Prince Hotels in Karuizawa

I really enjoyed my stay at this brand new hotel. Although it has been open for a couple of months, they have kept everything spotless. The lobby with open fire is beautiful and a comfortable area to have a drink and relax. The room itself was also incredibly clean and everything worked well including the WiFi. The hanten jackets were in the colours of the Ukranian flag which was a nice touch. The breakfast was good, as was the restaurant in the evening. The public bath was a nice place to soak after dinner. Service was good although it's clear the team was new and still training - I am sure this will change in time. Small criticim is there was no room service menu in the room. This was fine as it was on the TV but navigating to the menu needed Japanese skills. The architecture and general design is fantastic, as are the fittings and the carpets are just beautiful - same as all new IHG properties I think.

After a great stay at the Hoshinoya Okinawa last year, we were looking forward to staying at the ”main” resort, which did not disappoint. I love how Hoshinoya takes a completely different approach to luxury than a Four Seasons or an Aman. This is not about excess and opulence. This is about simplicity, discreteness, thoughtfulness and nature. We stayed at one of the water-side villas, which appear to be worth the higher rate than the row of villas farther away. Check-in and reception were a breeze, except for the expected English language gap. There are a few staff members who speak very good English, but overall you can tell some of the staff will struggle. The rooms are gorgeous. High ceilings. Turn on some music and it will echo wonderfully. There is some attention paid to lighting. The sleeping areas are darker. And quieter. The only sound filling the room is the rush of the water. The rooms are extremely clean and you will find yourself tidying up your own clothes just to not mess up the clean/zen vibe of your room. Being able to wear the yukata around the resort and even in nearby areas was great. Next time I will make sure to pack less clothes. We ordered the kaiseki style breakfast and dinner. The breakfast was a bit too much on the veggie side but the dinner was excellent. Pricey, but worth it. More reasonably-priced dining options are available at the nearby Harunire Terrace, which is a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute ride with the resort's free car service. The Meditation Bath facility in the resort was more than enough for me to enjoy the hot springs. It's open to very late and you can check via a web site as to whether the place is crowded or not. My wife ventured out to the larger Tonbo no yu onsen and thoroughly loved it. It won't take you a lot of time but just walking around the resort grounds is amazingly relaxing. The layout does come across as a bit too manicured but still very pleasing both visually and aurally. I didn't want to go too much into the details of the place because part of the wonder of this resort is discovering and marveling at it for the first time yourself. If you can shed the concept of excess and luxury and opulence and are open to a ”very” different approach, then go.

Our stay at the hotel was great! Being a Marriott Bonvoy member allowed us a nice upgrade for our room. Onsite staff spoke English very well. The room was very orderly and spacious. Also, this Marriott was one of the few hotels I have been to that had the room allergy ready when I told them I was allergic to feathers on the reservation. The free beverages (beer, wine, cocktails, juice, and soda) and hot meals during the membership lounge time were nice. The public bath was very clean and relaxing. The management team went above and beyond! We asked the doorman to arrange a taxi to get to a local restaurant. Instead, he worked with the assistant manager, who told us he would personally drive us to the restaurant (even included a return trip!) The breakfast buffet was excellent and had both American and Japanese fare. I will recommend this hotel to any of my friends or family who visit the area.

良いところ １．スタッフさんの姿勢が良く、明るくテキパキ対応されていて、気持ちが良いです。 ２．食事が美味しいです。夕食はフルコースでしたが、予想を裏切る美味しさです。鴨肉は柔らかく、グリーンピースのポタージュは濃厚、デザートのフォンデーンショコラも良かったです。朝食のビュッフェも品数が豊富、味も良かったです。湯豆腐が特に良かった。 残念なところ １．良く手入れはされていますが、やはり築年数には勝てないところもありました。部屋の給換気ファンの音、給湯の量など。 総じて雰囲気も良く、楽しい時間を過ごせました。 ありがとうございました。

The host was friendly and welcoming. We went early to drop off our baggage and even though it wasn't opened yet, he came out to entertain us and kept it for us. When we returned to check in, he was very warm and offered us a hot welcome drink, which was something we needed in the cold weather. He was very clear with his explanation, and we felt happy to hang out at the lounge area for drinks after we settled in. Bed was a little hard, but besides that, everything else was provided for and good.