21
Google
This wonderful boutique hotel has just opened, located in a quite forested area about 20 minutes drive from the mountain resort of Karuizawa with great views of mountains across the valley. The staff are very welcoming and friendly. Our room was spacious, very stylish, with every amenity that could be expected, the highlight being the Japanese-style bath looking out towards the mountains in the distance. The highlight of stay is the cuisine, which is outstanding. Dinner was beautifully and imaginatively prepared using locally sourced ingredients (there is a large greenhouse on the grounds from which the chef is expecting to source a lot of his vegetables in the future. Food is basically French but with a distinctive Japanese accent. The wine list is extensive and reasonably priced. Breakfast was also great, with excellent bread and pastries made on the premises. We only discovered the health centre just before we were about to leave but it will be something we will use on our next visit. There is a lot to do in the vicinity. The ancient resort town of Karuizawa is nearby, with lots of shopping and restaurants. Other actives are golf, walking, birdwatching and rafting (summer) and (some) skiing (winter). We visited a museum with an excellent display of ancient Jomon period artifacts, which are found in abundance in the area.||Strongly recommended.