Karuizawa Prince Hotel East

We spent one night at Seibu Prince Karuizawa East Hotel and honestly, the experience was just okay. It didn’t feel as welcoming as other resort hotels we’ve stayed in around the world, and for the rate (about USD 600 a night including dinner and breakfast), the overall standard was quite underwhelming. After arriving in Karuizawa, we first spent some time at the Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza. We dropped by the hotel’s customer service centre near the outlet entrance to ask about the shuttle bus schedule to the hotel. The staff there were polite and spoke good English, but no one mentioned that we could have our luggage delivered directly to the hotel — something we only discovered the next day after checking out! Watching another family hand over their bags for delivery so they could shop freely was honestly quite frustrating, as this would have made our own arrival experience much smoother. When we finally reached the hotel by shuttle (which was always quite packed, especially with guests carrying suitcases), there were no bellboys or staff to help with luggage. We had to carry our heavy bags ourselves to the reception desk. The front desk team, a mix of Japanese and Indian staff, were polite but not particularly efficient. When I called to ask about breakfast time, the staff member had to check for quite a while before giving an answer — quite surprising for a hotel of this level. Our room felt dated and dim, even though it had a long window. The lounge near the reception looked fine but offered only limited drinks — just sugary soft drinks and beers. It would be nice if the hotel could provide options like Coke Zero or sugar-free drinks. Onsen was extremely tiny, especially the outdoor one. Dinner at Karuizawa Grill was a mixed experience. We were the only guests there, which made the atmosphere oddly uncomfortable. The staff were helpful and polite, and the food itself was good, but the restaurant was overly warm, which made dinner less pleasant.Breakfast the next morning was equally disappointing. Guests can choose between a set breakfast at Karuizawa Grill or a buffet at MAKIBI overlooking the ski area. We went with the buffet, but the selection was very limited — definitely not what you’d expect from a hotel that calls itself a “resort.” Overall, our stay was below expectations. For the price, the experience simply didn’t measure up. Thumbs down — we won’t be returning.

This is your second stay. Good location, easy access to the Outlet, ski slopes within steps of the hotel door, very close play areas, comfortable. - Large, clean rooms The butler team is Thai, lovely and helpful. - The staff speaks good English, is helpful. The only thing to note is that the breakfast (settemenue) was really delicious, as it used to be last year.

I stayed at a cottage with pets! It was a very convenient and easy hotel to stay in with direct access to the outlet. Breakfast is also great with pets on the terrace.