Kitakaruizawa Kogen Hotel

I stayed here for work for 25 nights in a row and found it very comfortable. The mountain air is wonderful, and the owner is easy to talk to. If he isn't busy, you can have a drink with him at the Thai restaurant downstairs. The room has its own bathroom and toilet, though no washlet, and being in the mountains means there are bugs. Some guests have complained about bugs and service, but at this reasonable price I was more than satisfied. If you want a high-end stay, look elsewhere. For business, this is a great place, and I'd stay again if I return to the area.

We had a smoking-permitted Japanese-style room, and I was glad the bathroom and toilet were separate. There was a hair dryer, but the shampoo was a 2-in-1, so bring your own if that matters to you. Guests need to put their own trash in the hallway bins. We booked room only, though it seems Thai food can be ordered between 6 and 9 PM. A kind-looking man greeted us at the desk. The access road climbs a little way into the mountains from the main road and the surface is rough, so motorcyclists should take care.

The meals were the highlight for me. Dinner was Thai food, with rice, salad, warm soup, gapao, fruit, and sides that looked like pickled cabbage and meat stew. The stew turned out to be curry, and I poured both it and the gapao over my rice, though I don't know if that's the right way to eat it. It was delicious and more than enough for me, a man in my 60s. Breakfast had a Western option, but I chose Thai. From the picture I thought it might be pho or something similar, but it was porridge, maybe rice gruel, with chicken meatballs and lots of ginger. That was delicious too. I booked a two-meal Rakuten Travel plan for a ski trip, drawn in particular by the Thai food. Palcall, Kazawa, and Yunomaru are about a 30-minute drive away, so I could choose where to ski based on the day's conditions. This isn't a ski lodge, so there's no drying room, and the hallways and dining room were cold, which I expected in a winter lodge. The room has a separate unit bath and toilet, so technically it's a hotel, but it felt more like a warm, privately run guesthouse. It's a little off the main road, so in winter you'll probably need snow tires or chains to get there.

The room was a roomy Japanese-style tatami space, with a bathroom and separate wash area and the toilet in another room. Wi-Fi worked fine and the fridge kept things cold. For a simple place to sleep, I found it comfortable. I could have used more power outlets, and there was no ice maker. The restaurant sells ice, though the front desk joked, "It's expensive. It's special ice. And it's big." I was there over the July three-day weekend, and the Kitakaruizawa weather was so pleasant that there was no need for air conditioning. The house-like building sits tucked away in the forest, with the nearest convenience store a 10-minute drive away. There's hardly any traffic, so it's really quiet.