KKR Suwakoso

Snow had settled on the ground by morning, and it looked beautiful. I’d come in February hoping to see the ice formations, but no luck this time. The staff were kind, and the welcome cup of pork miso soup was warming and delicious. There’s a drink bar and massage chairs, and I could take my time over breakfast. The building was clean and comfortable enough that I didn’t need slippers, and I was glad to use the family bath. I’d come back in another season.

We chose a Japanese-style room without a private toilet, but the shared one was clean, nearby, and not much of an inconvenience. The whole building has tatami floors, which felt lovely, and tabi socks were in the room. Though the building is old, the inside is clean. We were there in August for fireworks season, and watching the show right beside Lake Suwa was amazing. Dinner had the feel of a traditional Japanese inn, with a menu, and every dish was delicious; the little sweets were a nice touch. The front desk staff and server were all friendly. I’d definitely stay again.

Breakfast was delicious, and the shared parts of the building felt comfortable with their tatami flooring. This place has a national guesthouse feel, where you take your shoes off at the entrance. It was closer to Kami-Suwa Station than I expected: about five minutes on foot from the west exit, or seven minutes from the ticket gate via the overpass. I stayed two nights for work and would happily come back.

The lakeside and a 7-Eleven are each just a two-minute walk away, and both upper and lower Suwa Grand Shrines are under a 20-minute drive. The building is old, but clean and well cared for. Free drinks are available all day, and the bath stays open at night; the water felt great and left my skin smooth. One thing to know is that rooms with private toilets are limited. Guests in rooms without one share a toilet, which may bother some people.