16 Best Hotels in The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast, Japan

This rustic alpine lodge is owned by Tokyo's legendary Imperial Hotel, and the service is so exemplary because the staff are borrowed from that establishment for the summer. In the lounge, low wooden beams support the beautifully crafted ceiling, while a central hearth adds a warm glow. Guest rooms have sofas and gorgeous woodwork, and some have balconies. Western and Japanese restaurants are on the premises. You can see the red-tiled, gabled roof of the hotel from Kamikochi's bus terminal in the center of town.

Just south of Toyama Station, the DoubleTree is one of the smartest options in Toyama, with simple but contemporary interiors, plus nice extras like communal hot-spring baths, a bar, and a 24-hour fitness center. Rooms range from twins (also for single occupancy) to spacious suites suitable for families. To get the free Wi-Fi, sign up for a free Hilton Honors membership; otherwise it's ¥1,100 a day.

A few hundred meters from the Happo-one Resort, this sleek hotel is one of Hakuba's newest, having opened in December 2021. You'll find bright and airy rooms that range from doubles to family rooms and a suite, plus facilities that include a Finnish sauna, hot-spring baths, and ski gear rental shop. There's also a bar for a nightcap.

The best international-style hotel in town, the Hida Hotel Plaza exudes an old-style atmosphere. Beautifully carved wood accents the hotel's tastefully decorated restaurants. Many rooms have mountain views. Although the Western rooms are comfortable, you'll want to stay in a spacious deluxe Japanese room so you can enjoy the soft mattresses and fragrant cypress wood bathtubs. From the station, head north; the hotel is on the right. The hotel offers generous midweek discounts.

One step up from a standard Japanese business hotel, the Buena Vista has a glowing marble lobby and facilities that include a coffeehouse, café-bar, and three restaurants. Single rooms snugly accommodate a small double bed, while standard doubles and twins have space for a table and chairs. The hotel is four blocks southeast of Matsumoto Station, and there's a free shuttle bus from the station.

Across from Fukui Castle, Hotel Fujita Fukui has the amenities of a luxury hotel at prices that won't empty your wallet. With a range of rooms—from tiny economy singles all the way to mixed Japanese- and Western-style suites—it caters to all budgets and tastes. Eight restaurants mean you can have a different culinary treat every evening. The staff speak basic English and, in little-visited Fukui, are delighted to have a chance to speak with foreign guests.

This sleek hotel offers spotless, if cramped, rooms at reasonable rates. There's a comfortable lobby lounge, and from there you have direct access to the train station or the shops and restaurants of the CoCoLo shopping center. Breakfast, served in an adjacent eatery, is good value.

This 30-story hotel's exotic lobby is more reminiscent of Singapore than Japan, with tropical plants, cherry-oak slatted doors, and colonial-style furniture. A winding staircase curls around a bubbling pond in the middle of the lobby and leads to a brasserie called Garden House, which serves wonderful coffee and cake. The colorful top-floor lounge, Le Grand Chariot, has panoramic views over Kanazawa, cocktails, and soft piano music. Guest rooms begin at the 17th floor, and the Western-style ones are decorated with creamy pastels and blond-wood furnishings and have striking views of the sea, city, or mountains. An underground passageway connects the hotel to the JR Station.

Opened next to Kanazawa Station in 2020, the Hyatt Centric delivers stylish rooms and common areas, but with deliberately trimmed back facilities in an attempt to keep fees down. The rooms and suites are all spacious, combining natural tones and natural lighting with the occasional bold motif and modern amenities. There's a chic rooftop bar, plus a café and grill that serves a Western-style buffet breakfast. Unlike some of Kanazawa's older accommodations, the Centric also has an accessible room available. Next door you'll find another new property, Hyatt House, better geared toward longer stays and families.

Built in 1913, but with a smart, new annex added in 2020, the Kusatsu Hotel is a blend of classic and contemporary ryokan; though meals are not obligatory, use of the hot springs is included with all rooms. Accommodation options include traditional tatami-mat rooms (with futon for sleeping) in the main building or rooms with beds and wood flooring that still manage to retain a traditional vibe. Meals (there are various plans available) are centered on multicourse kaiseki traditions, but there's also a laid-back café on-site. The several indoor and outdoor public baths, which were renovated in 2020, offer a classic way to unwind, especially after a day at the nearby Kusatsu Ski Resort.

On the Shinano River, about 1½ km (1 mile) from the station, the 16-story high-rise affords views of the water from many of its rooms. The riverside La Shinano café is a great spot for afternoon cake or coffee. The service is attentive and the rooms—mostly Western in style but some Japanese—are comfortable. 

This fresh, budget option from luxury hotel operator Hoshino Resorts opened in Katamachi in 2022, offering simple, Western-style rooms that are decorated with light woods and pastel accents. The common areas include a chilled-out cafe-lounge and library. Nice extra touches are the on-site cultural experiences, such as a confectionary workshop and a tea-tasting session. It's especially good value on weekdays, as the Saturday rate is (unusually) double other nights.

A coffee table and easy chair are squeezed into each compact Western-style room here, which is all you need if you're en route to other Alps destinations. The guest rooms are accented with wood paneling from Nagano forests, and all rooms have free Wi-Fi. The escalator across the street from JR Nagano Station leads to the reception area and tea lounge. There's another branch on the opposite side of the station, but this one is more convenient for catching the bus or walking up the road to Zenko-ji Temple.

A few minutes’ south of Matsumoto Station, near the Hotel Buena Vista, the Tabino added a smart budget option to Matsumoto when it opened in the summer of 2021. The Western-style rooms are simple and bright, with natural wood tones accented by greens and oranges, and there are also some Japanese-style rooms available. As well as the on-site hot-spring baths, guests get a free evening beer in the first-floor lounge, plus morning coffee in the lobby. All rooms have free Wi-Fi.

This small mountain resort is perched on the rim of the brilliant-blue Taisho Pond. The lobby, restaurant, and bath have large windows with excellent views of the breathtaking landscape. Opt for the spacious Western-style rooms, with their comfortable beds and soft, puffy quilts. The Japanese rooms are not as nice as those found in a ryokan. All rooms have a private bath, but there is a shared Japanese bath as well. Rooms at the back, without a view of the water, are about 10% cheaper.

A several-minute walk south of Takayama Station, the Ouan is a business hotel with ryokan touches. As with many ryokan, you take your shoes off in the lobby and spend your time indoors in socks or slippers. Also like a ryokan, there are top-floor hot-spring baths, including three private baths (with sweeping city views) that can be used on a first-come basis for free; a great option for families or anyone a bit shy of stripping off in public. As for the rooms, that's where the Ouan feels like a business hotel; they are small and simple but smart, and come with a tatami-like flooring, a work desk, and beds not futon.