Service was excellent. Concierge recommended a fantastic restaurant that exceeded our expectations. This is also located in a nicer, more charming area of Karuizawa than the main drag. The onsen was simple but great for a relaxing bath at the end of the day. The hotel shows its age, and ryokan style perhaps isn’t for everyone, with futon beds and shared bathrooms and tatami mats, but the Japanese people we spoke to informed us it was a very authentic experience, and we enjoyed it very much. Dinner at the ryokan was also quite good, but the local restaurants really blew us away. Don’t miss the Sawa Mara bakery, just a five minute walk from the hotel.