5-Star Hotels in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

The hotel is about 800 meters from JR Nagahama Station. As I missed the last shuttle bus on arrival, I ended up dragging my luggage and navigating for at least 15 minutes. On the way back, I was familiar with the route and it took less than 10 minutes with luggage. The next day, I took the Chikubushima ferry, and Nagahama Port is also not far from the hotel, reachable within a 10-minute walk. It's very close to Lake Biwa, just seconds away, and the sunsets are absolutely stunning. Due to my early-to-bed, early-to-rise itinerary, I didn't book breakfast or dinner. From 3-6 PM, there are complimentary drinks and snacks, and from 9-11 PM, various alcoholic beverages and snacks are offered. Recreational facilities include table tennis. The public bath was also quite clean. The ventilation in the room's toilet wasn't great, and the drain smell was tolerable. It seemed there were many families with children staying over the weekend, so the soundproofing might not be ideal; I could clearly hear children making noise in the hallway from my room. On the first night, I was knocked on the door twice in the middle of the night... After reporting it to the front desk, the hotel stated it wasn't done by staff. It made me feel a bit uneasy, especially traveling alone.

As a long-standing five-star hotel, the overall hardware is pretty good. I originally booked one night, but the beautiful view outside the window prompted me to book another. However, there's one thing few people might notice: the hotel doesn't have a medical room, and there are few hospitals nearby with no emergency services at night. This is a heads-up for future guests to be prepared. My child got injured, and I wanted to call 119 for an antibiotic, but unfortunately, we ended up having to handle it ourselves with simple first aid. The front desk was cooperative, providing disinfectant, and tape instead of bandages. Luckily, we met some kind folks from Shanghai who offered comfort with their familiar dialect and helpful assistance in looking things up. All in all, it was a mix of good and bad, a memorable experience.

The views are absolutely stunning, but this hotel has quite a few downsides. First, the good points: The scenery is incredibly beautiful, and you can see Lake Biwa right from your window. The public bath isn't crowded, and the views from there are also lovely during the day. This was the hotel with the best views during our entire trip to Japan. The room itself is huge, with plenty of space for multiple suitcases. Now for the cons: 1. It's an 8-minute shuttle bus ride from Otsu Station. However, the shuttle bus is a mid-sized vehicle, and I always felt bad for the driver struggling with luggage, especially when it was full during peak hours (packed, with just enough seats for everyone). The bus's air conditioning wasn't very strong, so it got quite hot when there were a lot of people in summer. It would be great if they had a larger bus, similar to the Biwako Hotel. 2. The hotel has a very strong, unpleasant odor, almost like body odor. It lingered for several days and was really off-putting. I'm not sure if all rooms have this issue. 3. You absolutely cannot open the window at night. They should really put up a warning sign, because if you do, a swarm of small, light-seeking insects will fly in, and you won't be able to get rid of them all. On our first night, we didn't realize and didn't close the window tightly, and we were incredibly bothered by bugs all night. Even though it's an older hotel, I really hope they can address these issues.

This Japanese-style Marriott resort by Lake Biwa offers rooms on higher floors with direct lake views, and some room types even come with a private hot spring bath. I enjoyed the Omi beef dishes at the 12th-floor panoramic restaurant, and the breakfast selection was extensive and to my liking. The hotel also features natural hot springs and a heated swimming pool. There's a free shuttle service to Katata Station, and complimentary parking for those driving. Given the high hotel prices in Kyoto on weekends, the Lake Biwa Marriott, just a 30-minute drive from Kyoto, is an excellent alternative.

This hotel is located near Lake Biwa, offering absolutely stunning views. Inside, there are two large public bath areas for both men and women, each featuring both an outdoor and an indoor bath. Private onsens are also available for guests to rent. The breakfast buffet offers a fantastic variety of dishes, and the taste is excellent. The hotel is exceptionally clean and tidy, and there's a large Lawson convenience store right inside, which is incredibly convenient for guests. They also provide a thoughtful complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the JR station. This hotel offers great value for money and is definitely highly recommended.