Overview
APA Hotel Karuizawa Ekimae Karuizawaso is a two-minute walk from the North Exit of Karuizawa Station. That short approach helps with an early departure or a luggage-heavy arrival.
Rooms are compact. They're split between a main building and an annex, with reception, the restaurant, and most shared facilities in the main building.
Rooms
Room size varies noticeably by building and category. Annex singles start at 10 square meters, while annex twins range from 13.5 to 16 square meters. The main building has 15-square-meter studio twins and 18-square-meter twins.
The largest option is a 32-square-meter connecting room in the annex, combining two adjacent rooms with four beds. Guests sharing a room or carrying several large bags should check the floor area carefully before booking.
Facilities
Coin laundry comes in handy on a longer trip. Guests can also use a microwave and ice machine, while welcome coffee in the lobby is made with beans from Karuizawa's Mikado Coffee.
The main entrance and reception desk are in the main building. Self-service check-in machines are available, but annex guests still need to find the main building when they arrive.
Dining
Breakfast runs from 7:00 to 9:30 at Restaurant Shiki. The Japanese and Western buffet features Shinshu ingredients, naturally leavened bread, house-made pudding, and coffee from Mikado Coffee.
The restaurant reopens from 6:00 to 9:30 for set meals and local beer. Guests arriving after dinner service should plan to eat before reaching the hotel.
Location and transport
The hotel is on the north side of Karuizawa Station Area. Direct Hokuriku Shinkansen trains connect Karuizawa with Tokyo and Nagano, while Shinano Railway serves local trips toward Naka-Karuizawa, Komoro, and Ueda.
With the station two minutes away, the route between the hotel and the platforms is short. That can make an early train or a brief stop between Tokyo and Nagano easier to manage.
Why stay here
A two-minute walk from the North Exit simplifies early Shinkansen departures, one-night stops, and arrivals with luggage. Breakfast and coin laundry cover everyday needs, while the main tradeoff is compact room space rather than a lengthy station transfer.
More than 200 stores fill Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza on the station's south side. For a different afternoon, Old Karuizawa Ginza is a 750-meter street lined with established bakeries, coffee shops, souvenir stores, and places to eat.
Good to know
Check-in and reception are in the main building. Guests staying in the annex should go there first rather than heading directly to their room building.
Only 14 on-site parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The nightly charge is 1,500 yen; when the lot is full, drivers are directed to nearby non-affiliated paid parking.
2-minute walk