Kamisuwa Onsen × Highly-rated Hotel·Ryokan

From the outside it is a simple Western-style building, but once you step inside, it feels grand and luxurious. The location is excellent: Lake Suwa spreads out right in front of you, and every room comes with its own open-air hot spring bath with free-flowing natural spring water. The water quality is wonderful, and every carefully selected furnishing is of exceptional quality. I also appreciated the in-room massage chair, and the coffee setup was great—you can grind the beans yourself and brew a delicious cup while enjoying the aroma. I worried that such a fluffy bed might hurt my back, but it was truly comfortable. The feather pillow was perfect as well; I slept soundly and woke up refreshed the next morning. With your stay, you also receive complimentary bathing tickets for Katakurakan. In addition, there are free-flow drinks available in the 3rd-floor lounge—soft drinks, rooibos tea, and even wine (just a tasting portion). Dinner can be enjoyed as a full course meal, and they selected local wines for pairing; it was an outstanding experience. I was also touched when the chef came to greet us personally. They were very flexible with the course menu as well—we were able to choose different courses for each of us, which really showed how accommodating this hotel is. Car-wash service—which has disappeared at many places—is still offered here, which impressed me again. Seeing my car polished to a shine the next morning genuinely made me happy. I have stayed at many renowned hotels and ryokan over the years, but receiving this level of service at this price point makes this an easy choice for my go-to hotel from now on. There are so many more memorable moments that I could not possibly write them all here—but I hope everyone experiences it for themselves and discovers what makes this hotel so special. To all of the hoteliers: thank you very much for your warm smiles and attentive hospitality throughout our stay.

My husband and I stayed at this Accommodation for one night during a two-day drive from Tokyo to Suwa and Narai-juku. Everyone on the staff was truly kind and attentive, and thanks to their warm hospitality we had a wonderful, enjoyable time. Right by the lakeside, we were able to relax in the open-air bath in our Room and fully enjoy the luxury of free-flowing natural hot spring water. The rooftop infinity bath was also very pleasant. The meals featured locally sourced ingredients, and we enjoyed dishes that felt uniquely Shinshu. There were many tableware items, furnishings, and pieces of furniture that matched my taste. We would love to visit again in a different season. The pass tour visiting four shrines was also excellent.

The location right in front of Lake Suwa was excellent, and the room was clean. The meals, featuring mainly local specialties, were very delicious. We also really enjoyed the bus tour visiting the four major Suwa shrines—the guide’s explanations were thorough and easy to follow. We would love to stay again if we have the opportunity.

From the moment we arrived, the staff warmly welcomed us, and check-in was smooth. Everyone was highly professional, and the property was spotless, making our stay very comfortable. The meals were delicately flavored, and the portions were just right—not too much or too little. Both dinner and breakfast felt perfectly balanced. The baths are cleaned once between check-in and the next morning, with a switch between men’s and women’s times, but we were happy that we could use them multiple times even late at night or early in the morning.

We decided to stay here the day before. The food and rice were delicious, and we were truly impressed by the many dishes thoughtfully created to pair perfectly with the rice. The menu wasn’t overcomplicated, which was wonderful. The clean, beautifully prepared dishes—centered around locally grown vegetables—were outstanding. The bath had no steps, so it felt safe and reassuring for bringing my elderly mother. The complimentary beer service was also excellent. There wasn’t a single negative point. Thank you for a wonderful time and experience.

The Room and the entire property were very clean, and we also enjoyed the garden view from the hallway. Although it was a Japanese-style Room, it had a desk and chair, which made it easy to do my makeup. After soaking in the Onsen, my skin felt so smooth the next day, and I was able to check out feeling truly happy!

We stayed in a Room with an open-air bath during Silver Week. The Room was on the 2nd floor of the annex, and it was just the right size, clean, and well maintained, so we were able to relax in the in-room open-air bath. Dinner was a special kaiseki course and everything was delicious, and the breakfast buffet had a wide variety of dishes—especially the thick-cut tuna sashimi and sweet shrimp, which were very fresh and tasty. If we visit Suwa again, this is a Hotel we would like to stay at again.

This Accommodation is very popular and hard to book, but I was lucky to get a Reservation and this is my second stay. The building is old, so you can hear noise from outside the Room, but once you get used to it, it’s not an issue. The meals are generous and delicious—I almost worry it’s okay to stay at such a low price. I still haven’t seen all the nearby sights, so I’d love to come again.

The Hotel is located due east of Lake Suwa. The main building has windows facing north and south, while the annex (Palace Wing) has windows facing east and west. Summer fireworks go up due north of the Hotel. If you are coming for the fireworks, it seems best to book a Room on the north side of the main building; if you want lake views and sunsets, a west-facing Room in the annex is recommended. (The “Floor Plan” on the Hotel’s official website is easy to understand.) Enter from the south side of the Hotel and head east into the large parking lot in front of the Hotel (south side). Leave your luggage with a bell person and park in an available space. Check in at reception. Your luggage will be taken to your Room on a cart. The Room is clean, stylish, bright, comfortable, and recently renovated. Along the large north-facing window there is a long counter and chairs. To the left you can see Lake Suwa; to the right, beyond the Japanese Red Cross hospital building, you can view Suwa town and the northern mountains. The night view is also beautiful. There is no view from the unit bath. At showtime, lights in buildings around town dim, and fireworks rise due north for about 10 minutes. There seems to be music as well, but it cannot be heard from inside the Room. The private bath “Anzu” is a scenic bath with a large window opening to the north. The private open-air bath “Karin” faces west but is screened by fencing for privacy. Both are spacious enough, have two washing stations each, and are clean. The Chinese cuisine is refined yet easy to enjoy. Most tables are families so it stays quiet, though there may occasionally be groups drinking loudly. The breakfast buffet is also excellent. There is a long counter on the west side where you can dine facing the lake as well (first come, first served). Breakfast hours are set generously long, and estimated busy times are posted as guidance. This Review rating reflects my personal impression assuming “3” means fair value for money at this price point.

A birthday trip for my husband. We were traveling with kids but still wanted a touch of luxury, and I’m so glad we stayed here! Right after entering the front desk area, there were turtles and koi, and the kids absolutely loved it! The room was wonderful, of course, and the view of Lake Suwa from the window was amazing. Dinner was in a private dining room, so we had our own space, and the garden view was beautiful. The food was delicious too! The next morning we took a short walk around Lake Suwa, which felt really refreshing. The service kept a comfortable distance while still feeling warm and genuine. On Ikkyu, this hotel is labeled as “Casual.” There may be various criteria behind that, but I feel it’s a shame—some people might skip it just because of that label.

I made a Reservation in a hurry due to unforeseen circumstances and ended up making several mistakes, but the front desk staff were very kind and helpful. Although the building and Facility feel a bit dated, the room was more spacious than expected, I was able to fully relax and enjoy the Onsen, and breakfast was properly prepared and delicious. Overall, I was more satisfied than I had imagined. I would definitely like to stay here again. Thank you very much.

I would have been happy if there had been an Onsen within walking distance nearby. The staff were very helpful, from guiding us to the parking lot to handling check-in and check-out. Some breakfast items ran out, so I would have liked better restocking.

This is my second stay. The Room is thoroughly cleaned, feels very fresh, and is extremely comfortable. However, the stairs are steep and there are steps, so it may be a bit difficult for guests with weak legs or mobility issues. That said, the best part is that natural Onsen water comes directly from the bathroom faucet. It’s a private Onsen bathroom. The water temperature is just right, so you can soak and relax at your own pace. Lake Suwa spreads out right in front of you across the road from the building—amazing views. It was cherry blossom season, and we were able to enjoy hanami at a leisurely pace. It was a very comfortable trip.

A ryokan next to Suwa Taisha Shimosha Akimiya, where you can relax in gentle hot springs and spend time wrapped in tranquility. From the room we stayed in this time, through the window we could see the roofs of buildings within Akimiya’s grounds and the surrounding grove. The season’s coldest autumn weather this year made the feeling of cleansing both body and mind even stronger. We didn’t have time to walk around on this trip, but it takes less than a minute to reach Akimiya’s parking lot. Its charm, different from modern accommodation facilities, reminded us of the pride of being Japanese. Thank you very much.

The food was delicious and wonderfully unique! Clear soup with junsai and clams (in addition to a hearty miso soup!), plus plenty of seasonal fruit (Shine Muscat grapes, red and green-fleshed melon), Matsumoto watermelon, and more. Everything felt more thoughtfully prepared than what I’ve had elsewhere, and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

It was my first stay in two months. Everything was clean, and I had a comfortable stay. The Room mirror had been changed to a different one than before, and it was very convenient for doing my makeup. Also, the gentleman at the front desk greeted me with a wonderful smile, which made me feel welcome. I’m planning to visit again in autumn.

The room was new and very clean, and they kindly stored our luggage both before check-in and after check-out. The staff were very friendly and helpful. For breakfast, you can choose either kamameshi (rice cooked in an iron pot) or toast; we chose the kamameshi, which was hearty and delicious.

The Room had a wonderful atmosphere and was very clean! The loungewear was also very comfortable—excellent! Since it is free-flowing hot spring water, the bath temperature was around 43°C and too hot for our child to soak in, which was a bit disappointing. But other than that, we have no complaints.

The renovated Room was spotless and very comfortable. The drink corner was available from before breakfast until after dinner, which was a great value.