Karuizawa Taliesin Tours and Activities

First, the good stuff: the hotel was visually appealing and the room served its purpose as a place to sleep. The laundry room was well equipped with two each of a washing machine and drier, a water cooler, ice machine, microwave and a vending machine. The shower was decent. The staff were polite, helpful and welcoming. Now the bad: the standard rooms are tiny. We travelled as a couple with luggage (a suitcase and a backpack each) and once we were settled in the room, we were having to climb over luggage and each other just to move around. The room is so small that the bathroom spills out into the living area. We spent a lot of our time in the 7-Eleven dining area to relax just because it gave us the ability to both sit down at a table area at the same time. The room was very dusty - indicating that cleaning might be a bit superficial. However, despite this the room at least felt clean - including the bathroom. All in all, this hotel seems overpriced and overhyped. I’d expect a lot more room for what it cost, especially considering the currency exchange being in our favour at the time of our stay.

Lovely hotel. Didn’t stay long enough. Toilets were always clean. Wonderful staff.

Great location. Great logistics (subway available without leaving the building). Great room. Great restaurants. Excellent service. I have stayed at the old Capitol Tokyu many times in the late 20th Century. But, that hotel is gone and a new one has been built in its place. In that sense it was new to me. We traveled as a family of three with our adult son. We chose a corner room with an extra bed provided. It was perfect for our needs. Before we even arrived we used the concierge to help us with some travel issues in rebooking a Shinkansen trip. They were quite helpful and the problem was resolved. From arrival to departure over 5 nights the staff was always attentive but never intrusive. We tried every restaurant the hotel had. They were all great. We spent each day exploring a different section of the city. Easy to do with the subway system an elevator ride away. Coming back to the hotel after a long day felt comforting and refreshing. We are now in Kyoto staying at a different brand hotel. Had we not stayed at the Capitol Tokyu first, this experience would feel great. And it is very good. But the Capitol Tokyu operates at another level.