Nojiri Lake Resort — Hotel in Shinano

We have been coming to Japan for years and, once every few years, we stumble into something special, often by accident. We had a couple of days to kill before skiing at Akakura, saw a YouTube about Lake Nojiri and thought that it looked interesting. Our email dealings with owner Ted and staff, Stephen were informative and helpful. Ted collected us from the station, greeted us like old friends and we were in his hands. These gents might have US accents but are born and bred in Japan, just across the lake, and well connected with every local business activity.||The Nojiri Lake Resort hotel is right on the shores of the lake with stunning views. It was all too easy sitting in the lounge watching the changing winter colours of the mountains and lake. But we had other activities in mind. We spent half a day fishing for Wagasaki (smelt, like white bait) from a heated houseboat and our catch was cooked, tempura style, for lunch. In the afternoon, we opted to try something different and Stephen took us snowshoeing through the forest to a picturesque vantage above the lake. ||The Hotel is three stories and every room has lake and mountain views. The rooms are Japanese/tatami mat style with a small sitting room to view the lake and mountains. The bathroom is of the typical Japanese modular style and there is good wifi throughout.||We were driven to excellent local restaurants and would have been driven home as well but we opted to take an easy stroll home each night. The hotel serves a substantial breakfast from a room with the same stunning views.||This review may sound a bit too effusive but I was blown away with, not only the hospitality afforded to ourselves but, the lengths Ted went to, to cater to the needs of every guest. Nothing was too much trouble. Want to go skiing? No worries, they will drive you.||We planned to leave by taxi, train and another taxi to get to our accommodation at Akakura Onsen but Ted was not having that and drove us there, even helping to carry our bags into the next hotel.||My wife did not want to leave the Lake Nojiri Resort hotel. We left as friends. You can check out any time but you can never leave. We...

I have been coming to Nojiri Lake Resort for several years now and each time the experience has gotten worse. This time my room was kind of dirty. The sheets on the bed had stains on them and the air-con gave off a musty smell, also the shower had a decent amount of black mold on the ceiling and shower curtains and as a result it’s hard to feel clean when taking a shower. Each year there’s more and more rules that make the stay unpleasant and the atmosphere is just kind of depressing. It’s been the same videos and music playing over and over for years. Despite having the facilities to make the resort a fun hangout spot or a place to come for food, they just offer frozen food. The no trash rule is a joke and seems like a lazy way to not deal with trash pickup (we were told trash pickup only happen a few times a year 🤣) The owners sour attitude and negative comments about customers (fishermen) other members of the community trying to bring life back to the city was very pathetic and sad. I ended my stay in a negative mood as a result. Despite being a loyal customer for years, this time I will not be coming back and will take my business elsewhere to somewhere that doesn’t actively talk shit about his competition.

Also Ted don’t lie in your response, just because you were call out on your poor excuse for a hotel. Lmao you have no clue if we purchased a license or not, and making blanket assumptions shows how out of touch you really are. 🤡 and the new didn’t bother any other guests cause the hotel was empty like it usually is. It makes sense that most of the town...

The owner, Ted, is extremely friendly and is very passionate about ensuring that you have a wonderful stay with them. His staff are very helpful as well. They offer both western bed and tatami room with futons. We booked a tatami room with futons and it is very spacious for two people. Parking is available on site. Breakfast is buffet style and you can decide on check-in day itself whether you would like to include breakfast during your stay. They are very kind to check with you the time you would be joining breakfast just to make sure they are consistently providing hot food on the table for all guests coming down for breakfast at different timings. This resort is not just a place to stay the night, it is also a great place to stay for outdoor enthusiasts, or for people who just love to experience what Japan's nature has to offer. Many activities are offered by them at a very reasonable price. The paddle boats, for example, are only a few hundred yens to rent if you would like to explore the lake. Whereas, this often cost much more at other places! For night owls, Ted actually offers night time activities as well. They have an activity where they can bring you to have an onsen experience under the stars in the mountains. Ted also has other new projects that he is working on to provide guests with the opportunity to appreciate the wonderful nature Japan has to offer in the coming months. Overall, I think it is a perfect place to come stay with big groups of...