Hotel Kodama

This might have been a nice place back in 1973. The hot water in our room didn’t work, and they couldn’t repair it, so they told us to use the public bath. The ski lockers for twin rooms are tiny, there’s no way two pairs of wide skis will fit.

For what it costs, this is a good hotel. The food was amazing and really filling, and the staff were very helpful. The slopes are right nearby, and there’s an onsen too. The room was clean, though it could have been cleaner. They turned off the room heating overnight, roughly from 9pm to 7am, but I was already in bed so it didn’t bother me.

The shower took some timing, so it was better to go early or later in the evening. The bed and cushion were okay for a short stay, but I wouldn’t want them much longer. The big reason to stay is the location. You can ski straight from the hotel and go for days without needing a bus, which couldn’t be better. Breakfast and dinner came as a fully set table with more food than we could manage. It was tasty, but a vegetarian would find it pretty much impossible. If you don’t expect too much and mainly want to be near the slopes, it works well.

Dinner was a highlight. For ¥2,000 per person, they serve a different set meal each night, with local, home-style food that’s nice to come back to after skiing. There’s also a small ski rental shop in the hotel. The room water pressure was so low that I’d suggest using the public bath in the building instead. Going back a little early may help you avoid the rush. The first visit to a public bath can feel a bit strange, but you get used to it, and a long soak in the big bath is good. The location is great, and I’d stay again. The hotel is across the road from the shuttle bus stop for buses from Nagano station. Rooms are a reasonable size and clean by Japanese hotel standards, and there’s free Wi-Fi. It’s not quite ski-in, ski-out: the chairlift is beside the hotel but up a slight slope, though you can ski back down.