It had been relentlessly hot for weeks, and all I wanted was somewhere cool to relax. As luck would have it, an Ikyu Diamond-member sale meant we could stay at HÔTEL de L’ALPAGE at a genuinely good price, so off to Tateshina we went.
We had been to Tateshina once before, in winter, staying at Tateshina Tokyu Hotel — but summer in Tateshina turned out to be just as lovely. HÔTEL de L’ALPAGE, which we found almost by accident, was flawless in quality, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
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Things to do nearby
Day 1: Forest Adventure Tateshina
For day one we headed to Forest Adventure inside Tokyu Resort Town Tateshina, something I had wanted to try in summer ever since our winter stay at the Tokyu hotel nearby.
The weather was unsettled, but a quick phone call and the staff kindly shifted our slot back a little. We have tried Forest Adventure courses all over Japan — Fuji, Beppu, mecya forest at Rokkosan Athletic Park — and the quality does vary from place to place. Tateshina is firmly among the best. Here you book by time rather than by course; we took the maximum two-hour option and it felt just right, so if you are reasonably fit I recommend the full two hours. Difficulty runs from Level 2 to Level 9, with Level 9 open only to children in 4th grade and above.
A nice touch at Tateshina: every course ends with a zip line, so it is especially fun for zip-line fans. We visited in late August and it was cool and very comfortable. The small trampoline in the same spot held our daughter’s attention for all of three minutes, so I would not bother with it on its own.
We grabbed a casual lunch on site too — hot dogs, with a coffee jelly topped with ice cream for afters.
There is also a little fishing pond where you will hook a fish within five minutes. They clean your catch on the spot and show you how to grill it with salt. Our daughter was thrilled, and because the fish is so fresh it does not taste the least bit muddy.
Day 2: strawberries, shiitake and alpacas
Day two was our daughter’s pick: strawberry picking. It is completely out of season, but Yatsugatake Energy Farm lets you pick strawberries almost year-round. Thirty minutes all-you-can-eat, with three varieties the day we went. Unusually, you can also pick shiitake mushrooms here, fill a whole bag, and then roast them right there in a toaster oven. They were astonishingly good; do try them, with butter and soy sauce.
Afterwards we popped over to the alpaca farm nearby, where you can feed, stroke and generally hang out with the alpacas. They cannot shake hands, but apparently they can give a cheek kiss, which was ridiculously cute — ask the staff if you want to try.
The room
HÔTEL de L’ALPAGE was originally a more modestly priced hotel, but it reopened after a renovation as a notch more luxurious, and because it is still so new, everything inside is spotless. What impressed me most was the service. Check-in was completed smoothly without a moment’s wait; our bags were taken up while we checked in, and by the time we reached the room everything was perfectly set. And unlike some places, dinner is served whenever you wish within opening hours, no reservation needed — a wonderfully unhurried way to spend the evening.
Our room was on the third floor, styled as a European attic with a charmingly sloped ceiling. If I had to name the one and only drawback, it is that there is no hot spring (onsen). Otherwise, a full hundred out of a hundred.
The food
Classic, proper French, and every dish was excellent. The moment we sat down they brought our daughter a cushion so she could reach the table comfortably; noticing she is left-handed, they quietly moved her cutlery; and picking up on her interest in table manners, they taught her how to use everything, with little anecdotes about royal etiquette. Faultless service.
The crepe Suzette at the end is finished tableside. Our daughter was not keen on the alcohol flavour, but for the adults it was a hugely satisfying course — my own favourite was the foie gras en croute.
The next morning you choose a main from four options: American breakfast, galette, French toast, or a Japanese set, with salad, fruit and more from a side buffet. The French toast is prepped from the previous evening, so if you want it you must say so at check-in. I had the American breakfast and our daughter the French toast — I sneaked a taste and it was less French toast than creme caramel, the custard soaked so deep it wobbled. Lovely, attentive service from first thing in the morning, too.
A completely perfect stay — the sort of place you immediately want to return to. Honestly, part of me hopes it never gets too famous!
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