Overview
An underground passage connects Nagano Tokyu REI Hotel with Nagano Station, while the street-level entrance is about a minute's walk away. From the Zenkoji Exit side, the hotel's lift leads to reception on the fourth floor.
Buses to Zenkoji Temple depart nearby, so you can leave your train and continue sightseeing without crossing the city first. All rooms are non-smoking. In the morning, an early breakfast buffet introduces several regional dishes.
Rooms
Standard Doubles measure 14.2 to 15.1 square metres and have one 140-centimetre-wide bed. Two guests share that bed, so couples with large suitcases may prefer a larger category. Superior Twins provide two separate beds and 21.3 to 23.8 square metres of space.
Some Superior Twins can accommodate three guests, but this capacity isn't available in every room of that type. Groups should book the three-person category specifically. All rooms include a refrigerator, kettle, and humidifying air purifier for everyday use.
Facilities
Coin laundry is on the fourth floor alongside a microwave and ice machine. It comes in handy during a longer rail trip, especially after days spent outdoors.
Guest-floor rental corners provide items such as extra pillows, irons, and shoe dryers. The shoe dryers are particularly welcome after wet-weather sightseeing, and water dispensers are also available on the guest floors.
Dining
Branche serves breakfast on the fourth floor from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Regional options include Shinshu soba, the area's buckwheat noodles, and rice balls mixed with Nozawana pickled greens. Homemade rolled omelet, bread, and scrambled eggs provide alternatives.
Coffee can be taken back to your room. The 6:30 start may leave time to eat before an early train, though you'll still need to allow enough time to reach the platform. Restaurant service at the hotel is limited to breakfast; for later meals, turn to the restaurants in the building and around the station.
Location and transport
The underground passage also leads toward the Nagano Electric Railway station beneath the JR station area. JR and Nagano Electric Railway use separate platforms, so allow time to find the correct railway even with the hotel close by.
For Zenkoji Temple, buses leave from Stop 1 outside the station's Zenkoji Exit. The ride to Zenkoji Daimon takes about 15 minutes, followed by a short walk to the temple's main hall. Walking from the station takes around 30 minutes.
Why stay here
An early breakfast followed by a short walk to the train suits morning departures. If you're staying longer, the laundry facilities make it easier to travel with a smaller bag.
Zenkoji's large wooden main hall and the shops lining its approach can fill a morning or afternoon in Nagano. Take the bus to the temple, explore the approach on foot, and return toward the station afterward.
Good to know
For step-free access, follow the lift route on the Zenkoji Exit side and enter the hotel at street level. The hotel's lift then goes to the fourth-floor lobby. This route is separate from the underground approach.
Contract parking is about two minutes away on foot. Bring the parking ticket to reception for the guest rate, but note that the discount doesn't cover leaving and re-entering the car park.
1-minute walk