Kamikochi Alpen Hotel

“Expensive but a real Japanese experience, great meals!”

Wanted to stay overnight to experience the scenery and walks without the throngs of day trippers. Hotel has ski lodge feel, nestled in forest near river. Expensive but worth it to see the autumn colours on walks and the Japanese dinner and breakfast were a great experience, beautifully presented, f… more

Wanted to stay overnight to experience the scenery and walks without the throngs of day trippers. Hotel has ski lodge feel, nestled in forest near river. Expensive but worth it to see the autumn colours on walks and the Japanese dinner and breakfast were a great experience, beautifully presented, fresh and tasty. Best miso soup of the trip. Forward suitcases to the hotel if you have time, we came straight from the airport!. Travel light, the walk from the bus station isn’t made for suitcases. You can get a taxi if you are early or late in the day, but no taxi during the peak times. Use the main path, not the one near the river if you are wheeling suitcases. The transport to Matsumoto, train then bus was smooth, as well documented online. The scenery from Matsumoto and then to Takayama also had great scenery and autumn colours.

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“Great in every respect”

There is a hotel and a dormitory, which need to be distinguished. Our comments are about the hotel, which we thought was excellent. First impressions are not great as you approach and the inside, which is decorated in dark colours seems a little gloomy. However, if you set this to one side, virtual… more

There is a hotel and a dormitory, which need to be distinguished. Our comments are about the hotel, which we thought was excellent. First impressions are not great as you approach and the inside, which is decorated in dark colours seems a little gloomy. However, if you set this to one side, virtually everything else is great: the location, right by the river, within ten minutes walk of the bus terminal and with walking from the doorstep; the rooms, which are cavernous by Japanese standards; the staff, which are lovely and helpful; and the restaurant, where the food is good and the servers attentive and friendly. There is even occasional evening entertainment, a guitarist on one evening and an alpenhorn player on another (it is twinned with Grindelwald, the Swiss ski resort) and a gift shop with interesting food stuffs, amongst other things. Certainly, we have come across brighter rooms, even better restaurants etc but taken as a whole we thought it was a great package. If you are here when the leaves are changing colour you will be bowled over by the spectacle.

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“Great value for money!”

This is great value for money, especially that the other hotels closer to Kappa-bashi was almost twice its price. I would rather walk a few more meters and stay here, which is a more quiet area anyway. The hotel and rooms are old and worn, but it is very spacious and definitely sufficient for a one… more

This is great value for money, especially that the other hotels closer to Kappa-bashi was almost twice its price. I would rather walk a few more meters and stay here, which is a more quiet area anyway. The hotel and rooms are old and worn, but it is very spacious and definitely sufficient for a one-night stay. The service is also excellent!

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“Great, comfy hotel but...”

Location is great, just 10 mins from the bus terminal and center of Kamikochi. I stayed in the dormitory style female room for 1 night. It was very warm and cozy, and I was able to get a good night's sleep. The room and the shared bathroom looked like they just had been renovated, so they were clea… more

Location is great, just 10 mins from the bus terminal and center of Kamikochi. I stayed in the dormitory style female room for 1 night. It was very warm and cozy, and I was able to get a good night's sleep. The room and the shared bathroom looked like they just had been renovated, so they were clean and nice. The shared bath/onsen was also on the same floor, also very clean and enjoyable. The night I was there, they had a jazz performance at the lobby. I also enjoyed the sitting areas -- they were perfect for reading and chilling. My room came with breakfast and dinner, both great and used seasonal local ingredients. My only gripe is that I paid 13,000 yen for one night. I know Kamikochi's expensive and it was peak season, but for that price, a bath towel was not included -- it costs 200 yen extra. The bed was also completely unmade and you had to put in the sheets and cover by yourself. Lastly, I was seated with a couple of my room mates and they received a slightly different dinner/breakfast than mine. I checked the website afterwards and saw a plan for the same room for ~10,000 yen, so that might be the plan my room mates had gotten. For 3000 yen, I got a few more small dishes like pickles but everything else, including the main wagyu beef course, was the same. I don't think the 3000 yen was worth the few extra dishes, so definitely opt for the cheaper plan if possible.

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