Scenic Hotels in Otsu

"The environment is absolutely beautiful, right by the lake. They have a great happy hour in the lobby, and I really enjoyed the sauna and hot spring pool. The breakfast and dinner buffets were amazing – I was so surprised to see seafood BBQ even at breakfast! The only minor drawback was the restroom, which was quite small, but it was fine for just using the toilet."

"Yumotokan was our first stay at an onsen and first trip to Otsu and Lake Biwa. It blew us away at how amazing and wonderful everything was. We took a local train from Kyoto Station to Ogotoonsen Station. The views of the mountains on one side and the lake on the other were stunning and the shuttle service from Ogotoonsen Station to Yumotokan was much appreciated. We reserved two of the Kotone suites with their own private baths attached to our rooms for one night and we were not disappointed. The rooms included breakfast, dinner, and a hour later check-out time with the reservation. The staff were very kind and accommodating, helping us with whatever we needed (so glad we asked for help with the yukata! It became a cute memory for us). The rooms were comfortably spacious with a gracious amount of amenities and the attached private onsen baths were incredibly healing. We utilized them as many times as was healthy. Both the breakfast buffet and course dinner were amazingly delicious and something that'll be on our minds for awhile. Even our check-out was stress free and we were able to buy souvenirs from a little shop they had inside the lobby. I wish I knew what shampoo and treatment they use or where I can purchase it because it left our hair super soft and silky smooth, nothing like what we use at home. Our stay was amazing and we would highly recommend Yumotokan. We'll definitely visit again on our next trip to Japan, hopefully for a couple more nights!"

"I really like this house~ The design and decoration of the house is very Japanese and fashionable. There are many things. It may look messy, but those who choose to live here should not care too much about it. After all, it’s here. For these messy hand-made decorations~! In the room and in the small cafe below, most of them are made by One Piece. The workmanship is exquisite and the styles are many. When the decoration is suitable. On the first night of staying, I didn’t go out to play. It took a long time to take pictures in the house to see the figures. Ahaha~ quite satisfied~!"

"First time staying at this hotel! It's not super close to the JR station, but they do have a shuttle bus. It's about a 15-minute walk otherwise. The hotel itself is very large and impressive, and the front desk staff were incredibly warm and professional. The room was spacious with a beautiful view, all facing the lake. It was also very clean and the facilities felt relatively new. The large public bath on the fourth floor was very convenient to use, well-equipped, and also offered a nice view. Breakfast was abundant, with both Japanese and Western options, and the service staff were very friendly. All in all, if I visit Lake Biwa again, I'll definitely stay here!"

"I like it very much. It is not worse than Yuyuanguan, and the price is good. The chef's cooking skills are very high. The decoration is a bit old-fashioned, and it feels like a Japanese drama. The hot spring robe is better than Yuyuanguan. The dinner is invincible and delicious! Wagyu! Mushroom rice! Sukiyaki! I ate so much! But the breakfast is not very delicious. The pickled cucumber tastes the same as in China. I thought I couldn't eat it far away from Shanghai. In the end, it tasted like the pickled cucumber and pickled radish at home. But it's very photogenic! There are all kinds of colors, but the taste is killed by the xiaolongbao, wontons and pancakes in my hometown Shanghai. The hot spring in Yuyuanguan is very comfortable! There is just an old lady who keeps coming in to clean the hot spring in the morning! I was scared and didn't care about the front and the back. It was so embarrassing!"

"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!"

"Lake Biwa is right outside the hotel, which is very convenient. There are not many restaurants nearby. The beach by the lake is beautiful. The staff are very friendly. The room facilities are a bit old, but they are well maintained."

"Booked this stay to explore the areas around Lake Biwa. Reception was warm and friendly with an English-speaking host who provided us with the information for the stay. We booked the western style room as we preferred an attached bathroom, however the room condition was outdated and needs refurbishment, like peeling surfaces. The Japanese style room looked better when we caught a glimpse during check-out time. Nevertheless, location and amenities were great. Location is near major eateries and commercial centres by a short drive."