The Gran Resort Elegante Karuizawa

It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Karuizawa Station to the hotel, and there's a FamilyMart convenience store nearby, which is quite convenient. The hotel also has hot springs. There's no elevator in the hotel. My luggage was delivered to the room upon check-in, but I had to carry it myself when checking out, which was a bit of a struggle.

The surroundings of this hotel are absolutely beautiful and made me feel incredibly comfortable. It's a shame the air conditioning was broken, so it was a bit hot sleeping at night. However, the tatami mat was really comfortable, and there's a convenient table nearby for eating. Plus, the vanity outside the bathroom is a great separation.

The location is convenient and easy to find, nestled in a large forest with a nice environment. The hotel is a bit old, and while the room is spacious, the cleanliness felt subpar. The bedding was a simple duvet, which didn't feel very hygienic. Check-out is at 10 AM, and luggage storage after that costs 550 yen.

Great location, but everything else is just okay! Still a livable place.

The room was quite spacious and clean, with good heating. They provided two bathrobes, four Japanese-style jackets, and plenty of slippers. However, they only gave one washcloth and one bath towel, which felt a bit insufficient. There's an extra charge if you want more towels. The staff didn't speak English or Chinese, so communication relied on translation software. The hotel's location is convenient; it's just a 10-minute walk from the station. There's a large supermarket, a bakery, and a McDonald's right in front, and behind it is a very beautiful residential area. It's really good.

For this price, it's really good value for money in Karuizawa. It's about a 10-minute walk from the train station, a great location, and even within walking distance of Kumoba Pond. The hotel also offers bicycle rentals, which is convenient for sightseeing. The downsides are that the facilities are a bit old, there are no power outlets by the bed, and only three outlets in the entire room – in the living room and by the sink, which isn't very convenient. Also, the shampoo and shower gel weren't in bottles but in sachets, which isn't eco-friendly or convenient. Plus, there was a low hum in the room that might affect sleep. The front desk said it was the sound of the bathroom ventilation, and that every room had it, which was very strange; it's the first time I've encountered something like that. Despite all that, Karuizawa is truly beautiful. After checking out the next day, we could store our luggage for free until noon. We cycled to the Hiroshi Senju Museum of Art – a perfect blend of art and architecture!

This is an older hotel with a charming, old-fashioned vibe. We booked a Japanese-style room, which was convenient for our baby to sleep in. The room was quite spacious, but it didn't have a private bathroom; we had to use the communal bathhouse, which had hot springs. When I went to the women's area, I was the only one there, so it was very relaxing. I heard that in the men's area, even taking a shower required waiting in line after 9 PM. Overall, it was a decent experience.

The hotel is a very manageable 19-minute walk from the station. The room was spacious; we booked a 4-person room with two single beds and a tatami area for the other two, which could be sectioned off – very convenient. The large public bath downstairs was also super comfortable. Breakfast was decent, but honestly, Karuizawa is so beautiful that with this kind of environment and accommodation, everything was perfectly fine.