Indigo Karuizawa
Modern Japanese alpine resort with a strong East-meets-West identity. Heavy use of natural Nagano wood throughout. Villa-like rooms, roaring lobby fireplace in winter, a forest fire pit garden for evenings, and 20 site-specific art pieces commissioned for the building. Design-driven but never cold.
Reserve dinner at KAGARIBI in advance — even hotel guests can be turned away at the door without a reservation
Why It Matters
Karuizawa's first globally-branded lifestyle boutique hotel (opened 2022), and winner of the World Luxury Spa Awards 2024 for Japan in two categories. The wood-fired Italian restaurant KAGARIBI and The Spa by HARNN both attract non-guests, which means the hotel punches above its brand tier as a culinary and wellness destination.
Hotel Indigo Karuizawa is a 155-room lifestyle boutique hotel set in Japan's beloved alpine resort town, owned by TC Hotels and Resorts Corporation and operated by IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan. The building uses 80% Nagano Karamatsu wood in an eco-conscious construction method, and every room, corridor, and public space reinforces one message: you are firmly in Karuizawa. Rooms come in at 32 sqm standard or 64 sqm suite, the food is Italian-Japanese cooked over a real wood fire, and the award-winning HARNN spa adds a Thai wellness touch to the mix. Good access from Tokyo — just one hour on the Hokuriku Shinkansen — makes it a genuine weekend escape, not just a summer-only pilgrimage.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
Accessible Room
A 32 sqm barrier-free room designed with the same warm wood aesthetic as standard rooms. Handrails in bathroom, safety bar in shower, accessible bathroom controls. Wheelchair accessible.
King Bed or 2 Twin Beds · 32 sqm
Standard Garden View
A 32 sqm room looking out over the hotel's plant-filled garden. Good entry-level pick for those who value greenery without the private garden access. Hot tub in bathroom, soundproof walls, minibar, flat-screen TV with streaming.
King Bed or 2 Twin Beds · 32 sqm
Standard Private Garden
A 32 sqm twin room with direct access to a private garden — one of the most-requested room types. You can step outside in your yukata and catch the garden changing with each season. Hot tub in bathroom, minibar, coffee maker, flat-screen TV, soundproof walls.
2 Twin Beds · 32 sqmStandard River View
A 32 sqm room facing the Yagasaki River, a first-class river in the Shinano River system. Bathroom has a hot tub. Standard furnishings with the hotel's characteristic forest-inspired carpet and Karuizawa-themed art.
King Bed or 2 Twin Beds · 32 sqmStandard River View with Viewbath
32 sqm room with a freestanding viewbath positioned to capture the river and garden landscape. The bath is the centrepiece of this room — designed so soaking in it means watching the seasons unfold through a floor-to-ceiling window. Yagasaki River views.
King Bed or 2 Twin Beds · 32 sqm
Suite
A spacious 64 sqm suite — double the size of a standard room — with a hot tub in the bathroom, generous lounge area, and views of the surrounding Karuizawa nature. Soundproof walls, minibar, tea and coffee maker, flat-screen TV with streaming, bathrobe and slippers. Room carpets are forest-inspired. The extra space genuinely feels villa-like.
King Bed or 2 Twin Beds · 64 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
3 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
The hotel's Forest Garden features a fire pit where guests can sit outdoors and listen to crackling flames in the evening. Good for a drink after dinner, especially in autumn and winter when the garden takes on a different character.
The hotel's Neighborhood Host team interprets the Karuizawa-themed art throughout the property and can connect guests with local artisans, farmers, and cultural sites. The hotel distributes a curated neighborhood map at the front desk.
Six Louis Garneau standard bicycles and two electric bicycles available for rent, letting you cycle through Karuizawa's forest roads, quiet villa neighborhoods, and discover cafés. A neighbourhood map from the front desk helps plan routes. Available April 1 through November 30.
The lobby lounge features a curated book selection from TSUTAYA and AC adapters for working or reading in a social setting. Good for a long afternoon with a coffee or cocktail.
Karuizawa Prince Hotel Ski Resort is 15 minutes by car — the only ski resort in the town. Karuizawa Ice Park (curling) is 10 minutes away, and Kera-pond natural ice skating rink is 20 minutes. The hotel does not run a dedicated ski shuttle.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Business event facilities including the 2nd-floor private dining room at KAGARIBI, which can be configured for smaller corporate events, training, or gallery presentations.
Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, including all guest rooms and public areas.
Guests can arrange luggage forwarding to their next hotel via Yamato Transport. Staff assist with the paperwork at the front desk.
A statement wood-burning fireplace in the main lobby — centerpiece of the hotel's design and the gathering point in cooler months.
Room service available for food and beverage orders.
The hotel does not have a swimming pool.
Shuttle bus service from the south exit of Karuizawa Station to the hotel. Also connects to Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza. Seating is limited and first-come, first-served. Confirm schedule with the hotel as times vary seasonally.
Two Porsche EV charger units available on-site.
Complimentary self-parking for 178 cars on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fully equipped 24-hour gym on the 2nd floor of the spa building. Equipment includes treadmills, stationary bikes, rowers, and free weights. Complimentary for guests.
BUILD YOUR HOTEL INDIGO KARUIZAWA PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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