I've stayed at Novotel hotels all over the world and have never been disappointed; the brand consistently delivers. This particular one is very new, and the rooms are quite spacious and quiet. We were originally scheduled to check in at 3 PM, but the hotel let us in at 1 PM. Just outside, you'll find the beautiful Sahogawa cherry blossoms. The parking lot is also very spacious and convenient, costing 1500 JPY per day with unlimited in-and-out access.
should consider this the best hotel around in nara town. nice environment, and nice service. the breakfsst varieties could have been a little bit more, and that would be wonderful.
The first time I experienced a youth hostel, the bed type was the upper and lower bunks. I was lucky to be assigned to the upper bunks. After all, if I want to get out of bed, it will affect the lower bunks. The hotel staff is still kind, the part that excludes waiting in line for a bath and there is a distance from JR Nara. Others are not bad. After all, it is a youth travel. People who are afraid of noisy and need independent space think twice.
A fantastic gem which we we enjoyed every minute we stayed there. The choice of having a private onsen in our room was worth every penny of the premium we paid. I had my onsen dip three times a day and had never felt more relaxing and enjoyable. The hotel compound is so beautiful and all the staff were so accommodating. I would highly recommend this hotel who like spend a relaxing time in Nara.
Hotel location is very close to Bamu Station, five minutes walk, typical island business hotel, the room is not big, more hygienic. The hotel is not luxurious and suitable for business travel.
This got to be one of the best rappers i had ever been to, (besides a few really high end resort in Bali). This resort service is impeccable. The kaiseki dinner is really delicious. The Garden is so well curated that it can compete with some of the shrine garden. And last but not least the onsen is truly relaxing and beautiful. One tip, is it place the herbal pack into the onsen early. It takes 6 hours for it to fully diffuse into the onsen.
We stayed at Mikasa Ryokan (万葉若草の宿 三笠旅館) in Nara, and overall it was a great experience — but there are definitely some things you should know and plan for in advance.
🏞 1. Location & Transportation
The ryokan is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, with beautiful views over Nara city — the scenery is stunning, especially at night. But getting up and down the mountain isn’t very convenient.
At first, I thought the location was right near Todai-ji Temple and would be easy to access. Turns out:
The mountain road is very narrow and winding, and it actually takes longer than expected.
According to the staff, walking up the mountain is not allowed. There's a gate, and the staff inside don’t permit people to walk up.
Luckily, the hotel offers a shuttle bus up the mountain, but you should arrange it with the hotel in advance.
Once you’re at the ryokan, getting out isn’t very easy either. Even if you want to take a taxi, you need to book it in advance — it’s not like calling a cab from the street. So I’d recommend planning your itinerary carefully before you arrive.
While Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Kasuga Taisha are technically just at the bottom of the mountain, they’re not within walking distance from the hotel, so you’ll still need transport.
🛌 2. Room Experience
We booked the Japanese-style room with a private open-air bath. I did quite a bit of research before booking:
Sites like *********** say the room is about 28 sqm (307 sq ft)
But Ctrip listed it as 56 sqm, which was confusing
After checking in, I think 28 sqm is probably just the indoor area, and 56 sqm includes the balcony, private onsen, and garden area.
The room is traditional Japanese-style with tatami floors and a low table in the center. In the evening, while we were out having dinner, staff came in and set up our futon beds for the night — a really nice touch.
This was our first time sleeping on Japanese futons. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the room temperature was perfect. If you're traveling with kids, this type of setup could be extra fun. 3. Onsen Experience
We tried both the public onsen and the private one in our room:
The public bath areas are located on the first and second floors, with men’s and women’s baths alternating daily.
They include both indoor and outdoor hot spring pools. The water is hot — after about 10 minutes, we felt totally warm and relaxed.
The private bath in the room was also very enjoyable. The garden had high fences and trees for privacy, and the tub was perfectly sized for two people.
🍱 4. Meals
We booked a plan that included both dinner and breakfast. One important thing to note — you need to confirm your dinner time with the hotel before arrival, because if you arrive after 7 PM, you might miss dinner.
Dinner is served in private dining rooms, which gave us a cozy and quiet atmosphere. The food was beautifully presented and very Japanese — including Wagyu beef and sukiyaki.
Breakfast was also very traditional — grilled fish, rice, and various small dishes. Personally, I prefer something lighter for breakfast, and there was no coffee, bread, or buns included.
If you want coffee, you can get it later in the lounge near the lobby.
Exceeded expections on all grounds! I am so happy with the hotel I wanted to spread the word. This hotel has great old world charm and more. I was a little worried about the condition of the hotel (more than 100 years old!) but everything was fine. I stayed at the Main Wing / basic room with park view. The bathroom was basic (business hotel like) but very clean, but the room / bedding and the view at our window was wonderful. Given the low price point, we were very happy with the room. Definitely recommend the Main Wing, and if you can, a room with higher price point.
All staff, from shuttle bus / concierge / front desk / bar, are excellent. We really enjoyed the check in process - you can sit at the lounge admiring Einstein's piano while the front staff comes calling your name. Also try the tea lounge both during the day and night (turns to a bar). I would also like to extend special thanks to Korean speaking front manager Lee Su Jin who helped us in so many ways. She really made our stay comfortable.
One thing to note about Nara city itself is that most venues close at 4pm and have unpredictable operating hours. You can't just walk around hoping to sit down at a cafe or restaurant. Highly recommend making reservations in advance of your trip and I'm sure Nara hotel concierge can help with this.
I really enjoyed Nara Hotel and look really forward to returning.
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Amazing
GGuest UserA fantastic gem which we we enjoyed every minute we stayed there. The choice of having a private onsen in our room was worth every penny of the premium we paid. I had my onsen dip three times a day and had never felt more relaxing and enjoyable. The hotel compound is so beautiful and all the staff were so accommodating. I would highly recommend this hotel who like spend a relaxing time in Nara.
LloydI've stayed at Novotel hotels all over the world and have never been disappointed; the brand consistently delivers. This particular one is very new, and the rooms are quite spacious and quiet. We were originally scheduled to check in at 3 PM, but the hotel let us in at 1 PM. Just outside, you'll find the beautiful Sahogawa cherry blossoms. The parking lot is also very spacious and convenient, costing 1500 JPY per day with unlimited in-and-out access.
ZZhi YiThis got to be one of the best rappers i had ever been to, (besides a few really high end resort in Bali). This resort service is impeccable. The kaiseki dinner is really delicious. The Garden is so well curated that it can compete with some of the shrine garden. And last but not least the onsen is truly relaxing and beautiful. One tip, is it place the herbal pack into the onsen early. It takes 6 hours for it to fully diffuse into the onsen.
GGC_ESshould consider this the best hotel around in nara town. nice environment, and nice service. the breakfsst varieties could have been a little bit more, and that would be wonderful.
11180957907Hotel location is very close to Bamu Station, five minutes walk, typical island business hotel, the room is not big, more hygienic. The hotel is not luxurious and suitable for business travel.
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