Chisun Grand Nagano

We stayed in two Grand Twin rooms and would happily come back. They were a decent size, with comfortable beds, and the shower temperature was ready without a wait. You can adjust it, and the setup seems to use water efficiently. I could open my suitcase, sleep well, and relax in the hotel’s front area. Everyone was so generous with their time, from the front desk to housekeeping. They tried to help with every question, including arranging a taxi for us on an extremely busy day. The front area has free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, plus some alcoholic drinks you pay for. Bread and pastries are available at certain times. The hotel is near the station, restaurants, and shops. Thanks to everyone who made our stay enjoyable.

We were lucky to get a room on the 11th floor, one of the top two or three “grand” floors, even though I hadn’t asked for one when booking. The 12th floor is the restaurant. Our room was quiet, clean, and spacious, especially compared with the Tokyo hotel we’d stayed at, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. Didn’t hear a peep from the neighbors. Nagano Station is about a 5-10 minute walk, depending on your pace, and there’s a Lawson along the way. Laundry is coin-operated on the second floor. Washing cost 400 Yen; drying was 100 Yen for either 20 or 50 minutes, I can’t honestly remember, but it wasn’t expensive. We only had breakfast once and liked it. You need to buy a ticket from the front desk by 7pm or 9pm the evening before, so plan ahead a bit. They serve both Western and Japanese breakfast. Great value for the location and amenities, and we’d stay at Chisun Grand Nagano again.

We were on the 9th floor and had a great view of the trains coming into the station, along with the mountains around them. The room was much bigger than most places we’ve stayed in Japan. It’s a short walk to the station, with plenty of shops and restaurants nearby.

Friendly staff, and the housekeeping was especially thoughtful. With the do-not-disturb sign up, they left a bag of towels. I happened to be in the room when they dropped one off and told them I didn’t need fresh towels. The next day, a housekeeper recognized me by the elevator and checked whether I still had enough. I was glad they remembered and didn’t leave another bag. The hotel has the usual toothbrushes and razors, but the bath towels are thicker than at other hotels I’ve stayed in. They lather soap well and make it easier to reach spots on your back. There’s a nice bidet toilet, a light control near the bed, A/C, and decent WiFi. The place has an early 2000s look and feel, and the tech does too. For example, it doesn’t show laundry status on the TVs, like some other business hotels. It’s dated, or charming, depending on what you like, but has what you need from a Japanese chain hotel. Nagano Station is a convenient five-minute walk away, with just one major intersection to cross, though the hotel isn’t the very closest one.