3-Star Hotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Tucked quietly in the heart of Matsumoto, Richmond Hotel is that kind of place where you check in and immediately feel, “Yes, this was the right choice.” Just a 10-minute walk from the famous Matsumoto Castle, and only a few steps from the main train station, the hotel is perfect for exploring the city on foot. Everything feels close — but not too crowded. The lobby is simple, efficient, and the check-in process is smooth with helpful staff (and English-friendly machines). It gives off a calm business-hotel feel but with the warmth of Japanese hospitality. 🚶♂️ What’s nearby (walking distance): Matsumoto Castle – a national treasure and absolute must-visit, especially during cherry blossom season. Matsumoto City Museum of Art – just 5 mins away, home to works by Yayoi Kusama (yes, the dots queen herself!). 🎨 Nakamachi Street – preserved Edo-style merchant houses turned into cozy cafes, sake shops, and souvenir boutiques. Local izakayas & ramen spots – literally around the corner! 🛏️ Room Experience: We stayed in a twin room — very clean, comfortable, and surprisingly spacious. Soft beds, adjustable lighting, and full amenities including pajamas, skincare sets, and even phone chargers. ☕ Bonus points for: In-room humidifier (helpful in dry weather!) Free drinks in the lobby lounge during certain hours Coin laundry for longer stays ✨ Why we recommend this hotel: Location: It’s so central, you can explore most places by foot. Convenience: Great for family trips or solo travelers who need a “no-stress” base. Comfort: Classic Japanese standards — clean, quiet, and efficient. If you’re heading to Matsumoto and want a place that gives you both comfort and convenience without breaking the budget, this is a solid choice. Plus, waking up and walking to the castle in the early morning light? Unforgettable. 🌸

Omg we loved this hotel! Our favourite stay from the 3 weeks we spent in japan. So clean, near the station and has everything you need. Spacious bedroom and soo comfortable. We just loved everything about this hotel

This hotel is very close to Ueda Station, only a 5-minute walk away, and it only takes 20 minutes to walk to Ueda Castle Park. For those of us who don’t drive by ourselves, the transportation is very convenient! The area near the hotel is also an area where restaurants are concentrated, and there are many choices of restaurants nearby. The hotel room is relatively small, but the supplies are complete. Toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, skin care products, facial masks, etc. can be picked up in the lobby. You don’t need to prepare them yourself. In addition, you can also borrow noodle steamers, hair clippers, etc., which is very convenient. careful! It is worth noting that this time I stayed in October and the whole hotel was heated, so it was quite hot. I had to ask the staff to borrow a fan😅

The room was very clean and quite spacious, especially for a Japanese hotel. Even during our two-night stay, when we opted out of daily housekeeping, they still kindly provided fresh towels and linens. I managed to leave my room key in the room twice, but the staff at the front desk were always very helpful and promptly issued a replacement.

Nice hotel close to Nagano station, friendly staff, clean room. Just the wifi was slow and there's no fan in the bathroom. But overall would stay again. Nice hotel close to Nagano station, friendly staff, clean room. Just the wifi was slow and there's no fan in the bathroom. But overall would stay again. Nice hotel close to Nagano station, friendly staff, clean room. Just the wifi was slow and there's no fan in the bathroom. But overall would stay again.

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The room was clean and tidy, providing a comfortable environment. The shower was excellent, which was particularly important during the winter season. The staff at the check-in counter were extremely helpful and friendly. Although I didn't participate in skiing, I was impressed by the resort's wide range of activities that allowed guests to explore the area. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I would highly recommend this hotel to others.

The hotel is clean. The amenities is quite complete. There are complimentary breakfast. The dishes is quite simple but comforting. Overall pleasant stays. Overall we have pleasant stays.

Excellent hotel. The location is superb, just 1 min from the bus stop to the Alpine route Oguzawa station n 2mins to the Train station of Shinano-Omachi. Supermarket is a few minutes walk while eateries are not far off. Beware that shops closed early in the town. Room is clean. There is a hot bath on the ground floor. Breakfast is buffet. Not bad. There are budget BnB nearby but worth to have a good night stay in a nice hotel.

I saw many Japanese elderly couples, girlfriends, and many students coming here to play. The hotel is very old, the air conditioner squeaks, there are some mosquitoes, and the refrigerator is sometimes good and sometimes bad. It was normal on the first day, but on the second day, all the fruits we bought were frozen into hard ice. But the hygiene is OK. You can see that they are trying their best to maintain it. In addition to the public hot springs, there are two private hot springs, Xing and Yue, which can be reserved by guests. There is free oden in the rest area every afternoon, which is very heartwarming. The breakfast is also good and very rich. In addition, Nagano and Shijiazhuang are friendly cities. Table tennis is very popular here, and there are table tennis balls in the lounge. The hotel is very close to Yudanaka Station, a two-minute walk, and is generally recommended.

Transportation is divided into Hakuba Ski Resort Transportation and Hotel Transportation Hotel Transportation: Go: We took the ski resort bus from Tokyo for 6 hours and got off at the Happo Bus Terminal. We took an Uber for the whole morning but no one took the order. Finally, we took the bus to the hotel through the station. NO.4 H3 bus, you can ask the staff for details. The hotel is a stop where the Hakuba Village shuttle bus normally passes, and there is basically one bus every 1 hour. Return: The hotel provides 2 buses to Happo Terminal/Hakuba Station in the morning and afternoon every day. You need to make an appointment in advance. Ski Resort Transportation: Go to Happo/Iwatake/Muchi/Goryu. There are ski resort shuttle buses that run every 1 hour to and from the door. To go to other ski resorts, you have to go to the terminal and transfer for 800 yen (such as Cortina). If there is heavy snow, the shuttle bus is very unpunctual. We also missed the hotel shuttle bus due to the transfer, and it was very difficult to call Uber, so everyone should reserve time.