Sotetsu Fresa Inn Nagano-Zenkojiguchi — Hotel in Nagano

I chose this hotel because of its location but also because they have great customer service. From the time I booked via Agoda, I had some questions for the hotel ahead of time, and they replied to every question,e.g. their luggage delivery cut-off times,etc with utmost clarity and replied promptly and frequently (compared to another hotel I booked previously). It gave me no worries that I would find the hotel I booked in perfect order when I arrived. ||Amenities were complete (some are available in the room but also more in the lobby area) and the room was clean. They gave us new towels every day (hanging outside my door or quickly given to me when they saw me in the hall) even if I didn't want to have maid service. They also asked me if they could do a very quick removal of trash which I appreciated. The housekeeper was also very cheerful and happy at all times :-)||There's a convenience store on the ground floor, but also many other restaurants and shops around the area. the lobby is on the 5th floor and an elevator brings you up to the rooms. It's a perfect place to base ourselves especially since we were taking day trips out to Hotaka, Matsumoto, Shiojiri, and Naraijuku. All these with easy train rides from Nagano.||The front desk staff were friendly and very helpful. They do go out of their way to make customers satisfied. The night front desk agent who was helping us with arrangements for luggage delivery didn't speak English too well, but you can see him trying his best. Between us doing google translate and his dedication to making us understand each other, we were both happy and satisfied.||I would come back...

The hotel is in a very convenient location right near the JR station. There is also a Lawson convenience store on the ground floor of the building, which is great if you need a midnight snack or what have you. Speaking of food, I also opted to purchase the hotel breakfast with my room for a small additional fee per night. To be honest though, you're better off getting something from the Lawson. There's also a great waffle cafe place on the ground floor, a Starbucks inside the station, and various other good restaurants in the vicinity. So no need to buy the hotel breakfast. As far as the rooms go, mine was in great condition. The entire property seemed very new and well-maintained. As you might expect from a single room in a Japanese hotel, it was small, but it suited my purposes perfectly as a solo traveler. The bed was also comfortable. Lastly, the hotel staff were all very accommodating and courteous. Many of them spoke fluent English, which is not something I've seen very often traveling throughout Japan.

One other note: during my stay, I was having some trouble with their laundry facilities (the drier wouldn't dry my clothes no matter how much money I put in) so they refunded my money without any hesitation and ultimately took my laundry for me, did it overnight and gave it to me the next morning, since I was having so many problems, so props to them for the way they handled the situation. That said, I'd avoid doing laundry there if you can manage it. Overall though, I had a very nice experience and I'd...

Sotetsu fresco inn Nagano is located just 5 mins walk from Nagano high speed train station. It is easy to visit tourist places like zenkoji temple (walkable distance) and snow monkey park (take tour bus behind train station). There is a sheltered overhead bridge to the hotel. The hotel is also located near many eating places (local and international ones like Starbucks and KFC) and malls (many of them selling local produce). It’s not hard to find places to eat and shop for all meals. The service in the hotel is good too. Staff will greet you the moment you enter the lobby and are quick in responding to your request. The toiletries are placed in the lobby and not in the room. Hence you need to take what you need before going into your room. The room is small and the bed and pillows are soft (does sink in a bit). The window is frosted so you cannot see the outside. You will probably get a decent rest if you are staying just 1 or 2 nights. But for more nights, perhaps the room is a bit too claustrophobic as there is no room to place to place the luggage and any other accessories you may bring along. There are also only a few local channels on TV. It was cold during winter at about 3 degrees. Thankfully the room and shower heater is effective and comfortable. Check-in and out is fast as I just need to insert my room card into the machine. Overall it’s a great experience and you are definitely getting more than the price...