I originally wanted to book a designer B&B, but after booking it, I chose this hotel instead. I've stayed at Dormy Inn hotels in Hokkaido and Tokyo before and had good impressions of them. This Nara location is visible right from the train station. The downsides are that it can be a bit noisy when trains pass by, and a 1.4-meter bed is a bit tight for three people. The advantages are that the lobby smells pleasant, the hot spring facilities are complete with an outdoor bath, and the breakfast is incredibly rich with seafood rice. After a relaxing soak, there are free massage chairs and free ice cream, and complimentary noodles are served after 9 PM. For this price, the amenities offered are more extensive than what you'd find at an Atour hotel in China.
It's a well-known fact that accommodations in Japan can be pricey, so for my trip, I opted for several chain budget hotels, and Smile Hotel was one of them. It offers great value for money.
The Smile Hotel in Nara is conveniently located right next to Nara JR Station; you can spot their sign as soon as you exit the station. It's the perfect starting point for exploring Nara.
Rooms in Japanese budget hotels are generally small, but they are always clean and tidy, with impeccable hygiene standards. And even though the rooms are compact, they still come with a desk and chair, which I found very convenient for writing and organizing. I really appreciate that.
Finally, a heads-up: toiletries and pajamas are available on the first floor for guests to pick up as needed. You might want to grab them before heading up to your room.
The room was spacious enough to open a large suitcase, and there was even a small walk-in closet. The bedding was incredibly comfortable and warm, ensuring a peaceful night's sleep! The service was excellent; unlike some hotels in Osaka, the front desk staff didn't ask for tips upfront. When I left something at the front desk, the gentleman immediately called to ask about it and even arranged for the elevator to wait on my floor. The location is fantastic, very close to all the nearby attractions, and within walking distance! A truly great experience!!
The hotel looked quite impressive, the facilities were new, and the complimentary tea selection was generous. However, the cleanliness standards were surprisingly poor. Upon entering our room, we repeatedly found long strands of hair, which was particularly perplexing as both of us have short hair. We reported this to the front desk, and they promptly moved us to a different room. Yet, even in the new room, we still found a few long hairs. All in all, it felt like a very strange experience.
Hotel was about 2 mins walk from the entrance of Nara park n the shopping district. Very good location. You could either walk 1.3km to the hotel from the JR station, or take a taxi which would cost around 1200yen. About 10 mins walk from the metro station. I stayed for 2 nights with breakfast and dinner inclusive. The Ryokan did take note n served us a different menu each day. There was also a small indoor n outdoor onsen in the Ryokan. The food was superb.
This hotel's convenient location near the train station and a five-minute walk from a shopping district offers easy accessibility. While the bathroom curtain exhibited an unpleasant odor (not a big deal), the overall environment was quite pleasant.
The staff, location, and services were all superb. We were so impressed that didn't want our visit to end. Will be delighted to return in the future. Highly recommended!
The hotel is literally next to the JR Nara Station.You can purchase all of your travel tickets there and the airport bus tickets, too. In that area, there is a grocery store, a Walgreens type store, and nice affordable places to eat. I highly recommend the place on the corner(pic #1-2). The two guys that run it are so nice. There is a long shopping/restaurant street kinda across from the tourist center. I don't recommend this one ramen place located there. They make everyone pay before eating, and for the basic ramen that I got, it was overpriced. My bowl wasn't even full!(pic# 3-7)
The tourist center is located close by, and the folks in there are very helpful(pic# 8). All of the buses are right there, so touring is very easy. The hotel itself is very comfortable. It's keyless, so take a picture of your pass code. The onsen on the premises has a pass code as well. Inside was very nice and relaxing. I went at 2:20am and it was wonderful. They have pajamas, pillows, and a free happy hour. The variety of spirits is extensive. Also, the elevator smells so good! The scent will de stress you. You can try a lot of things with a nice view of the station. I would definitely stay at this hotel again. The last two pictures are the view of the bus terminal. There is another one on the other side of the building. This is the front view (airport bus location)
Consistent with other Nikko Hotels, this one was great! The large public bath features carbonated water and free ice pops, definitely worth a visit. Breakfast is plentiful, but it can get crowded, so it's best to go early. The drink bar offers local sake, as well as red and white wine. It's a popular spot, with many companies holding year-end parties here. The location is also excellent, right above the JR station.
The hotel is elegantly decorated, the quality of breakfast and dinner is excellent, and the service is also in place (language communication requires translation software, which is ok), and the pick-up station is free, which is very convenient!
Because it is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, if you don't order a meal, you have to go down the mountain by yourself for dinner, so it is recommended to book a room with two meals.
The stargazing activity at 8 o'clock in the evening, the winding mountain road is a bit dizzy, but the scenery on the top of the mountain is worth it. If it is a sunny day, you can see the stars, and it will be more exciting with the lights of thousands of houses below the mountain. If you want to go to the top of the mountain the next day, hiking is also feasible, but the winding mountain road is a bit tortuous and requires physical strength.
There are cherry blossoms in spring and snow in winter. The scenery of Mount Wakakusa is endless. I will come again next time.
Amazing
44 reviews
9.6/10
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NZD 474
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9.7/10
Amazing
GGuest UserA question to think about, ‘What makes a hotel a luxury one?’
To me, it’s luxury because of the hospitality of the staff, quality of the property and the food they provided totally exceed travellers’ expectations, and as a result, we would love to pay more for the experience.
Some staff really tried their very best to help me during my stay while some just didn’t. Upon arrival, I tried to communicate with the staff that I’d like to cancel my third night’s dinner because of the change of my plan. At first, I booked six meals in total and I’d only want to cancel one dinner and they said I needed to pay 100% for the cancelled meal because they have already bought the ingredients. Okay, I tried to understand that because they had already taken away my credit card and there’s nothing I could do about that and I thought it must be a very nice meal and that’s why they insisted that. Disappointingly, the portion was so small and paying the same amount of money I could get so much better food in 虹夕諾雅 or any other five star onsen hotels in Japan. As a result, I went to bed feeling hungry and eating the snacks I bought for myself :( The food portions are like a bento instead of a proper meal. )
Also, the Western style breakfast was so overpriced and the avocado in the omelette was not fresh at all.
One more thing to note is that the complimentary champagne service they provided to their guests. It’s a nice experience but maybe I’m just a lady travelling alone and I couldn’t speak Japanese at all, the waitress didn’t serve me the same way as she served other people in the cafe. When all of them got two glasses of free drinks, one cocktail and one champagne, she only gave me one champagne and didn’t offer me the cocktail. And the day after, there was a nice staff who served me properly and I finally realized that I am entitled to two drinks.
(Sigh)The experience was like buying a Chanel bag. The bag was pricey but the chain of the bag just suddenly fall apart
while you are using it for the very first time. My advice is: Don’t use their catering services especially for the in-room dining plan. There are so many better choices out there in the city. The room and the service of the staff are great tho.
11521531****The room was spacious enough to open a large suitcase, and there was even a small walk-in closet. The bedding was incredibly comfortable and warm, ensuring a peaceful night's sleep! The service was excellent; unlike some hotels in Osaka, the front desk staff didn't ask for tips upfront. When I left something at the front desk, the gentleman immediately called to ask about it and even arranged for the elevator to wait on my floor. The location is fantastic, very close to all the nearby attractions, and within walking distance! A truly great experience!!
KKay ChHotel is new, room and facilities are fantastic. View from the roof terrace is great! Also thankful for the free shuttle bus to the train station.
We have the dinner and breakfast package. Restaurant seems under staffed. We have to wait for empty plates to be replenised in buffet area. During breakfast time, there is long queue for food and often empty plates.
YYibanluguojisherenConsistent with other Nikko Hotels, this one was great! The large public bath features carbonated water and free ice pops, definitely worth a visit. Breakfast is plentiful, but it can get crowded, so it's best to go early. The drink bar offers local sake, as well as red and white wine. It's a popular spot, with many companies holding year-end parties here. The location is also excellent, right above the JR station.
SSolo AceThe hotel is literally next to the JR Nara Station.You can purchase all of your travel tickets there and the airport bus tickets, too. In that area, there is a grocery store, a Walgreens type store, and nice affordable places to eat. I highly recommend the place on the corner(pic #1-2). The two guys that run it are so nice. There is a long shopping/restaurant street kinda across from the tourist center. I don't recommend this one ramen place located there. They make everyone pay before eating, and for the basic ramen that I got, it was overpriced. My bowl wasn't even full!(pic# 3-7)
The tourist center is located close by, and the folks in there are very helpful(pic# 8). All of the buses are right there, so touring is very easy. The hotel itself is very comfortable. It's keyless, so take a picture of your pass code. The onsen on the premises has a pass code as well. Inside was very nice and relaxing. I went at 2:20am and it was wonderful. They have pajamas, pillows, and a free happy hour. The variety of spirits is extensive. Also, the elevator smells so good! The scent will de stress you. You can try a lot of things with a nice view of the station. I would definitely stay at this hotel again. The last two pictures are the view of the bus terminal. There is another one on the other side of the building. This is the front view (airport bus location)
RRebeikatangThe hotel is elegantly decorated, the quality of breakfast and dinner is excellent, and the service is also in place (language communication requires translation software, which is ok), and the pick-up station is free, which is very convenient!
Because it is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, if you don't order a meal, you have to go down the mountain by yourself for dinner, so it is recommended to book a room with two meals.
The stargazing activity at 8 o'clock in the evening, the winding mountain road is a bit dizzy, but the scenery on the top of the mountain is worth it. If it is a sunny day, you can see the stars, and it will be more exciting with the lights of thousands of houses below the mountain. If you want to go to the top of the mountain the next day, hiking is also feasible, but the winding mountain road is a bit tortuous and requires physical strength.
There are cherry blossoms in spring and snow in winter. The scenery of Mount Wakakusa is endless. I will come again next time.
쉬쉬고싶어요1. There is nothing to complain about. The location, food, room condition, amenities, interior, etc. were all perfect.
2. The staff were especially friendly.
3. The pond view room faces west, so if you don't open the blinds, it can get hot in the summer because of the sunlight.
4. Due to hotel circumstances, luggage storage was only available until 12 o'clock on the day of check-out, but I wish they had posted this in advance on the website.
UuknowpennyThe location is great. You can see it right after you exit JR Nara Station. It's about a 3-minute walk. You can have breakfast in front of the window and see the view of Nara Station.
The sanitary conditions are a little worse than those of good hotels in Japan. I chose a non-smoking room, but there was a very faint smell of cigarettes when I first entered. The big suitcase cannot be fully unfolded. I guess it would be a bit aggrieved for a 1.8-meter-tall person to use the bathroom. But what do you want for this price?
Breakfast is the highlight! Affordable but not low quality.
DdaisysethI originally wanted to book a designer B&B, but after booking it, I chose this hotel instead. I've stayed at Dormy Inn hotels in Hokkaido and Tokyo before and had good impressions of them. This Nara location is visible right from the train station. The downsides are that it can be a bit noisy when trains pass by, and a 1.4-meter bed is a bit tight for three people. The advantages are that the lobby smells pleasant, the hot spring facilities are complete with an outdoor bath, and the breakfast is incredibly rich with seafood rice. After a relaxing soak, there are free massage chairs and free ice cream, and complimentary noodles are served after 9 PM. For this price, the amenities offered are more extensive than what you'd find at an Atour hotel in China.
MmixukiI used to live in Nara but now live far away, so I stayed here for the first time when visiting a friend.
This hotel is located in front of the station, so it was very convenient.
I often go to the drinking district around Yagi Station, and it was great that no matter how much I drink, the hotel was always so close by!
The interior of the facility was also very clean, and it was well-maintained.
The bath and open-air bath on the top floor were also great.
This time I only stayed overnight, so I would like to try breakfast next time.
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