Near the slopes.A stay at this Shiga Highlands lodge places you steps from Shiga Kogen Ski Area and within a 5-minute walk of Maruike Ski Area. Also, Hasuike Ski Area is within half a mile (1 km) and Shiga Kogan Nature Conservation Center is within 2 miles (3 km).
3-star ski-in/ski-out lodge near Shiga Kogen Ski Area
For a free ride to the slopes, hop on the lodge's complimentary ski shuttle. Villa Alpen helps provide the perfect winter holiday with ski storage and ski equipment rentals. At the end of the day, order après-ski drinks at the lodge's bar.
Along with a restaurant, there's a coffee shop/cafe on site. A computer station is on site and WiFi is free in public spaces. Limited free parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This 3-star Yamanouchi lodge is smoke free.
28 guestrooms or units
Ski equipment storage
Ski equipment rentals
Self-service laundry
Front desk (24 hours)
Staff is multilingual
Storage area for luggage
Tour and ticket information
Gift shop
Computer for guest use
Fireplace in lobby
Television in lobby
Elevator
No smoking on site
Bar or lounge
Coffee shop
1 conference room
Dining venue
Villa Alpen offers 28 air-conditioned accommodations with slippers and complimentary toiletries. This Yamanouchi lodge provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Housekeeping is offered daily and hair dryers can be requested. Housekeeping is provided on a limited basis.
Public bath/onsen services include an indoor public bath (no minerals).
Languages
English, Japanese
Property amenities
Family friendly
Free area shuttle
Laundry facilities
Playground
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Free extended parking on site
Free RV/bus/truck parking on site
Limited onsite parking
Free area shuttle
Free ski shuttle
Food and drink
1 restaurant and 1 coffee shop/cafe
1 bar
Things to do
Playground
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Elevator
Handrails in hallways
Stair-free path to entrance
Valet for wheelchair-equipped vehicle
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
Wheelchairs available on site
Room amenities
Bedroom
Air conditioning
Bed sheets
Bathroom
Free toiletries
Hair dryer (on request)
Towels
More
Desk
Phone
Slippers
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: 6 PM
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Special check-in instructions
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 6 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome.
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy. A cash deposit or credit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in. Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and JCB International. Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed.
We should mention
Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
As required by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, all international visitors must submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ). Also, it's required that lodging proprietors photocopy the passports of all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file.
Please note that some properties do not permit guests with tattoos to use the onsite public bathing facilities.
Property is also known as
Villa Alpen
Villa Alpen Hotel
Villa Alpen Hotel Yamanouchi
Villa Alpen Yamanouchi
Villa Alpen Lodge Yamanouchi
Villa Alpen Lodge
Villa Alpen Lodge
Villa Alpen Yamanouchi
Villa Alpen Lodge Yamanouchi
Villa Alpen Reviews
Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Great fun hotel. The Captain who owns the place is an 80 year old Japanese Olympic ski racer and full of interesting stories and enthusiasm for skiing and the mountains. His son Ken is also a good and enthusiastic skier. Everyone speaks great english. Dinner was excellent and included the best fried chicken my 12 year old son has EVER had. Breakfast good too. There is a pleasant bar on site open until 10 pm. The hotel is genuine ski in ski out and about 15s ski to the lift. My kids borrowed sledges for free too. There is a ski rental downstairs run by the same family which we didnt use but others said was great.
Thomas
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
8/10 Good
Peter
18 Mar 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The family running this are the most pleasant and helpful I have found in Japan. Further the staff all speak English well.
The family that runs Villa Alpen is wonderful and make you feel right at home. The onsen was amazing and perfect for post-powder day rehab of the muscles! It is a simple, older property (as many are throughout the region) but very well kept.
Like a lot of Shiga Kogen villages, there is no (or limited) resaurant options, especially for dinner
Thus recommend going with with hotel provided breakfast and lunch.
If you plan to use shuttle service between villages, pay close attention to the schedule as last one runs around 6:30pm (depending where you are) and there are no taxis.
The skiing was top notch at Yakebitai and Osokogen. Helped that they got a ton of snow when i arrived ; ) Was very hard to leave and miss another poweder day after 1 foot fell the morning I left. : (
Highly recommend staying a few days minimum and explore all the ski areas.
Villa Alpen was like a home away from home. A lovely welcoming family run older traditional hotel. The hosts could not do enough to help through out our stay. Meals were wonderful and plentiful. The cosy fire place where guests gather and relax in the evenings is wonderful place to meet fellow guests and share stories.
Khloe
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
10/10 Excellent
Veronica
8 Feb 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Sun Valley Shiga Kogen
In the middle of extraordinary mountains, a ski-in hotel . All the staff speaks English and a bit of French.Everybody was super kind and nice.
Well worn but comfortable lodge. Some may find facility not modern but it actually has its own atmosphere which is centred around the warmth of the family and staff that run villa alpen.
Verified traveller
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
2 Jan 2017
Liked: Staff & service
Location
We stayed in a family room for 5 nights, the room is ok need to update. Great location for skiing, plenty snow and we hired our ski gears at the Alpen, professionally fitted, very friendly staff & helpful.
Verified traveller
6/10 Okay
PearlF, Singapore
6 Jan 2014
Liked: Staff & service
Close to great ski slopes
It's a family owned hotel so service is very personalised and friendly. They helped us to arrange for taxi pick-up from Narita airport to ski lodge, gave us guidance on bus schedules and monkey park operating hours etc. Real ski-in/ski-out resort and we managed to get english speaking ski-instructors. Breakfast spread is simple but adequate and dinner is good. We stayed in the family room so it was basic but comfortable considering we had to sleep on futons. The room had great view of the ski slopes and surrounding mountains. Only wish that the rooms had internet connection. Wi-fi connection in the public area was poor.
Great hotel. Family Atmosphere. Not flash or fancy but very servicable. Staff were fantastic! Very friendly and helpful. Hotel in great location right next to lift. Quiet location ideal for families.
Verified traveller
8/10 Good
Michael
28 Feb 2013
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I loved the small village that Villa Alpen was in! The service was excellent and the staff were very helpful and friendly and for an old hotel/lodge it was in pretty good shape. I was in a room with no shower which I can't recall being made aware of at the time of booking, but that wasn't a big deal. I pretty much used it as an overnight stay to visit the snow monkeys but wouldn't hesitate in going back for a ski trip!
We stayed for 5 nights and we ski out using the sun valley chairlift just outside the hotel. Captain, Ken and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. The food is great and there is a very relaxing bar area as well.
Very warm and tidy hotel, Captain, Ken and the family members are all very nice and they are all very good ski instructors, very warm and good to stay.
Fitty
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2018
8/10 Good
fitty, Hong Kong
14 Jan 2018
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The hotel just beside sun valley chair lift
We have a very good time while staying at this hotel, this is a family run hotel and Captain and Ken are both ski expert. They just like our friends and family and we have a very good time here. Hotel room not new but very clean and the breadfast and dinner are good too.
Villa Alpen is located in Sun Valley area, the most West-end of the Shiga Kogen skiing fields, connected to other fields by charge-free shuttle busses. There are a number of selling points for Villa Alpen, 1)it is a small but cosy place, a family running hotel. Captain Nobody Okazawa sang, the owner, his wife and son, Ken, are all very kind and helpful person. You will feel very comfortable with them. 2) you can rent any skiing or snow boarding equipment from the hotel but without caring for rental and storage troubles. 3) about 50 meters to a Monkey Swing from the hotel, very convenient to get start a fun. 4) even the room site is not space as expected but a tatami area is very suitable for a family living. 5)with a build-in onsen(hot spring), very convenient and comfortable for a recovery day-activity-after. 6)and, we would like to say many thanks to Ken for him always try to help us in traffic arrangements and fields instructions. Totally, a very good memory to us when a week vacation there.