Petit Hotel Kanan

I stayed several nights over Obon, using the place as a summer retreat and a base for sightseeing in Nagano. It was my first visit to the area and I came away with fond memories, but I doubt I’ll stay at this hotel again. On arrival by car, nobody greeted me, even though the parking lot is right in front. I had to carry heavy luggage up unstable stairs. It was pouring and cold that day, and I was nearly coming down with a cold. I later learned there was a sloped route if you went out to the main road and took a detour. When I came in through the rain again, there still wasn’t a greeting. I rang the intercom at the counter, and finally a woman who seemed to be the landlady came from the back. No one showed us to our room or explained anything, so we had to find it ourselves. The room listing had said there’d be a refrigerator, but there wasn’t one, only a small shared fridge in the hallway. I was told to write my name on anything I put in it. The food wasn’t very good to me. The meat was greasy, and even for something like a second helping of rice, you had to call the kitchen. On the second morning, after staying multiple nights, breakfast’s main dish was two shishamo fish. It was very simple, with a Showa-era feel, lol. Amenities were sparse. There were no pajamas or bathrobes, so bring your own sleepwear. For longer stays, they replaced only the amenities and didn’t make the beds. When we left, no one offered a farewell; we said goodbye at the counter. I never saw anyone who looked like the owner. By comparison, I happened to see staff at the neighboring hotel wave goodbye to a guest until their car was out of sight.

I forgot my smartphone charger, and the landlady kindly lent me one, which was a big help. I stayed without meals, and the room was clean, comfortable, and reasonably priced. It had a brand new air conditioner, hair dryer, small TV, electric kettle, toothbrush and toothpaste, one large and one small towel, body soap, shampoo, and free Wi-Fi. There was no washlet, refrigerator, pajamas, coffee, or tea in the room. The refrigerator was shared in the hallway, and drinks were available from vending machines.

The villa was spacious, with a roomy bathroom and an incredibly comfortable bed. It was barrier-free, and one bed was specially equipped for elderly care. Dinner’s beef stew was absolutely delicious. It’s a small, lovely hotel. Since it sits at about 1500m altitude, driving there in winter could be difficult.

Visited in October 2024. After dinner, from around 9 PM, you can pay extra to hear the wife sing, mainly jazz. The music was on CD, but there were live piano performances too, and I really enjoyed it. The building’s interior is dated, though nothing was seriously wrong. Outside peak season, the price can be reasonable and the value is good. Many pensions are run by couples who can be very busy, so don’t expect the same service level as a traditional inn or hotel. 🙅