Ξενοδοχεία Hot Springs σε Shiga Prefecture, Japan

"The views are absolutely stunning, but this hotel has quite a few downsides. First, the good points: The scenery is incredibly beautiful, and you can see Lake Biwa right from your window. The public bath isn't crowded, and the views from there are also lovely during the day. This was the hotel with the best views during our entire trip to Japan. The room itself is huge, with plenty of space for multiple suitcases. Now for the cons: 1. It's an 8-minute shuttle bus ride from Otsu Station. However, the shuttle bus is a mid-sized vehicle, and I always felt bad for the driver struggling with luggage, especially when it was full during peak hours (packed, with just enough seats for everyone). The bus's air conditioning wasn't very strong, so it got quite hot when there were a lot of people in summer. It would be great if they had a larger bus, similar to the Biwako Hotel. 2. The hotel has a very strong, unpleasant odor, almost like body odor. It lingered for several days and was really off-putting. I'm not sure if all rooms have this issue. 3. You absolutely cannot open the window at night. They should really put up a warning sign, because if you do, a swarm of small, light-seeking insects will fly in, and you won't be able to get rid of them all. On our first night, we didn't realize and didn't close the window tightly, and we were incredibly bothered by bugs all night. Even though it's an older hotel, I really hope they can address these issues."

"Even though this hotel isn't a villa resort, everything was impeccable. It's incredibly busy, yet perfectly managed. The dinner, in particular, was absolutely amazing, easily comparable to a Michelin-starred experience. Chef MAEDA's menu was incredibly thoughtful, with dishes that excelled in color, aroma, and taste, using top-notch ingredients. He even came out frequently to check on guest satisfaction, which was a lovely touch. It's truly worth revisiting! The private onsen in the room was so comfortable; we used it several times a day, soaking while enjoying the sea view. ♨️"

"Staying in the economy twin room on the 5th floor, you can see a little lake view, the room is a bit small, but it is still decent to bring the boarding box. The boys' large bath has a large indoor pool, which can be soaked for about 8 people, the outdoor bath can be soaked for 4 people, 1 sauna, the hot pool temperature is high, and it will be more comfortable outside. Breakfast is simple to eat, you can still eat enough, there are not many choices. The grandfather at the counter does not speak English, and you can still know what to express with your mobile phone translation. The service is very warm. The cherry blossom season weekend is more than 3,000 yuan, and it is still gone. It is 6 minutes walk from the station. There are many restaurants next to the station and there is a big supermarket."

"This is a Japanese onsen hotel. The service and food were great, but the rules are a bit rigid. My husband came to drop us off and was planning to leave the same evening without staying. We just wanted to chat as a family of three in our room for a bit. To our surprise, the staff told us we could only talk in the lobby. They said only the person who made the reservation could enter the room, based on how many people were booked. I offered to pay extra so my husband could rest in the room before leaving, but they still refused. Then, to ensure I didn't take my husband into the room, the staff watched us all the way as we put our luggage in, making sure he didn't enter, and then politely escorted him back to the lobby. Alright, I guess we have to follow the rules of Japanese onsen hotels."

"I am a traveler loving hot springs. This onsen report is the best Japanese style hotel that I ever experience. The hotel was very luxury. The service was great. The breakfast is upscale and wonderful. I would recommend it to any onsen lovers. I will definitely go back in future."

"The hotel is about 800 meters from JR Nagahama Station. As I missed the last shuttle bus on arrival, I ended up dragging my luggage and navigating for at least 15 minutes. On the way back, I was familiar with the route and it took less than 10 minutes with luggage. The next day, I took the Chikubushima ferry, and Nagahama Port is also not far from the hotel, reachable within a 10-minute walk. It's very close to Lake Biwa, just seconds away, and the sunsets are absolutely stunning. Due to my early-to-bed, early-to-rise itinerary, I didn't book breakfast or dinner. From 3-6 PM, there are complimentary drinks and snacks, and from 9-11 PM, various alcoholic beverages and snacks are offered. Recreational facilities include table tennis. The public bath was also quite clean. The ventilation in the room's toilet wasn't great, and the drain smell was tolerable. It seemed there were many families with children staying over the weekend, so the soundproofing might not be ideal; I could clearly hear children making noise in the hallway from my room. On the first night, I was knocked on the door twice in the middle of the night... After reporting it to the front desk, the hotel stated it wasn't done by staff. It made me feel a bit uneasy, especially traveling alone."

"I was thoroughly impressed by the hotel's onsen, which offered a truly relaxing experience. The only downside is its somewhat remote location, making it a bit far from other attractions. However, this is compensated by the superb view from the room, which provides a breathtaking and serene backdrop."

"Because it's a newly built hotel from last year, the soundproofing is excellent. Once inside the room, I couldn't hear anything from next door, and there were no internal phone lines, so the privacy was exceptional. Regarding the special services, there's a four-language guided tour upon check-in, and you can choose your preferred pillow (softness and height, which was great for someone like me who prefers a firm pillow). Then there's a welcome drink session with unlimited alcohol and soft drinks, and no restrictions on bringing your own food, so even without dinner, you can still have a pleasant time. Moving on to the public bath area, you can choose five personal care products (body lotion, face masks, facial cleanser, etc.) upon check-in, which is quite nice. The public bath itself is fairly standard, but unfortunately, the vending machines on the same floor don't carry milk. Those hoping to experience Japanese bathing culture might be disappointed; hopefully, the hotel will add milk to the vending machines. The breakfast the next day was very plentiful, and the staff quickly added more food, ensuring that nothing I wanted was unavailable, which made up for the slight disappointment of the previous day. Also, because my partner had lost her bracelet at the beach the day before, the staff thoughtfully kept it safe, for which I am very grateful. Furthermore, the staff's recommendations for local attractions and restaurants in Nagahama made for a wonderful experience. I hope the hotel will continue to improve based on my review!"

"The location is very quiet and calm. For those who want a break from the main cities this place is highly recommended. The hotel picked us up from the nearby station and the communication was very active and accommodating (I emailed them when we were in Kyoto station in advanced and once we reached the local station, their shuttle was already waiting for us 🥹). Biwako Valley is near so it was our only planned big activity in the area aside from walking along the quiet road and trying convenience store food and using the 24 hour laundry place nearby. The food is very healthy and you will experience traditional Japanese service (they prepared colorful Yukatas for us and we wore them for bfast and dinner in their restaurant) . The private onsen was great and you can also use the public bath in the hotel itself. I cannot list everything but our experience here was truly amazing!"

"Clean hotel, good location just a straight road from the train station, very friendly staff and they provide refreshment for guests through the night. Really happy to have picked this hotel."