Shinshu Matsumoto Utsukushigahara Onsen Shoho

The mountain-view room was stunning, and the whole place had a relaxing feel, with more than 10 kinds of onsen. From foot baths to indoor and outdoor pools, it felt like a theme park for onsen. The service was nice, and I enjoyed the visit. There’s a free shuttle bus from a spot near Matsumoto station. one night with dinner and breakfast is a good choice too, the dinner and breakfast were delicious.

The hotel was much larger than I expected. We arrived on a rainy afternoon and checked in right away. There were lots of complimentary drinks, including tea and different sodas, as well as snacks. Our room was spacious, with its own tub filled with hot spring mineral water. The bed was comfortable, though the pillows weren’t fluffy. The room also came with lounge wear and robes, which many guests wore around the hotel. There are two public baths. One is large, has a mountain view and three pools, and is for women in the afternoon and evening, then men in the morning. The other is open in the morning and evening, with separate areas for men and women. You can also reserve a private bath for a fee. We had dinner at the hotel, which I highly recommend. It was excellent, and breakfast was a huge buffet. The hotel has a free morning shuttle to the train station. If you’re leaving later, you can have your luggage taken to a place near the station to be held. The main downside is that it’s not close to Matsumoto Castle. We took a bus from near the castle to the hotel, which worked fine, but didn’t go back at night for the light show because getting there and back seemed difficult. I didn’t see many taxis around. The lobby had a video of the show, so I watched that instead.

The dinner was fabulous. We had different menus on our two nights, with plenty of options like waygu beef, tempura, sashimi, rice, and desserts. I’d definitely include meals in the booking. Breakfast was also great, with different options each day. More Chinese dishes, like dim sum, would have made it even better. We had a very pleasant two-night stay in the Central Building, in a room with a private onsen. It was a great choice, even though the hotel was a bit expensive. The hotel seemed quite new and had welcome drinks, several public onsens, shops, a spa room, and restaurants. Our massive room had a living and dining area, toilet and bathroom, two separate double beds, and a private onsen by the window. The city views were amazing by day and night. With the window open beside the onsen, it felt especially cool and chilly on a 10 degree night. The room was clean and well equipped with bottled water, snacks, toothbrushes, personal care items, and a nice tea and coffee set. It was easy to relax there after a meal. The hotel is up on the mountain, so catching the shuttle could be difficult if you don’t drive. There were plenty of free parking spots. There aren’t any facilities, convenience stores, or shops within walking distance.

My first time at an onsen was a great experience. The facilities were really nice and super clean. Definitely go if you visit Matsumoto.