Villa Alpen

Location: Hirao 7148, Yamanouchi, jp

Star Rating: 3 Stars

Property Type: Guest houses

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• Restaurant
• Family rooms
• Lift / Elevator
• Luggage storage
• Hot tub/Jacuzzi
• Ski storage
• Non-smoking throughout
• Shared lounge/TV area
• Board games/puzzles
• Public Bath
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Hand sanitizer in guest room and key areas
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Invoice provided
• Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
• Smoke alarms
• Guest room sealed after cleaning
• Physical distancing in dining areas
• Key access
• Process in place to check health of guests
• Access to health care professionals
• Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
• Face masks for guests available
• Security alarm
• Thermometers for guests provided by property
• Ski storage
• Ski-in/ski-out access
• Free wired internet
• Playground on site
• Ski equipment rentals on site
• Ski lessons on site
• Internet access
• Housekeeping on request
• Snow sports gear

Rooms Available

• Japanese-Style Room

  Features tatami (woven-straw) flooring and Japanese futon bedding. Rooms feature heating facilities and green tea bags. A jar for hot water is provided, and guests can get hot water from the front desk.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Heating
  • Shared toilet
  • Slippers
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Cleaning products
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Hypoallergenic pillow
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)

• Room with Tatami Area and Shared Bathroom

  Features Western-style beds and a tatami (woven-straw) seating area. Rooms feature heating facilities and green tea bags. A jar for hot water is provided, and guests can get hot water from the front desk. Comes with a private toilet but bathrooms are shared.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)

  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Heating
  • Shared toilet
  • Slippers
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Cleaning products
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Hypoallergenic pillow
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Twin Room - Disability Access

  The twin room provides air conditioning, a wardrobe, as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and slippers. Rooms on the upper floors are reachable by elevator. The unit offers 2 beds.

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Shared toilet
  • Slippers
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Cleaning products
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Feather pillow
  • Hypoallergenic pillow
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access

• Family Room with Shared Bathroom

  The family room offers air conditioning and tatami, as well as a shared bathroom featuring slippers. Rooms on the upper floors are reachable by elevator. The unit offers 2 beds and 1 futon.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Heating
  • Shared toilet
  • Slippers
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Cleaning products
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator
  • Clothes rack
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Socket near the bed
  • Feather pillow
  • Hypoallergenic pillow
  • Accessible by lift
  • Smoke alarm
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)

Guest Reviews

• Attard (10/5): - Onsen, proximity to lifts, friendliness of staff, food
• Attard (10/5): - Staff friendliness, ski in-ski out, access to lift, delicious food, homely atmosphere in the lounge with games and fire each night. We would definitely come back In hindsight we should have hired a car as the local shuttle buses are infrequent
• Ruth (8/5): Comfortable stay with good food - Excellent staff and service quality. Building is well insulated. Onsen js 24 by 7 The bed is not too comfortable.
• Simon (8/5): - Very friendly and helpful Decoration is quite tired
• Doreen (9/5): Captain, Ken and all the lovely staff makes a memorable stay at Villa Alpen. Feels like Home! - Staying at Villa Alpen is like staying in Grandpa and grandma’s ski lodge in the mountains. Dated but all the things that matters are there. The decor and some amenities are frozen in the 1970s with years of history reflected in the memorabilia adorning every nook and cranny. This family-run rustic lodge is helmed by sprightly octogenarian former pro-skier endearingly addressed as Captain, his son and right-hand man, Ken, his wife Hiroko who Captain affectionately referred to as to as ‘The Commander’ and anchored by a handful of lovely staff. The meals are superb, hearty and wholesome prepared by Hiroko which we look forward to every night after a day out in the slopes. A highlight is our nightly gathering in The Salon MonRepos after dinner for family bonding over board games and drinks. There’s a fireplace built by Captain and his father where guests sit around toasting marshmallows and watch the flames flicker enjoying the warmth. Captain regales us with tales from his time at the World Championships in Chamonix and Italy even giving us skiing tips! Captain and his family welcomed us like family to their home. Some parts of the property esp the lower floors can do with some sprucing up, nothing major, fresh coat of paint and new carpets would really uplift and brighten up the downstairs.
• Jacob (10/5): Loved it and the staff and awesome. - Staff were super friendly and helpful. It was a very cultural experience with awesome dinners and they help you to eat it properly cause we didn’t know what to do hahah. It was awesome though when I come back to Japan I’m coming here again. Nothing some imperfections added to the experience.
• Celeste (10/5): Amazing hospitality and peaceful location - Exceptional hospitality from Captain and his family. Ken was an especially accommodating and wonderful host- patiently answering all our many questions! It was convenient to rent our skis, snowboards, jacket/pants from their shop. The onsen bath was much appreciated after a long day on the slopes. We also enjoyed all our breakfasts and dinners at Villa Alpen. It is an older establishment, in a quieter location. It works for our family but may not suit other visitors.
• Hanyan (10/5): -
• luke (10/5): - My stay was amazing, our host made a point to ask how the day went and what plans we had to see if he could help in anyway! Great location for getting in some laps at the ski resort
• Alexander (10/5): - The staff was lovely and went out of their way to make you feel welcome. They dinner and breakfast for half-biard was excellent.
• asia (10/5): - Wonderful staff at villa alpen. Food was excellent and Onsen was hot. Easy access to sun valley and a quick couple chairlifts and traverses to the other hills. 30 seconds to chairlift and 2 minute walk to the free ski bus.
• Mark (8/5): - Nice place to stay with great staff, onsen and food. No other options for food locally
• Lisa (10/5): Everything needed for a ski holiday in one spot - Convenient base from which to explore the various ski resorts of Shiga Kogen. Sun Valley is one of the first areas you approach from Nagano, so arrival by bus from Nagano station was quick and easy (a 3+- min walk from the stop on the highway.). Sun Valley's chairlift is right outside the front door, from there we were able to piece together the chair/gondola lifts to make it to all the other resorts too (1.75 hrs skiing & lifts to Okushiga Kogen.) Communal bath was a highlight, indoor only but with big windows overlooking the forest outside. Loved their bar/breakfast area when open, and the dinners we had each night were great - Japanese style with a variety of foods even picky eaters looked satisfied. Thanks to the Captain and entire staff for making us feel well taken care of :-).
• Thomas (10/5): Friendly fun ski lodge - Great fun hotel. The Captain who owns the place is an 80 year old Japanese Olympic ski racer and full of interesting stories and enthusiasm for skiing and the mountains. His son Ken is also a good and enthusiastic skier. Everyone speaks great english. Dinner was excellent and included the best fried chicken my 12 year old son has EVER had. Breakfast good too. There is a pleasant bar on site open until 10 pm. The hotel is genuine ski in ski out and about 15s ski to the lift. My kids borrowed sledges for free too. There is a ski rental downstairs run by the same family which we didnt use but others said was great.
• Peter (8/5): - The family running this are the most pleasant and helpful I have found in Japan. Further the staff all speak English well.
• Tom (10/5): - The family that runs Villa Alpen is wonderful and make you feel right at home. The onsen was amazing and perfect for post-powder day rehab of the muscles! It is a simple, older property (as many are throughout the region) but very well kept. Like a lot of Shiga Kogen villages, there is no (or limited) resaurant options, especially for dinner Thus recommend going with with hotel provided breakfast and lunch. If you plan to use shuttle service between villages, pay close attention to the schedule as last one runs around 6:30pm (depending where you are) and there are no taxis. The skiing was top notch at Yakebitai and Osokogen. Helped that they got a ton of snow when i arrived ; ) Was very hard to leave and miss another poweder day after 1 foot fell the morning I left. : ( Highly recommend staying a few days minimum and explore all the ski areas.
• Khloe (8/5): - Villa Alpen was like a home away from home. A lovely welcoming family run older traditional hotel. The hosts could not do enough to help through out our stay. Meals were wonderful and plentiful. The cosy fire place where guests gather and relax in the evenings is wonderful place to meet fellow guests and share stories.
• Veronica (10/5): Sun Valley Shiga Kogen - In the middle of extraordinary mountains, a ski-in hotel . All the staff speaks English and a bit of French.Everybody was super kind and nice.
• Yoko (10/5): 落ち着いた癒される宿です - 到着から出発まで、宿の方の温かいおもてなしの気持ちが伝わり、ゆったりと落ち着いて過ごせました。建物は古いですが、その古さが落ち着きあり癒される素敵な空間になってます。綺麗に清掃されてあり清潔です。 料理も手作りで程よく美味しくいただきました。
• Verified traveler (10/5): Highly recommended - We stayed for 5 nights and we ski out using the sun valley chairlift just outside the hotel. Captain, Ken and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. The food is great and there is a very relaxing bar area as well.
• Jonathan (10/5): - Staff was great and ver accommodating. Ski rentals were found at hotel facility.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Quel accueil ! Un hôtel familial, vous serez reçus comme des rois par le “Captain”, sa famille et son staff ... Toujours prêts à vous rendre service, l’équipe vous fera vous sentir comme à la maison. La situation aux pieds des pistes et à côté des arrêts de bus est idéal. ありがとう (ございます)
• Verified traveler (10/5): Warm retreat in sun valley shiga kogen - Well worn but comfortable lodge. Some may find facility not modern but it actually has its own atmosphere which is centred around the warmth of the family and staff that run villa alpen.
• Verified traveler (8/5): Location - We stayed in a family room for 5 nights, the room is ok need to update. Great location for skiing, plenty snow and we hired our ski gears at the Alpen, professionally fitted, very friendly staff & helpful.
• PearlF (6/5): Close to great ski slopes - It's a family owned hotel so service is very personalised and friendly. They helped us to arrange for taxi pick-up from Narita airport to ski lodge, gave us guidance on bus schedules and monkey park operating hours etc. Real ski-in/ski-out resort and we managed to get english speaking ski-instructors. Breakfast spread is simple but adequate and dinner is good. We stayed in the family room so it was basic but comfortable considering we had to sleep on futons. The room had great view of the ski slopes and surrounding mountains. Only wish that the rooms had internet connection. Wi-fi connection in the public area was poor.
• Shaun (10/5): Close to lifts - Was an excellent location to lifts and bus stops staff where very helpful and friendly and the Captain is a really good host!
• Verified traveler (10/5): Great Hotel - Great hotel. Family Atmosphere. Not flash or fancy but very servicable. Staff were fantastic! Very friendly and helpful. Hotel in great location right next to lift. Quiet location ideal for families.
• Michael (8/5): - I loved the small village that Villa Alpen was in! The service was excellent and the staff were very helpful and friendly and for an old hotel/lodge it was in pretty good shape. I was in a room with no shower which I can't recall being made aware of at the time of booking, but that wasn't a big deal. I pretty much used it as an overnight stay to visit the snow monkeys but wouldn't hesitate in going back for a ski trip!

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