Amazing architecture and design, really feel ONE with nature. There are a lot of common space for us to connect with the environment as if the building is part of the native nature. There is so much details in each room and the design. You feel very at ease with the rooms and the common area.

The property is next to the major road, sometimes there can be car noises (but not often). There is no connecting path between the buildings.

We stayed in SH01 - the rooms are beautiful (and very well maintained) and common area in all buildings very cozy. I love how all the buildings are surrounded by trees and we still got to see some red leaves even it is towards the end of the red leaves season. ShiShi Iwa team efficiency to resolve requests and demands, we feel pampered and taken care of in every way. We truly appreciate their quick response to our needs and transportation arrangement since we don't drive. The morning breakfast is excellent and we are so thankful the chef caters to our dietary request of vegetarian breakfast. The coffee (espresso especially) from lounge is excellent, the SSH team has a good curation of amenities - we hope we can purchase some next time to take a bit of ShiShi Iwa to home~ This is a wonderful place for retreat or a time to rejuvenate in nature - disconnect from the busy daily lifestyle and reconnect within. We will definitely return again and very much looking forward to another week there!

Nothing we didn't like actually :)

I loved staying at SHISHI-IWA-HOUSE Karuizawa. It's a newer hotel that is a good middle ground between the fancy Hoshinoya and the less expensive other options. They also cater to a more international crowd than the other hotels in town. This made it very accessible for me, as a solo international traveler. I was really impressed by the care and dedication fo the staff, who all seem very passionate about the SHISHI-IWA-HOUSE mission. My room was so beautiful and smelled amazing due to the fresh wood that is all over the property. It was really clean, with soft lighting and a very comfortable bed. The bathtub was also notably beautiful. The hotel prides itself on the architecture, and it exceeded my expectations. The library is stunning and worth spending time in. I loved the proximity to Karuizawa town and nature. I went on a beautiful hike that was close to the hotel, and I also went to dinner in town.

Because it's a smaller, boutique hotel, many of the staff were working multiple jobs. They make up for this by providing attentive service via WhatsApp where you can message the staff at any time to request assistance. It was a little awkward, but they were extremely kind and responsive. It was just different than at a larger hotel where there's always someone at the front desk. The restaurant at the hotel was delicious, but a little awkward as a solo diner. Also, the trash can in the bathroom was too small.

The place is in a secluded location, surrounded by trees and private villas. The Hinoki wood gives the area a wonderful smell. As a designer hotel, it offers a lot of aesthetic appeal. The room came with a small, private patio, which was nice. The design of the room is minimalist. And some little touches: light leather slippers and cozy bathrobes.

Given that it is a designer hotel, one should expect some impracticalities, such as only one chair in a room meant for two, and a bathtub in the room with just a curtain for separation, which may lead to some humidity odors. The room was not soundproof, and there was no refrigerator or kettle.

We absolutely loved our stay. The accommodation and location was fantastic, along with the Shola restaurant onsite, where we ate both dinner and breakfast. The best part of our stay however were the staff, who were absolutely sensational - so welcoming and friendly and provided excellent service. Thank you once again and we will be back.

The architecture and smell of the hinoki wood is amazing. They have complimentary and chargeable experiences which are quite interesting. We particularly enjoy the morning hike to the nearby waterfall.

The location is a bit challenging to get to for those who don’t drive. So we have to rely on taxi as the main mode of transport to get to the accommodation. However it lives up to its name as a sanctuary for a special place to retreat.

Absolutely stunning property, all 3 buildings offer rooms with a unique experiences however our stay at SSH 3 was particularly inspiring. I would recommend booking the bath house and spending time enjoying the library. We were fortunate enough to also enjoy the Art and Architecture tour of the whole property and the Japanese breakfast at Shola was amazing.

The place was well designed, unique actually. It is an upscale log cabin into a building with multiple rooms. It was beautiful. We really love the bathroom for the bathtub with view.

Some facility was shared, e.g. refridgerator. It should be fine unless you have to share a building with some kind of not so nice people. Therefore, you have to roll a dice for this.

We had a house with 3 bedrooms and a kitchenette/dining space to ourselves (six people) plus direct access to a shared lounge (we never met anyone else there) with large glass shutters which were opened to the terrace in the evenings. Very comfortable rooms with beautiful views into green trees. You can hear insects chirping and nightingales calling. The house and the main house, where breakfast was served, are designed by Shigeru Ban with mainly wood and cardboard, the design is stunning. The staff were exceptionally friendly and personable. The food was exquisite.

All three parts of this hotel complex lie along a road leading out of Karuizawa. It was slightly akward having to walk along the narrow footpath to get to the breakfast room, and to cross the road to get to the car park. this a only a minor issue though!

Such a pleasure to be able to stay at a Shigeru Ban designed place, at an intimate scale. Beautiful in all ways, with lovely staff.

Unfortunately, it is right off a main road and you can hear quite a bit of road noise that detracts from the beauty of the place. The price is a bit high and will probably not be worth it compared to other options in the area unless you’re a fan of the architect.