We stayed at Sui Suwako in late October as part of a long Honshu road trip, and we couldn't be more pleased with our experience at Sui Suwako. It's a hybrid Ryokan/Hotel of sorts... it's a 4-story building that lacks a grand entrance or massive property grounds. But it offers rooms that are modern and comfortably appointed, the Omotenashi hospitality of a family-run Ryokan, an onsen bath in each and every room (as well as a terrific rooftop co-ed bath) as well as a terrific Kaiseki dining experience. Given its location in the middle of Nagano, it also serves as a good overnight rest spot if you're coming to/from places such as Tokyo, Fuji, Nagano, the Hokuriku Region, Tsumago/Magome and Karuizawa. Sui Suwako is located on the banks of the enormous Lake Suwa (”Suwa-ko” in Japanese), although there's a somewhat busy road as well as a small park/boardwalk between the property and the lake itself. It's not in the most secluded of locations, but upon entering the building and walking into the reception/common area you'll find that Sui Suwako is an oasis of tranquility. The furnishings and decor are a combination of traditional and modern - liberal use of brightly-colored wood, large windows facing a small yet charming garden, the earthly tones of the furnishings and a smattering of Shoji (dividers that consist of white, semi-translucent sheets on a lattice frame) lend an airy, homely feel. The same is true in the rooms themselves - it's a country home-style feel that gives it a warm, inviting vibe to the entire place. There are a total of 8 rooms (2 on each of the 4 floors) with two slightly different room categories. We choose to stay in the larger of the two types, dubbed the ”Wide Japanese/Western-style Room with Open-air Hot Spring Bath, 75m².” It's slightly larger than the standard rooms, although every room contains a private, (semi-)open-air Onsen (hot springs) bath with views of Lake Suwa towards the far end of the room that also serves as a terrace of sorts. Our room was on the top (5th) floor with wonderful views of the lake, and was sufficiently spacious with a generously-sized living room and a separate bedroom with two large Western-style beds. Another neat feature of Sui Suwako is the open-air Onsen bath on the roof of the building. It offers commanding views of the lake, and it's also co-ed - unlike most Onsen baths, you're permitted to bathe in bathing suits, which allows for an enjoyable Onsen experience with friends and family of the opposite gender. And, given that only a maximum of 8 group of guests will be staying there at any given time, you're more than likely to have the bath all to yourself than sharing it with other guests. I recommend that you go just before dinner during the sunset hours. It's a gorgeous time to chill out and marvel at the beauty and serenity of the area. The dining experience was definitely a highlight. To start with, meals are served in one's own room (horray!) We love this aspect of the ryoka
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