Nara City Hotels with Balcony

Hygiene: Yellow stains that had not been cleaned were found on the toilet Environment: Halfway up Mount Wakakusa, isolated from the outside noise. The overall design style is modern Japanese. If you want to experience pure Japanese living, you should pay attention to the difference Service: The service is still worthy of praise. The driver and front desk staff are very enthusiastic. They helped arrange the car to go up the mountain in the morning. It was very lucky to see 👀 deer🦌 on a rainy day Food: Most of the food arranged is made from local ingredients in Nara. The ingredients are not gorgeous, the taste is OK, and it is more down-to-earth

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.

We went by car! There was a parking lot where guests could park for free. The location was also great, as it was only about a 15-minute walk to Todaiji Temple. We booked a room with dinner and breakfast included, and both were delicious and very satisfying (;;) They provided petit cakes in the evening, which we enjoyed eating while doodling in our memory notebook! They even have a hot spring! The inside of the hotel was very clean, and everything was great, so we were very satisfied! If I come to Nara again, I'd love to stay here!

The hotel is very enjoyable, located in the historic center and right at the entrance to Nara Park with deer. In the meantime, deer themselves are also walking near the hotel area. The service in the hotel has not been disappointed, the staff are very welcome. Breakfasts were very surprised (for each guest their kitchen). I am sure we will come back again

A fantastic designer hotel. The one-night stay with two meals is perfect for a relaxing vacation. All meals are in private rooms with a wonderful ambiance. The kaiseki dinner was excellent; I highly recommend trying it if you're staying at the hotel. The service was meticulous, and there was Chinese-speaking staff, so communication was no problem at all. Feeding the deer during the day and soaking in the private onsen in the afternoon was so relaxing and enjoyable. I slept very well and felt completely at ease. I would definitely stay here again next time I'm in Nara!

Checking in can take a while, as the butler asks quite a few detailed questions and then gives a thorough introduction to the building and its various areas. Some staff members have good English, others not so much, which can sometimes make understanding difficult, but it doesn't significantly impact the overall experience. The breakfast is exquisite. During the tail end of the Golden Week holiday, we had to queue for a table. The Japanese grilled fish was delicious, but other dishes were just okay. The Western options were decent and quite plentiful. The room was clean and tidy, and on our last day, we even saw deer chasing and playing in the courtyard. The hotel has a distinct resort vibe, and Kengo Kuma's design features many highlights. It's a tranquil oasis in a bustling area, and the courtyard is beautifully maintained. Most guests seemed to be older, well-established families, with fewer young people. (As a 'workhorse' who needed to get some work done in the evening, I found there were no power outlets near the desk for my laptop, which really drove home the point that everyone else was truly here to relax and enjoy their vacation). Overall, I had a very pleasant and comfortable holiday. It's a beautiful hotel and definitely worth experiencing.

Check in and check out process is easy. Location wasn't our consideration when booking the place since we are driving there. The parking lot is opposite the house. We were late when check in and it's abit dark in the surrounding so we couldn't recognise which was the right parking lot for the unit until we saw the manual / guide in the kitchen.

It was my first time to experience a youth hostel. The beds were bunk beds. I was lucky to be assigned to the upper bunk. After all, if I wanted to get out of bed, it would affect the passengers in the lower bunk. The hotel staff are quite friendly. Excluding the queues for bathing and the fact that it is quite far from JR Nara, the hotel is pretty good. After all, it is a youth hostel. Those who need a separate space for their light sleep and fear of noise should think twice.

Great location in terms of convenience and accessibility! Supermarket is just in a walk of 5 minutes, plus restaurants and takeaways downstairs of the building.

Overall, I was quite satisfied, meeting my expectations. The price was relatively reasonable, and the value for money was good. The facilities were complete, with a bathroom and shared washing machine within the B&B. Although there was only one bathroom, I didn't have to worry about long waits. There was also a kitchen available, and the overall cleanliness was excellent. The nearest bus stop is 300 meters away, so transportation and the surrounding area are acceptable. The owner is Chinese and speaks Mandarin without any issues. Room 201 was quite small, practically covered entirely with mattresses, and only accommodated a 28-inch suitcase, though the owner had explained in advance. Note that there are few people nearby, and most of them are elderly, so please keep your voice down both on the way and in the room.