Hoshino Resorts KAI Alps

We stayed for three days and never got a window seat. When we left, no staff member saw us off or hurried to help with our luggage. The service felt less hospitable than at other Kai resorts we’ve visited. The guests also made it hard to enjoy a quiet retreat: dinner crowds were loud and boisterous, and some bathers seemed unfamiliar with onsen etiquette, leaving the changing room in a disgraceful state. The resort has little control over who stays there, but that atmosphere may not suit anyone looking for peaceful enjoyment of an idyllic sanctuary. The architecture is charming, the onsen baths feel luxurious, and the degustation menus are impressive. It has the usual marks of a respectable Kai resort, though it didn’t have the particular charm and magic we’ve loved at others. It’s still a nice hotel and makes for beautiful holiday pictures to make your friends envious. Because it’s close to the snow fields, the clientele seems to be mostly international guests, who interact with places like this differently from Japanese guests.

KAI Alps serves colorful, gorgeous dishes that taste and smell wonderful. The rice was the best I’ve ever had. The waiters said the water around KAI Alps is much cleaner than in other places, and that it helps make the rice taste better. I’m always broke, but I can’t wait to stay at another KAI Resort. I’m really satisfied 😊

The food is the strongest reason to stay here. The restaurant serves an elaborate menu, and the onsen is another big feature, though it looked smaller than in the advertisement. Maybe they used a wide-angle lens. There isn’t much to do nearby, and the location wasn’t great for us. If you’re not planning to ski at Hakuba, the free transfers to Omachi can help fill some time. This was my first stay at a Hoshino resort, and perhaps I expected too much. Service was uneven. When I asked reception about general train ticket conditions, they replied, “we are not the train company.” I understood that, but would’ve appreciated an offer to call the train company or check its website in Japanese. At a supposedly fancy dinner, the server rushed us by asking us to move unfinished food from one plate to another to make room for the next dish. I expected them to wait. On another occasion, a server left the next dish on the table with its lid on and no explanation, so we didn’t know whether to start eating or wait. A few minutes later, she came back, realized she hadn’t explained it, and apologized. Better service and more nearby activities would make for happier customers.

At the foot of the Northern Alps, this hot spring resort has an open-air bath with mountain views and a hearthside welcome that feels tied to the nostalgic warmth of the area. It offers a luxurious take on Shinshu country life. In the earthen-floored room with a hearth, you can have local sake with Shinshu specialty Oyaki. There’s also a hotpot with boneless eel and fresh wasabi, showcasing produce from the clear mountain streams. It’s finished with Shinshu’s specialty soba noodles. In autumn, you can enjoy the breeze while soaking in water from Kuzu Onsen, a well supplied hidden spring at the foot of the Northern Alps.