5-Star Hotels in Nara Prefecture, Japan

A 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.

Hotel 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.

It is a very good location ..near nara park ..just 10 mins drive ..you can reach there …there is a family mark nearby …but ..if you wanna park the car ..you check carefully where is the car park ..it is not free but the price is very reasonable..24 hours just 900yen …the hotel located at the 3 floor …so ..if you don’t realise where is the car park ..you have to go 3 floor asking the reception then get back your car to car park ..

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.

I like Mercure very much. There are lounge services in the afternoon and evening. There are quite a lot of drinks, as well as cookies and candies. It is very comfortable to chat with family and friends. The room is quite large. The one we stayed in is a bit old, but the hygiene is still quite good. This time, we included a buffet breakfast and dinner. There are not many categories, but there are still surprises. It includes many specialties of Kashihara Nara, and provides a lot of sauces, which can be DIY. A student team checked in on the second day of the stay, but the hotel management is good, orderly, and food is added in time. The overall feeling is great.

The moment I stepped into the room, I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious and clean it was. I also requested birthday decorations and a cake, and all my wishes were fulfilled. Thanks to the staff's incredible service, which exceeded my expectations, I had a very enjoyable and comfortable stay. A big thank you to the gentleman who helped us so much, including taking photos. Thanks to your cooperation, we had a wonderful trip! Thank you very much.

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.