Where to Stay in Karuizawa 2026: How to Choose Among Hotels Near Karuizawa Station, in Old Karuizawa and at the Ski Resort
Karuizawa is reached directly by the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen, in as little as about 1 hour from Tokyo Station, and the south exit leads straight to Prince Shopping Plaza. Lodging is concentrated in three main areas: around the station, along the Old Karuizawa Ginza shopping street, and at the ski resort. Room rates change noticeably with the season: the summer escape-the-heat season in July-August, the foliage season from mid-October to early November (the Karuizawa Autumn Leaves Festival runs from September to early November), and the ski season from about early November to the end of March all make hotels right next to the ski slopes and in popular areas fill up first. In addition, Karuizawa Town levies a bathing tax of ¥150 per person per night on guests who use onsen facilities, and from June 1, 2026 a separate accommodation tax from Nagano Prefecture and Karuizawa Town begins, charging ¥200-700 per person per night depending on the room rate, paid on the spot at the front desk.
| Hotel | Price range | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Fufu Kyukaruizawa Seiyo no Mori | Upscale | All 20 rooms have onsen baths |
| Kyukaruizawa Kikyo, Curio Collection by Hilton | Upscale | Large bath, Maison Margiela amenities |
| Mampei Hotel | Upscale | Century-old Western-style building |
| SHISHI-IWA HOUSE KARUIZAWA | Upscale | Architecture by Shigeru Ban |
| The Prince Karuizawa | Mid-range | Balcony with Mt. Asama views |
| Karuizawa Prince Hotel East | Mid-range | Forest onsen, right next to the ski slopes |
| Hotel Indigo Karuizawa | Mid-range | Open-air carbonated spring onsen |
| Le Grand Kyu Karuizawa | Mid-range | French restaurant |
| Hotel Karuizawa Cross | Mid-range | Church Street shopping area, terrace BBQ |
| Hotel Rosso Karuizawa | Budget | About a 5-minute walk from the north exit |
| Hotel Grand Vert Kyu Karuizawa | Budget | About a 3-minute walk from the north exit |
| Hoshino Resorts BEB5 Karuizawa | Budget | 24-hour lounge |
| Twin-Line Hotel Karuizawa Japan | Budget | Spanish restaurant |
| HOSHINOYA Karuizawa | Themed | Waterside rooms, Hoshino Onsen |
Upscale Hotel Picks
The following 4 are the top-end choices in Karuizawa’s highest price range, known for private onsen, historic depth and architectural design.
Where to Stay in Old Karuizawa: Fufu Kyukaruizawa Seiyo no Mori
Set deep in the forest of Old Karuizawa, near Kumoba Pond, with an onsen bath in all 20 rooms. It focuses on a private onsen resort experience and suits couples who want deep relaxation.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about 5 minutes by car from JR Karuizawa Station
- Highlights: onsen bath in every room, restaurant, private parking
The bathing tax and accommodation tax are paid separately on the spot at the front desk.
Where to Stay in Old Karuizawa: Kyukaruizawa Kikyo, Curio Collection by Hilton
Opened in 2018 as the first Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in Japan, with 50 rooms starting from about 34 sq m. Bathroom amenities are from the Maison Margiela fragrance line, with a refined luxury style.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about 5 minutes by car from JR Karuizawa Station (about a 15-minute walk), with a free shuttle between the hotel and the station
- Highlights: large bath, Maison Margiela bath amenities, about a 6-minute walk to Old Karuizawa Ginza
Hilton Honors points can be earned.
Where to Stay in Old Karuizawa: Mampei Hotel
A century-old hotel founded in 1894 (Meiji 27). From 1976 to 1979 John Lennon stayed here with his family every summer. The Alps-kan building, completed in 1936, is registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about 5 minutes by taxi (about 2 km) from JR Karuizawa Station, with a free shuttle (reservation required)
- Highlights: the historic Alps-kan building, main restaurant, free private parking
Suits travelers who love historic atmosphere.
Themed Stay Pick: SHISHI-IWA HOUSE KARUIZAWA
The first building, SSH No.01 (only 11 rooms), and No.02 were designed by Pritzker Prize architect Shigeru Ban, while No.03 in 2023 was designed by Ryue Nishizawa, with timber architecture blending into the forest scenery.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about 10 minutes by car from JR Karuizawa Station
- Highlights: architecture by Shigeru Ban and Ryue Nishizawa, restaurant and bar, free bicycle rental
Suits travelers who love architectural design.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Selected Mid-Range Hotels
The following 5 have convenient access and good value, representing the middle price range around Karuizawa Station and in Old Karuizawa.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: The Prince Karuizawa
An upscale Prince hotel in Karuizawa where every room looks out on Mt. Asama. There is no onsen in the hotel, so it suits travelers who care about the room and are not set on soaking.
- Rates: not published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about a 30-minute walk from JR Karuizawa Station, with a free shuttle from the south exit
- Highlights: garden twin rooms, Mt. Asama views, bicycle rental and fitness facilities
The hotel offers a shuttle from the station’s south exit and a luggage delivery service.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Karuizawa Prince Hotel East
Facing the Karuizawa Prince Hotel ski resort, with a guests-only “Forest Onsen” that includes an indoor bath, an open-air bath and a sauna. Rooms are hard to get in peak ski season.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about a 10-minute walk from JR Karuizawa Station, with a shuttle bus about every 30 minutes
- Highlights: Forest Onsen, direct access to the ski slopes, family rooms for several guests
Guests of the West building and the West building cottages cannot use the East building’s Forest Onsen; the onsen is occasionally closed temporarily, so check the official website before you stay.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Hotel Indigo Karuizawa by IHG
A design-led hotel under the IHG group that opened in February 2022. Its open-air carbonated spring onsen is a major highlight.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about 10 minutes by taxi from JR Karuizawa Station, with a scheduled free shuttle
- Highlights: open-air carbonated spring onsen, fitness center, free parking including EV chargers
Suits travelers who like modern design and are driving there.
Where to Stay in Old Karuizawa: Le Grand Kyu Karuizawa
Known for its French restaurant, with a natural hot spring open-air bath that is rare in the Old Karuizawa area, near the Karuizawa New Art Museum.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about a 15-minute walk from JR Karuizawa Station
- Highlights: French restaurant, natural hot spring open-air bath, about a 6-minute walk to Old Karuizawa Ginza
Suits families who value dining quality and don’t mind walking a few extra minutes.
Where to Stay in Old Karuizawa: Hotel Karuizawa Cross
Located above Church Street beside the Old Karuizawa Ginza shopping street, near St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Some rooms have a terrace where you can have a BBQ.
- Rates: no list price is published on the official website, so please check a booking platform
- Access: about a 3-minute walk from the Kyu-Karuizawa bus stop, about 5 minutes by car from JR Karuizawa Station
- Highlights: terrace BBQ, lift tickets sold in the hotel, about 20 shops in the shopping street downstairs
The most convenient for shopping and dining.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Selected Budget Hotels
If you want to save money without being far from the station, these hotels are relatively affordable and most are within a 10-minute walk of JR Karuizawa Station. Room rates rise noticeably in the summer holiday peak and the ski season.
Hotel Rosso Karuizawa: A Budget Choice 5 Minutes on Foot from the North Exit
About a 5-minute walk from the north exit of JR Karuizawa Station, a budget hotel near the station with private parking and free bicycle rental.
Breakfast is an optional paid extra (¥1,200 for adults). Rooms come with a private bathroom and free Wi-Fi, suiting travelers on a tight budget who use the station as a base.
Hotel Grand Vert Kyu Karuizawa: 3 Minutes on Foot from the North Exit
Despite “Kyu Karuizawa” (Old Karuizawa) in its name, it is actually about a 3-minute walk from the north exit of JR Karuizawa Station. It has 45 rooms, the largest sleeping 9, with free parking (reservation required).
The new building was completed in 2019 and the main building renovated in 2021. The lobby has a fireplace and the room bathrooms have large bathtubs.
Twin-Line Hotel Karuizawa Japan: Spanish Restaurant and Free Evening Drinks
Twin-Line Hotel Karuizawa Japan is about a 7-minute walk from the station and has 51 rooms; the standard double room is a slightly small 17 sq m. The hotel has a Shinshu and Spanish restaurant, JOSE LUIS, and offers guests free drinks in the evening.
Its location between the station and the Old Karuizawa Ginza shopping street suits travelers who want both transport convenience and a stroll for shopping.
BEB5 Karuizawa: Hoshino Group’s Budget Line, with Shared Tombo-no-Yu Discount
Hoshino Resorts BEB5 Karuizawa is in the Hoshino area of Naka-Karuizawa, about a 15-minute walk from Naka-Karuizawa Station, and extra beds are free for children 6 and under. The backpacker-style common spaces are open 24 hours, and guests can use the Hoshino Onsen “Tombo-no-Yu” in the morning at a special rate.
The YAGURA loft rooms are reached by a ladder, so if you are traveling with seniors or young children, check the room type before staying.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Selected Themed Hotels
Beyond the practical hotels in the three main areas around the station, Old Karuizawa and the ski resort, Karuizawa has a few stays known for their themes, from a century of history and architectural beauty to private onsen, ideal for travelers who want to make a unique memory.
HOSHINOYA Karuizawa: A Waterside Resort Beside Hoshino Onsen
HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is in the Hoshino Onsen area where the Hoshino group began, with 77 rooms in three room types: Mizunami, Yamajichi and Niwajichi. In the evening staff light the water lanterns from a boat, and in the morning there is a free stretching session. It is an upscale stay, and in peak season we recommend booking early.
The three room types measure 57 to 68 sq m (Mizunami), 44 to 67 sq m (Yamajichi) and 48 to 81 sq m (Niwajichi). The resort provides a transfer service, and you can confirm the details of how to ride it with the hotel when booking.
Where to Stay in Karuizawa: Local Booking Tips and Things to Know
Peak Season and Sell-Outs in Karuizawa
Karuizawa’s peak season is the sum of three forces: summer visitors escaping the heat in July-August, foliage viewers from mid-October to early November (the Karuizawa Autumn Leaves Festival runs from September to early November), and the Karuizawa Prince Hotel ski resort season, which opens in about early November and runs to the end of March (November 1 to March 31 for the 2025-26 season). On ski-season weekends the Prince Hotel group next to the slopes fills up early, and popular hotels in Old Karuizawa also need early booking in the summer and foliage peaks.
How Karuizawa’s Bathing Tax and Onsen Fees Are Collected
Karuizawa Town levies a bathing tax of ¥150 per person per night on guests who use onsen facilities. From June 1, 2026 a separate accommodation tax (Nagano Prefecture tax plus town tax) begins: ¥200 per person per night for room rates from ¥6,000 to under ¥10,000, ¥250 for ¥10,000 to under ¥100,000, and ¥700 for ¥100,000 or more, paid at the front desk on the day of check-in and usually not included in the rates shown on booking sites.
Shuttle Details from JR Karuizawa Station to the Hotels
JR Karuizawa Station has only two exits: the south exit (toward Prince Shopping Plaza and the Prince Hotel group) and the north exit (toward Old Karuizawa). The Prince Hotel group’s free shuttle buses leave from the south exit on a schedule. To reach BEB5 Karuizawa and HOSHINOYA in the Hoshino area of Naka-Karuizawa, take the Shinano Railway to Naka-Karuizawa Station and transfer, or go directly by taxi.
FAQ
Q: Which area is most convenient for a Karuizawa stay?
For shopping and skiing, choose the area around the station where the Prince Hotel group is. For strolling and a slow pace, choose the Old Karuizawa Ginza area. For an onsen getaway, choose the Hoshino area of Naka-Karuizawa.
Q: Roughly how much do Karuizawa hotels cost?
Weekday off-season prices are more affordable, while rates rise noticeably in the summer holidays, foliage season and ski season, and upscale stays cost more still; please rely on the booking platforms for actual prices. The bathing tax and accommodation tax must also be paid on the spot.
Q: What is the difference between Karuizawa Prince Hotel East and West?
The East building is right next to the ski slopes and has a guests-only Forest Onsen. The West building has the MOMIJI Onsen, and guests of the West building and the West building cottages cannot use the East building’s Forest Onsen.
Q: Is there an onsen tax for Karuizawa stays?
Stays that use an onsen pay a bathing tax of ¥150 per person per night. From June 2026 there is also an accommodation tax of ¥200-700 per person per night depending on the room rate, paid on the spot at the front desk.
Q: How long does it take to get to Karuizawa from Tokyo?
On the Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama or Hakutaka, it takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes from Tokyo Station to JR Karuizawa Station. The Kagayaki does not stop at Karuizawa.
Q: When does the ski season in Karuizawa start?
Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort is the earliest-opening ski resort in Nagano Prefecture. For the 2026-27 season it is scheduled to open on October 31, 2026, with all 14 slopes expected to open in stages by early January 2027.
