The word ‘grand’ conjures up all sorts of pre-conceived ideas of what a hotel is going to be like. It tends to conjure an image of uniformed doormen opening huge glass doors onto an oversized, glittering lobby – with a grand piano in the corner being played by a man in a tuxedo. Or something to that effect. Unfortunately, Nozawa Grand Hotel does not offer that level of grandeur – but it’s still a great hotel!
To be fair, the staff are extremely friendly, and the whole place carries the atmosphere of an authentic Japanese hotel. It is one of the better Japanese style hotels in Nozawa Onsen.
Once you get past the 80s style lobby and into your own room, you’ll find it to be quite spacious (by Japanese standards). Additionally, many of the rooms have wonderful views of the mountains, especially the corner rooms.
All rooms have tatami mats – some even have their own private outdoor onsen. And if you prefer a Western style mattress you can always choose this as an option.
If you don’t get a room with its own soaking tub, fear not – the onsen at this hotel are fantastic. There are several indoor onsens for each gender, each with a different temperature. And unlike many other hotel onsens, these are nicely decorated with stonework and windows. Plus, along another corridor is the rotenburo (outdoor onsen) which is lovely to sit in when the snow is falling.
Nozawa Grand is located up the hill from the centre of Nozawa village. But its location makes it close to a short chairlift and from there it’s easy to access the Hikage base area (where the ski school is located). Note this chairlift is an old pair lift which requires you to hold your skis in your lap. It would be tricky with young kids, or if you are afraid of heights.
We think this hotel is especially great for families – the rooms are spacious, it’s close to the lifts (compared with some of the more centrally located hotels), plus there’s a fun snow play area with igloos.
Adding to the authentic experience is the fact that this hotel is popular with Japanese guests too. Though in typical Japanese style, many just stay for one night which means the lobby area can often be a hectic experience.
