Shigaichii Hotel

This older hotel has a comfortable retro feel, with a grandfather clock and other charming touches. The Japanese-style rooms are large, with tatami mats and floor mattresses, a bidet toilet with a heated seat, and very nice-smelling toiletries. There’s a tiny elevator, a cute gift shop, and a piano in the lobby that guests can play. The onsen is in the basement, separated for men and women, and is a completely nude hot tub for about a dozen people. The front desk staff were extremely helpful and spoke reasonably good English. You can buy discounted lift ticket vouchers there. Many rooms look onto the slopes. It isn’t ski-in, ski-out, but the slopes are a one-block walk away. The Nagano bus leaves from the bullet-train station and stops next door at Ichinose. Ski rental is available on site, but you can’t see or choose the equipment behind the desk. We went to nearby Sno-Can instead, which was affordable, had good gear and skis to choose from, and helpful staff. The independent restaurant in the building makes exceptionally good smash burgers and fries, though there are only about four menu items. Breakfast is included and has a decent mix of Western and Japanese choices, but there are oddly no savory condiments for the rice bowls. It’s served in a large, unwelcoming basement room with unusually bright fluorescent lighting. The toilet paper is single-ply and unperforated, which seems a silly place to save money.