Hotel Khuls Shigakogen

I needed to go to the hospital during my stay, and the team at Hotel Khuls took such good care of me. They arranged a taxi, called the hospital ahead to explain my condition, and checked in while I was there. They even offered to organize a ride back to the hotel. That kind of thoughtful help is rare. The staff were already incredibly friendly and considerate, and this made me feel I was in good hands. It’s a charming ski hotel, and I’d recommend it for that peace of mind as well as for the skiing.

The cafeteria food is okay. You pay at a vending machine, take the ticket, and hand it over so they can make your meal. The machine seems to be Japanese only. The menu does list allergens, though, which makes it easier to find something suitable if you’re gluten intolerant or have other dietary concerns.

We came as four families from Australia and New Zealand and really enjoyed getting a more authentic Japanese ski experience than elsewhere in the region. The staff were lovely, though their English was limited. Breakfast and dinner were good, with lots of variety and plenty to eat. The hotel sits right on the snow in the center of Shiga Kogan ski resorts, with ski-in, ski-out access, lockers and rentals at basement piste level. Rooms are the usual basic Japanese ski lodge style, a little dated but clean and comfortable. The main drawback was how hot and dry they got, and it was hard to turn the heating down or off. There were mostly Japanese guests, including large school groups.

The best part was how easy it was to get on the mountain. The resort is genuinely ski-in, ski-out, the chairlift is a short walk away, and the wide slopes suit beginners. Having rentals and the ski school in the same building was handy, and lockers were available for our gear each day. We took separate private lessons, my wife on skis and me on a snowboard. Each three-hour lesson cost 25,000 yen per person, which seemed fair for one-on-one instruction. The rental snow boots were old and less comfortable than ones we’ve had elsewhere. Getting there took a bus from Nagano Station with a change along the way. It was manageable, just less convenient than Nozawa Onsen, which needs only one bus. We’d booked Hotel Ichinose at first, but an Agoda issue meant the staff contacted Hotel Khuls next door, and one of their team came to collect us. They quickly showed us to the dining room before dinner ended. Our room was clean and spacious, though dated. The heater knob had fallen off, so we couldn’t adjust the temperature and had to open the window to cool the room. The buffet had a good range, with some dishes changing during our four-day stay. We ate both breakfast and dinner there. Wine or sake was around 800 yen a glass, which was reasonable. Meal times were quite short, dinner ran from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM and breakfast from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Service was a real plus. The staff were consistently friendly, helpful, and attentive. This is a convenient place if you want to focus on skiing or snowboarding, though more modern rooms would have made the stay even better.