3-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

The hotel is nice, from the station about 10 minutes walk almost in a straight line, wake up. The room was originally wrong, it was reserved for smokers, even though we don't smoke, the room was given the appropriate one, the smell in it was just not very good, like for those who don't smoke at all, it started already on the floor.But the staff, fortunately, were able to find us a replacement for a non-smoking room, yes, less, yes one big bed instead of two, but with stunning mountain views and a coffee machine. The breakfast at the hotel is just as great, the cuisine is Japanese, diverse, there are many drinks, including fresh juices, many desserts. non-smoking measures, yes, less, but one large bed instead of two, but with stunning mountain views and a coffee machine

This hotel is super convenient, right across from JR Nagano Station, making it easy to go shopping or visit Zenkoji Temple. They even gave us a free one-day bus pass! It’s a great hotel, perfect for travelers. Just a heads up, Nagano Prefecture now charges an additional 200 JPY per person for the accommodation tax.

I stayed for one day with my partner as a treat and it was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had. With traditional Yukata provided and access to all 9 public onsens where you can get stamps on towel bought from the reception. The dinner and breakfast had a wide variety of flavours which made them more than just a meal but a immersive traditional experience. 10/10 would recommend to everyone i know. Wish we had stayed for another day to try out the private onsens on the accommodation. Note that, we had the chicken option as another comment stated, the beef option is not available on the trip.com platform, so you might have to call them up in advancecto change it.

📍 Hotel Keigetsu 信州昼神温泉郷 日長庵 桂月 @ Hirugami Onsen, Nagano 🇯🇵 We stayed 3D2N from 13 November 2025 at Hotel Keigetsu (日長庵 桂月), and it turned out to be one of the best choices for our Nakasendo trip. The ryokan sits in a peaceful corner of Hirugami Onsen, surrounded by nature and traditional Japanese charm. There is a designated parking area exclusively for guests, accommodating around 15-20 cars of all sizes, making it very convenient for self-drive travellers. We chose a Japanese-style room with a private bathroom, and the highlight was the beautiful wooden bathtub — perfect for a relaxing soak in complete privacy. In the mornings, the view from our room was calm and peaceful, with gentle bird chirping adding to the serene atmosphere. Our stay included breakfast and dinner, and both meals were exceptional. Each dish was beautifully prepared using seasonal ingredients, and the servers were patient and friendly, taking time to explain each course and share stories about local flavours. Their warm hospitality truly enhanced the dining experience. The ryokan is within walking distance to the Morning Market, just about 10 minutes away, making it an enjoyable little morning stroll. There is also a FamilyMart right beside the ryokan, just a short walk away — extremely convenient for drinks, snacks, or last-minute essentials during your stay. The staff also introduced several nearby activities and hiking trails, and the routes are super visitor-friendly, making this ryokan an ideal base for exploring the Nakasendo area. The onsen baths were another highlight — soothing, clean, and filled with Hirugami’s famously smooth, skin-friendly hot spring water. Perfect for unwinding every evening. Overall, Hotel Keigetsu offers excellent food, warm service, relaxing onsen, comfortable rooms, and unbeatable convenience, whether you’re here for onsen relaxation or the Nakasendo trail. Highly recommended for a peaceful, authentic, and memorable ryokan stay in Nagano. ♨️🍁🌿✨

Convenient skiing, comfortable hot spring

The hotel's location is excellent, very close to Matsumoto Station, and there are many restaurants nearby. It's in a lively area but just far enough away not to be noisy. There's a popular cafe nearby; we went early the next morning to get a number. It's trendy but reasonably priced, and the coffee was really good. We stopped in Matsumoto briefly after hiking Kamikochi and before heading to Karuizawa. We'll definitely come back to properly experience this great place next time.

An outstanding value-for-money stay offering an authentic Japanese experience. The food was exceptional, with generous dinner and breakfast spreads featuring more than 10 dishes, plus unlimited rice and soup. The onsen with its unique tatami flooring was a highlight, open throughout the night until 8 a.m. The beautiful riverside scenery, autumn foliage, and charming morning farmers’ market added to the experience. Staff were exceptionally friendly, attentive, and welcoming, and children were welcome. The convenient location and ample parking made the stay even better. Highly recommended for families seeking traditional Japanese hospitality, excellent food, and a memorable onsen experience at an affordable price.

We really enjoyed our week long stay at Hoshikawakan in Jan 2026. We have been driving around Hakuba for 4 weeks to visit various ski resorts and spent our last week at Hoshikawakan to visit Shiga Kogen. The room was spacious and clean with a small toilet like most Japanese hotels but there was a large public onsen and 2 smaller private onsens that can be reserved once each day for 30mins so you could always take your shower in the onsens like the locals do especially later at night about 10-11pm where I was the only one in the public onsen. The hotel had a lovely buffet breakfast spread with local soba, Japnese curry, cold minced sashimi fish, grill fish station, fried eggs station that will keep you adequately fed for the day's ski trip - it even has a hot drink station with free oden daily at 3-5.30pm which we enjoyed as a snack after a hard day of skiiing. The service was excellent too with the staff helpfully arranging to ship our ski equipment directly to Hanade Airport, daily clearing of snow off the carpark and new towels provided daily. The location in Yudanaka is great too especially if you drive as it is between Shiga Kogen (25-35mins drive) and Kita Shiga Kogen (15-20mins drive) with many attractions like Shibu Onsen, Yudanaka Brewery and Snow Monkey Park within 10-15 drive. There were also ample dinner options nearby within 10-15 mins walk but you may need to try and make reservations by walking in on your first night. The only downside was that the WiFi network is poor and patchy when overloaded by a lot of guests over the weekend but otherwise it was good.

It was very comfortable with the feeling of staying in a comfortable house. I felt the richness of nature from the window and was quiet and relaxing.

White Hotel Grand Hakuba is located up in the mountains, about a 30-minute drive from the main town area (Hakuba Station / Happo Bus Terminal). This is perfect for those who, like me, prefer a peaceful and more secluded environment. The hotel provides a daily shuttle service between the hotel, Hakuba Station, and Lion Café, which is conveniently located next to Happo Bus Terminal. There’s no need to worry about being “stuck” in the mountains—just remember to reserve your shuttle seats in advance. The room interiors and the surrounding scenery are beautiful—words can’t fully describe it; it’s something you really have to experience for yourself. One of the biggest highlights is the ski-in, ski-out convenience. You can start skiing or snowboarding right outside the hotel. I chose this location mainly for its easy access to snowboarding, as we were beginners and wanted a less crowded place to learn. The view from the top of the slope was magnificent—you could even see the lake. The staff are very friendly, helpful, and warm. There are several English-speaking staff members, both Japanese and non-Japanese, which made communication easy. We had both breakfast and dinner at the in-house restaurant, and the meals were good and satisfying. The onsen is free to use in the morning. In the evening, it is available for private use at an additional charge, which I felt was well worth it. Overall, I would definitely come back again. Highly recommended.