Holiday Villa Hotel & Resort Karuizawa

The area is beautiful, with a forest-like feel, and it’s a good place to stay for trips around Karuizawa. We arrived late, but the owner was helpful and accommodating. Nice hospitality, and worth staying.

I’ve been calling the business number for days, from morning to night, but only ever get the answering machine. I don’t think there’s anyone at reception. How are guests supposed to contact the hotel?

The meals were what made this stay stick with us. With half board, we had a five-course dinner each night: A4 wagyu steak the first evening and Ezo deer the next. Both dinners were delicious, and we left completely full. Breakfast was decent too, especially the creamy, smooth scrambled eggs. We spent two nights in a cozy cottage with two upstairs bedrooms, Japanese-style tatami beds downstairs, a big fridge, and a well-stocked kitchen. The stairs up are very steep, and the ground floor was poorly insulated and cold while upstairs got too warm, so there are some comfort tradeoffs. We visited in winter, when the place was nearly empty, with just one other group staying there. After visiting crowded places on our trip, it felt good to spend a little time tucked away from everything. The area around the cottage gets very dark, so we could see lots of stars.

The staff were kind and the service was excellent. We stayed in a cottage for a few days, and it was as advertised, with a layout that works well for families. I did see complaints about insects, but in a forest, that seems like something to expect.