1166 Backpackers — Hotel in Nagano

It's been around 2 weeks since I have been here, but I definitely wanted to leave a review because of the great experience. And now I have the time and energy so...

I was in a different hostel before in Nagano but decided to change. Great decision. I could leave my luggage at around 11 am without problems. They are very prepared and you could probably stay weeks in Nagano without them running out of recommendations. I already had a quite fixed plan but the possibility was great. When I arrived in the early evening for checkin I was welcomed with a hot tea which was the exactly right thing considering it rained quite a bit and I was W E T. Afterwards I headed out for an eating appointment but when I returned later that evening I was welcomed by a group of staff and guests. I had a great evening with them all. One staff member tried to keep me in the group talks by translating a bit which was very great.

The hostel itself is very cozy and a traditional Japanese house It has tatami floor in the sleeping rooms, nice little drawings on the doors, paper covered windows and so on. Nonetheless everything needed for day-to-day use is available, clean and modern.

I would stay again if I should be around here again. Hopefully more than one night...

Very friendly staff who are helpful and very knowledgeable of timetables and the ways to get to places. ||It's very close to the Zenkoji shrine, and very close to a bus stop, or its about a 15min walk from the JR station, up a slight incline.||Rooms are very clean. The dorms have privacy curtains. There are heaters in each area so you can get very warm. ||There are 2 toilets, one which is very small. There is one shower room spread among about 14 people that has free shampoo and soap. There is a double sink area outside that.||Free tea and coffee and a small cooktop if you want to cook your own food (but why would you, you're in Japan). ||Free WiFi.||||Suggestions of things to do:||Get the bus up to Togakushi and walk up to the main shrine, the passage of trees is impressive. ||The Snow Monkeys are cute in Yamanouchi (when you're there, go to the cafe next to the petrol station - near the bus stop - instead of the touristy ones). ||The cat cafe is a good one.||The strangely shaped small bar in the car park near the cat cafe is excellent, you can't miss it, and it has delicious food.||The Sake brewery is a fun 20mins of free sake tasting.||The Onsen next to the river is a 15min walk, but...

My mother and I had a wonderful stay at this century-old house-turned-hostel. We had a private room on the second floor. It's a traditional tatami room but quite spacious for two. The hostel is run by a young travell-loving start-up businesswoman and a group of young female helpers. All of them are very helpful and friendly! I love the reception area with large wooden table and a small but well-equipped and well-maintained kitechen. We were able to prepare breakfasts and dinners there during three days we stay. There's also a nice working space in the back for me to use computer quitely. The hostel offers wash and dry machine for small money and there's an outside veranda to hang dry clothes. The hostel is right in front of Zenkoji (easily walkable) and very close to all bus/train stops (to train station, to Togakushi, to Obuse) and restaurants. In short, its' the perfect hostel that backpackers love. I booked my room directly with the hostel through...