Name: Villa Alpen
Address: 7148 Hirao Yamanouchi Cho Sun Valley Shiga Plateau, Yamanouchi, 381-0401, JP

10/10

Exceptional

05 Feb 2026

Clinton

Hospitable and warm doesn’t even begin to describe this place. Captain, his family and staff took amazing care of us during our stay. Captain’s wife prepared delicious healthy meals for us every day. Guests from all over the world gathered in the evenings to enjoy games, drinks and conversation. We booked a Japanese style room, the beds were comfortable and the room was spacious. Monkeys can be seen in the trees while enjoying the onsen. Shared showers and washrooms were clean and well maintained. Located on the ski run in Sun Valley. Easy bus access to Nagano Station. Had an amazing time here, would love to come back again soon.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2025

luke

My stay was amazing, our host made a point to ask how the day went and what plans we had to see if he could help in anyway! Great location for getting in some laps at the ski resort

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2025

Alexander

The staff was lovely and went out of their way to make you feel welcome. They dinner and breakfast for half-biard was excellent.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Feb 2025

asia

Wonderful staff at villa alpen.
Food was excellent and Onsen was hot.
Easy access to sun valley and a quick couple chairlifts and traverses to the other hills.
30 seconds to chairlift and 2 minute walk to the free ski bus.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

07 Feb 2025

Mark

Nice place to stay with great staff, onsen and food.
No other options for food locally

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jan 2025

Lisa

Everything needed for a ski holiday in one spot

Convenient base from which to explore the various ski resorts of Shiga Kogen. Sun Valley is one of the first areas you approach from Nagano, so arrival by bus from Nagano station was quick and easy (a 3+- min walk from the stop on the highway.). Sun Valley's chairlift is right outside the front door, from there we were able to piece together the chair/gondola lifts to make it to all the other resorts too (1.75 hrs skiing & lifts to Okushiga Kogen.) Communal bath was a highlight, indoor only but with big windows overlooking the forest outside. Loved their bar/breakfast area when open, and the dinners we had each night were great - Japanese style with a variety of foods even picky eaters looked satisfied. Thanks to the Captain and entire staff for making us feel well taken care of :-).

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Apr 2024

Thomas

Friendly fun ski lodge

Great fun hotel. The Captain who owns the place is an 80 year old Japanese Olympic ski racer and full of interesting stories and enthusiasm for skiing and the mountains. His son Ken is also a good and enthusiastic skier. Everyone speaks great english. Dinner was excellent and included the best fried chicken my 12 year old son has EVER had. Breakfast good too. There is a pleasant bar on site open until 10 pm. The hotel is genuine ski in ski out and about 15s ski to the lift. My kids borrowed sledges for free too. There is a ski rental downstairs run by the same family which we didnt use but others said was great.

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2024

Peter

The family running this are the most pleasant and helpful I have found in Japan. Further the staff all speak English well.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2024

Tom

The family that runs Villa Alpen is wonderful and make you feel right at home. The onsen was amazing and perfect for post-powder day rehab of the muscles! It is a simple, older property (as many are throughout the region) but very well kept.

Like a lot of Shiga Kogen villages, there is no (or limited) resaurant options, especially for dinner
Thus recommend going with with hotel provided breakfast and lunch.

If you plan to use shuttle service between villages, pay close attention to the schedule as last one runs around 6:30pm (depending where you are) and there are no taxis.

The skiing was top notch at Yakebitai and Osokogen. Helped that they got a ton of snow when i arrived ; ) Was very hard to leave and miss another poweder day after 1 foot fell the morning I left. : (

Highly recommend staying a few days minimum and explore all the ski areas.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

17 Feb 2024

Khloe

Villa Alpen was like a home away from home. A lovely welcoming family run older traditional hotel. The hosts could not do enough to help through out our stay. Meals were wonderful and plentiful. The cosy fire place where guests gather and relax in the evenings is wonderful place to meet fellow guests and share stories.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2024

Veronica

Sun Valley Shiga Kogen

In the middle of extraordinary mountains, a ski-in hotel . All the staff speaks English and a bit of French.Everybody was super kind and nice.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2023

Jonathan

Staff was great and ver accommodating. Ski rentals were found at hotel facility.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Warm retreat in sun valley shiga kogen

Well worn but comfortable lodge. Some may find facility not modern but it actually has its own atmosphere which is centred around the warmth of the family and staff that run villa alpen.

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Location

We stayed in a family room for 5 nights, the room is ok need to update. Great location for skiing, plenty snow and we hired our ski gears at the Alpen, professionally fitted, very friendly staff & helpful.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jan 2014

PearlF

Close to great ski slopes

It's a family owned hotel so service is very personalised and friendly. They helped us to arrange for taxi pick-up from Narita airport to ski lodge, gave us guidance on bus schedules and monkey park operating hours etc. Real ski-in/ski-out resort and we managed to get english speaking ski-instructors. Breakfast spread is simple but adequate and dinner is good. We stayed in the family room so it was basic but comfortable considering we had to sleep on futons. The room had great view of the ski slopes and surrounding mountains. Only wish that the rooms had internet connection. Wi-fi connection in the public area was poor.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2013

Shaun

Close to lifts

Was an excellent location to lifts and bus stops staff where very helpful and friendly and the Captain is a really good host!

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2013

Verified traveler

Great Hotel

Great hotel. Family Atmosphere. Not flash or fancy but very servicable. Staff were fantastic! Very friendly and helpful. Hotel in great location right next to lift. Quiet location ideal for families.

8/10

Excellent

28 Feb 2013

Michael

I loved the small village that Villa Alpen was in! The service was excellent and the staff were very helpful and friendly and for an old hotel/lodge it was in pretty good shape. I was in a room with no shower which I can't recall being made aware of at the time of booking, but that wasn't a big deal. I pretty much used it as an overnight stay to visit the snow monkeys but wouldn't hesitate in going back for a ski trip!

10/10

Exceptional

12 Oct 2023

Yoko

落ち着いた癒される宿です

到着から出発まで、宿の方の温かいおもてなしの気持ちが伝わり、ゆったりと落ち着いて過ごせました。建物は古いですが、その古さが落ち着きあり癒される素敵な空間になってます。綺麗に清掃されてあり清潔です。
料理も手作りで程よく美味しくいただきました。

Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2023

Verified traveler

Highly recommended

We stayed for 5 nights and we ski out using the sun valley chairlift just outside the hotel. Captain, Ken and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. The food is great and there is a very relaxing bar area as well.

Friends_and_family Friends