Yudanaka Shibu Onsen, Yamanouchi hotel rooms at the Livemax

"Wonderful stay! Staff were very helpful! The onsen was lovely. They gave us a ride up to see the snow monkeys and it was a very pleasant walk back down through Shibu to get back to the hotel- highly recommend! "

"We stayed in a traditional Japanese room with private onsen. The room was lovely. The private onsen was a treat. Meals were traditional Japanese and beautifully prepared and presented. My partner’s gluten allergy was accommodated well."

"A large hotel with a ton of guests. Great hotel and great staff. Only feedback would be for the hotel to create more dinner and breakfast “start times” to avoid the massive rushes in the dining area that created a feeding frenzy with some disgruntled people. Seemed unlike most Japanese experiences. "

"Very helpful and friendly staff. Lovely location with easy access to the surrounding onsens."

"We had an amazing stay. The traditional Japanese experience was a highlight of our two week trip. As guests we were able to reserve a private onsen experience each evening, which we all loved. We also had breakfast and dinner included in our stay and the food was excellent. The staff was very friendly and helpful with any questions we had about culture, food, and activities. We were traveling with our adult children and grandchild."

"The owner was a very sweet elderly man. He was very nice. Drove us to the Snow Monkey park, gave us a souvenir, and provided beautiful Yukakas. The room was nice sized, had a beautiful view of the mountains, and the bed and quilt were nice. The Onsen was wonderful...a must try. take note: No elevators."

"If I could give 6 stars I would. This place and its staff were amazing. Our room had a private spring fed tub in the room, a sauna, a massage chair and tons of space. The pictures didn't do it justice. The staff was crazy attentive, served us an impressive breakfast and was helpful every step of the way. We would 100% stay again. I haven't been this wowed by a hotel in a long time but they blew away our expectations. This hotel was the perfect blend of Japanese style mixed with some of the western conveniences we were looking for."

"Need to walk quite a distance from Nagano Station, along the way, you will find Family Mart and Lawson. A quiet and peaceful street in the morning. The view was good from the breakfast area, but my room view is facing the cemetery, though. The overall hotel vibe gives me a 90s feel, but it's clean and tidy. I like their mini bar as they fill it with many complimentary drinks. "

"Our stay at Aburaya Tousen was a memorable experience. We arrived quite late but had no trouble finding the place. There are a few free parking lots around, which made things easy. Service stood out right from the start.. a staff member came out to greet us and helped carry our luggage from the gravel parking area. Check in was done while we were seated in a nice, modern lounge, with snacks and tea served. It felt very welcoming and thoughtful. We went for a more traditional Japanese style “Bath” room with futons on tatami, and honestly, it was very comfortable. The room was spacious and had a great layout, with a seating area facing a stream and the mountains.. really nice spot to just sit and take in the view. Everything was clean and well equipped, including the toilet and bath area. They do have more Western style rooms, but I’d recommend going for the Japanese-style for the full experience. The onsen is definitely a highlight. The public bath on level 7 is large and has a variety of pools. We also booked a private bath, which was great for a more personal, relaxed experience. Breakfast is served on level 5 and is quite a spread… lots of options from Japanese dishes like sukiyaki to even some Western-style items. It was a bit heavy for us in the morning, but if you enjoy a big breakfast, you’ll appreciate it. The owner personally saw us off at checkout, which made the whole stay feel even more warm and genuine. Overall, a really solid stay and one I’d definitely recom"