旧三笠ホテルがモチーフ　香木を蒸留したカモシカ飲料使用のカクテルが売り : Kyukaruizawa Hotel Otowa no Mori

On a whim, I decided to go to Karuizawa one week ago and managed to book the Royal Suite here. It was perfect for my mother and sister-in-law, as it has two bedrooms and can accommodate up to four guests.

Originally built in 1982, the hotel has a very classical atmosphere and is inspired by the former Mikasa Hotel, which is currently under restoration as an important cultural asset.

It seems that this place has received awards from the Japan Brand Collection for its luxury hotels and inns (though I'm not exactly sure what that entails). Overall, it has a British taste, and there's even an independent banquet hall called "Cotswolds." While it may not fully fit the description of a classical hotel yet, with 40 years of history, the garden trees and moss create a delightful ambiance.

The room was fantastic. It faced the courtyard and had a terrace offering a side view of the iconic church, surrounded by greenery. There was even a sauna, although it was meant for one person. The bathroom was equipped with a jacuzzi, and the furnishings were quite sumptuous, truly capturing the vibe of a Karuizawa villa. While owning a villa would be nice, the upkeep can be quite challenging; given that you can enjoy a room like this for JPY 200,000 a night, it may actually be more cost-effective than owning a villa.

As for dining, I wasn't in the mood for a French course or yakitori, so we decided to eat out. However, we did enjoy the bar upon our return.

The cocktails featured here all contain drinks made from extracts of wood. I even got to taste this "Kamoshika" beverage, which has a distinct woody aroma. Speaking of which, I remember purchasing a similar wood extract during my trip to Canada but never figured out how to use it. This experience gave me some great ideas on how to incorporate it.

Although the venue is marketed for weddings, it's also a great place for a quiet stay.

I suddenly decided to stay for a night in the Royal Suite just a week ago, and since I had some time before check-in, I enjoyed tea at the lobby lounge. My evaluation here is purely based on the café experience and pricing. I will post separately about the accommodation and bar experience later.

The Baked Cheesecake "Prezan" was delicious. It seems to be made from a recipe that hasn't changed over the years, with a rich cheese flavor complemented by the crunchiness of the graham cookie base mixed with walnuts.

The three types of herbal tea were decent as well.

However, the service staff seemed a bit lacking, possibly because they were part-time. The service was far from hotel quality. After a considerable wait, my husband's cold drink arrived first, followed by one pot of the three herbal teas, and then two pots later. Yet, the cups were not provided. Given the long wait for the tea, it’s expected that the cups would be ready first, especially with no other customers around. There might be other tasks behind the scenes, but still...

The way the cups were placed on the table was puzzling. First, one cup was set on the table without a saucer. I wondered what would happen next. Then, a saucer with a spoon was placed, but the next set was without a spoon. I was confused. Finally, the first cup was returned to the tray, and the saucer and spoon were set properly. The staff noticed an extra spoon and awkwardly reached over to place it on the cup and saucer at the back. It was quite surprising. This level of service seems like something anyone with experience helping at home could manage. I really hope they receive some proper training.

Another concern was the "Something Blue" blended with mallow. The menu mentioned "a color that changes from vibrant blue," so I naturally expected lemon to be served to change it to pink, but nothing was provided. When I asked the staff, "Isn't this meant to enjoy the color change?" I received a perplexing response: "As you can see, it’s blue." So why did they write "change"? Eventually, I did receive a slice of lemon separately.

Having stayed here, I felt that the hotel seemed to be operating with a very limited number of staff.