Nagano is a quiet city. Without the likes of a castle like its neighbour Matsumoto, Nagano is lesser known as a tourist destination. Therefore, finding a big brand hotel in Nagano is challenging.
However, there are still local chains offering decent business hotel amenities. Dormy Inn Nagano is not only a stone’s throw away from the JR station, a typical plan also comes with a spacious room, public bath access and free soba for supper. In fact, Dormy Inn Nagano made me feel like I could survive even when I didn’t leave the hotel.
Room Overview
Room Number: 514
Room Type: Moderate Double Non-Smoking
Number of Nights: 4
Cost: JPY 61,197
Specialty: Onsen at rooftop, free supper (udon) every night.
Room Amenities: Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body gel); additional toiletries like dental kits can be obtained from lobby / Hair dryer / slippers / shoe horn / ironing / Power socket – only Japanese type socket (bedside x1; desk x3) / Aircon (in-room, fully controllable) /
Bathroom: Shower / Separate toilet with bidet / Vanity Counter outside of bathroom, spacious
Safety: Card access to guest levels and rooms.
Staff: Friendly / English proficiency / Helpful / Presence
Neighbourhood: Beside Nagano Train Station, in a shopping district. Near Nagano Tokyu Department Store, Don Quixote and Family mart.
Getting around: Nagano Train Station, with multiple bus lines from the train station and the roads beside the hotel.
Bedroom and Space of Dormy Inn Nagano Double Room
Being an adult meant I could splurge a little. How? I booked a double room! For context, Japanese hotels are really specific when it comes to room sizes. The single room will definitely be suitable for just ONE person, and the double room is meant forโฆ a couple. However, I thought I could still afford to fork out about SGD 15 more per night for slightly more space.
The upgrade comes in a double bed – the double room shares the same area as that of the single room option. Unless the beds are put side by side, I doubt anyone would notice the difference. The bed was nonetheless comfortable for recharging after a day out and about.
For a solo traveller, the double room was more than adequate. There was sufficient space for one open suitcase with room to move around. This would not be possible for 2 persons!
Like typical Japanese hotel rooms, the bed was tucked away in a corner. At the foot of the bed was the desk-cum-tv-console that stretched across the length of the wall. Over there, every standard amenity like the in-room safe, bar fridge and toiletries were found.
There was also plenty of horizontal space for personal belongings – TV console doubling up as desks, bedside table and vanity counter. The open wardrobe also allowed for hanging of 8 pieces of clothing, including the yukata provided by the hotel.
Bathroom and Sanitation
Whoever designed the bedroom must be a man who could compartmentalize everything down to the details. What was a bathroom in typical hotel rooms was compartmentalized into the sink, the toilet and the shower stall. You could literally have 3 persons doing their thing without disrupting each other.
Although the sink is in the bedroom, there is still a sliding door that could separate the bedroom from the rest of the room. That not only insulates the bedroom from the noise from the corridor, it also kept the toiletโs humid air out.
The shower stall was also spacious. There was no bathtub as the hotel has a public bath. That said, the shower and toilet were also well equipped – with bidet, shower foam, shampoo and conditioner etc. For toiletries like toothbrushes, we could obtain them from the kiosk at the lift lobby. Judging from my similar experience at Hotel Vischio Osaka a year ago, this seems to be the trend that Japanese hotels are embarking on.
Amenities at Dormy Inn Nagano – Public Bath and Laundry
Speaking about the public bath, it was located on the rooftop along with the laundromat. The bath is modestly sized, which could likely hold 20 pax. There was also an outdoor pool, which was great as I could soak in the hot pool in the cool autumn weather. Like most public baths, one could help themselves to the free ice creams (4 flavours to choose from) after a soak in the hot pools. Also at the top level was a room with massage chairs, which guests can use for free of charge.
The hotel’s laundromat is located on the top floor beside the public bath. Washing is free of charge, while drying costs JPY 100 per 20 minutes. The operation was designed for dummies. For the washer, all one needs is to put the clothes in and press the Start button. The machine would dispense detergent automatically. The dryer machine is coin operated, which is also started with a button. One could use the public bath while waiting for the laundry, which was a great design of space and facilities!
Dormy Inn Nagano Provides Free Soba Supper
Every night, between 9.30pm – 11pm, the hotel serves soba free of charge at the hotel’s restaurant. The soy sauce based soba was served piping hot, though I would say the noodles were more like those of instant noodles than soba. But it was tasty nonetheless!
The timing was also great, catering for those who returned to the hotel after a day of sightseeing. There was also a coffee machine and water dispenser at the lobby, which are free for guests to take any time of the day.
More Food Galore for Breakfast
Another thing to love about staying in Dormy Inn was the free breakfast that comes with every meal plan. I guess they really thought everything through to make sure business travellers could focus on their work, and leave the survival thing to the hotel ๐
Breakfast was also a modest affair, serving mostly Japanese cuisine. One station served Japanese side dishes, and another Japanese hot food like soba, beef rice, miso (with generous serving of ingredients) and grilled fish (salmon or soba). One can find western food (including pastries), fruits and desserts at the remaining stations.
In hindsight, perhaps the spread was elaborate. The number of food options surely exceeded any lodging that I stayed during my round Iceland tour. Dormy Inn catered to an international audience despite being a business hotel. There were also numerous traditional Japanese side dishes that I had never eaten, and didnโt have the courage to try lol
While I ended up eating the same stuff from the 3rd morning, they were comfort food = served aplenty – that made for a great start of the day!
Like all good things about Japanese F&B, there were counter seats for solo diners. Lined up against the window and with our back against the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, the seats allowed us introverted travellers some time to ourselves.
Neighbourhood around Dormy Inn Nagano
At just one block away from Nagano JR Station, Dormy Inn Nagano was a super convenient location. It was near the izakayas, and yet it wasnโt rowdy at night. In the morning, swathes of officer workers would sweep past the street in front of the hotel, headed towards the train station. As a tourist, there was an indescribable satisfaction watching them hustle to their workplaces.
Parting Words
Ultimately, the stay at Dormy Inn Nagano was far more than just a convenient overnight stop. From the surprising spaciousness of the double room – which felt like a true luxury for a solo traveler – to the genius compartmentalized bathroom, the design focuses squarely on comfort and efficiency. But the real game-changers were the amenities: the nightly free soba, the refreshing public bath with its free ice cream, and the well-thought-out, free laundry facilities. Itโs rare to find a business hotel that blends this level of utility with genuine, small-scale luxury.
Given Naganoโs slightly quieter, more understated profile compared to its flashier neighbors, Dormy Inn perfectly complements the city’s vibe. It offers a wonderfully reliable, self-contained haven just a stoneโs throw from the station, eliminating any anxiety about finding a decent supper or a place to unwind after a long day. If you’re looking for a dependable, value-packed experience that feels like a full-service retreat rather than just a crash pad, this is definitely the spot. Iโd go back in a heartbeat, if only for another bowl of that surprisingly tasty soba.
If you enjoyed my trip reports, do check out my travelogues getting in touch with the nature of central Japan.
Singapore to Tokyoโs Haneda Airport on ANA B787-9 Economy Class (NH842 SIN-HND): Trip review on the early flight out of the lion city to the land of the rising sun.
Hello Nagano: Sights and bites in Nagano in between day trips out of the city
[Review] 1-Day Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle Tour (from Nagano / Matsumoto): Hiking in the land of the gods – in the rain.
Matsumoto in 10 hours: Visiting Japan’s 1 of 3 remaining original castles, and more.
Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) in Nagano: No snow, no monkey?
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7Pro, and edited with Google Photos.
