Hoshinoya Karuizawa

The notion of a “land of contrasts” might be the most tattered cliché in the travel writer’s vocabulary, but the extremes on display in Japan are remarkable. From the sensory overload of Tokyo to the utter tranquility of the countryside around Karuizawa is just over an hour by train, but the two places feel like entirely different worlds. Hoshinoya Karuizawa’s environment is as pastoral as can be; it’s set on a hot spring, by the side of a small lake, surrounded by forests that double as a sanctuary for wild birds — and it’s no stretch to think of the resort itself as a sanctuary for travelers.

Hoshinoya Karuizawa’s concept is ryokan-like, complete with onsen baths and traditional kaiseiki dining. But its scale is rather larger: its villas contain dozens of rooms, and the spa goes beyond the typical hot-spring baths. The accommodations are contemporary in style, though they retain plenty of traditional Japanese character, and they’re impressively luxurious, some with floors heated geothermally, others with terraces looking out over the forest. Exterior views abound, from the rooms to the spa to the restaurant — it would be hard for a luxury hotel to get much closer to nature, and that’s the appeal of Hoshinoya Karuizawa in a nutshell.