Hot Springs Hotels in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

We had a very comfortable stay. Both breakfast and dinner were delicious, and the hotel's transfer service was also very convenient.

This summer, the Lake Biwa Hotel was by far the most satisfying part of our Kansai trip. We booked it through a Ctrip group deal for just over 500 RMB, which even included two tickets for the Michigan cruise – an absolutely incredible value! We booked the 90-minute cruise for 11 AM, and after enjoying dining, sightseeing, and a show on board, we had just enough time to head back, collect our luggage, and check into our Osaka hotel. **Transportation:** Getting there was quite convenient. It's a short ride from Kyoto Station to Otsu Station, and once you exit the station, there's a hotel shuttle bus waiting. While it's not a long walk, having the shuttle was much appreciated, especially with luggage. I'd recommend having dinner around Otsu Station, as there aren't many dining options close to the hotel. **Service:** The hotel service was outstanding. As soon as we entered, someone immediately offered to help with our bags. We'd bought a lot of groceries from the supermarket at Otsu Station, and a staff member proactively offered to carry them for us. After taking our name, she even delivered them directly to our room – truly thoughtful service! The check-in staff were also very welcoming and enthusiastic; we felt like we were receiving five-star service. A tip: if you want to book the Michigan cruise, it's best to inform the front desk during check-in. They can help arrange all available time slots. In August, during the summer holidays, they even provided fireworks, which guests could set off at a designated platform in the evening, with staff on-site for assistance. **Facilities:** The hotel rooms are very spacious, and all rooms offer beautiful Lake Biwa views. We were assigned a corner room with a huge balcony and a truly expansive vista. The bed was also very large. Although the hotel shows a bit of age, it's very well-maintained, and the cleanliness was excellent, making for a very comfortable stay. The hotel also boasts hot springs (onsen), with both outdoor and indoor options, which was a fantastic bonus! **Environment:** The hotel is directly adjacent to Lake Biwa. From the second-floor platform, you can directly access the lakeshore. The next day, after checking out and heading to the Michigan cruise, we simply walked along the lake. It was very close, and the scenery was absolutely stunning. **In summary,** our stay at the Lake Biwa Hotel was an exceptionally great value experience. Next time, if I get the chance, I'd love to stay for a couple more days, rent a bicycle, and cycle around the lake. This hotel comes highly recommended!

The hospitality at the hotel was exceptional! From the moment we arrived, the staff greeted us with warm smiles and a genuine willingness to assist. The attention to detail in service, from the personalized welcome to the thoughtful amenities in our room, made our stay truly memorable. It’s clear that the team is dedicated to creating a welcoming atmosphere, ensuring that every guest feels valued and comfortable. I would highly recommend this hotel for anyone seeking a delightful and accommodating experience!

This is a ryokan near Lake Biwa. They were always kind to me! The open-air hot spring was also really nice. There was a shuttle bus so it was convenient to go to the station. It was the best experience 😀

It was a great stay at this ryokan! The hotel is able to arrange a car to fetch you from the JR station. You can call them using a dedicated phone at the station which is used to contact the different ryokans. The car arrived in 10mins or so. The ride to the ryokan was also less than 10mins. The hotel also fetched us to the station on the last day of our stay. The ryokan itself is homely and cozy. We were greeted by an english speaking staff who introduced us to the amenities of the ryokan. There was also a nice welcome tea and matcha chocolate. Our bags were brought to our room as well during this time. The room is spacious and cozy. The hotel prepared 2 welcome biscuits in the room which was a nice personal touch. The room has a nice living room and a great view of Lake Biwa. Recommend to catch the sunrise over the lake! There are 2 normal beds as well as futon beds (need to set up yourself). Both are comfortable. The hotel also prepared pretty yukata for both female and male guests which you can wear during the stay. There are 4 different designs for ladies, and one design for the guys. You can request for different size if the one in the room doesn’t fit you. There is also a full length mirror and a mini dressing area at the side of the living room. It was fun dressing up in the yukata! The toilet, basin, shower and hot tub areas are all separate. The toilet is a little small, but the basin and mirror area is very spacious. The shower area is quite small as well and the shower head is rather low so you need to hold the shower head if you wish to wash up while standing. There is a small stool given for you to sit down though. The hot tub area is semi-outdoor and you can see Lake Biwa. But it is quite small (only good for one person). It was too cold so we didn’t use the hot tub. Instead, we booked the private onsen for 50mins. The private onsen has a private toilet and dressing area which is equipped with hairdryer, body lotion etc. There is a water dispenser as well if you need to hydrate yourself. The onsen area has a washing area, and the hot tub area is spacious for 2 person. There are privacy screens around the onsen area but there is a small gap to let in cold air for ventilation. Wish there is a good view from the private onsen but it was still enjoyable! Dinner and breakfast was Kaiseki style, and the meals were one of the highlights for my husband and I. We really enjoyed the courses which are clean tasting yet wholesome, fresh and flavourful. It was such a sumptuous treat! The ryokan also has a souvenir shop if you wish to buy anything back. Overall, my husband and I really enjoyed the stay here and we agreed this was one of the main highlights of our 12 days trip in Japan. Highly recommend!

Pure Japanese-style hot spring hotel. There are not many Chinese here. Almost all Japanese come here to travel. The hotel has a little brother from Taiwan who speaks Chinese very well. The ultimate Japanese service is experienced here. The 4G used this time Internet card, unable to contact the hotel, we had to find Ctrip's customer service to help contact the hotel. At first I was very embarrassed. I didn't expect Ctrip to do such a good job in a foreign hotel. In a foreign country, at the JR station entrance, I saw the hotel staff to pick up the car, and I was in a great mood!

Clerks are all very nice, and they have shuttle buses to the JR station. However, foreign tourists with tattoos should note that they cannot use public bathroom, but they will still be charged the service fee of it.

It was my first time to travel to Hikone with my family. The scenery is beautiful, the service is friendly, and the shuttle bus is very convenient. You can see the beautiful scenery of Lake Biwa from the hot springs, which is worth enjoying. There are paid washing machines and dryers available! Thank you for your attentive service.

The location of the hotel is particularly special. In the village, there is dinner and breakfast by the lake of Wuhu. The dinner is a famous local suxi pot. The breakfast is a traditional diet. The hotel is very clean. The facilities are outdated. The public bathroom and outdoor hot spring can look up at the starry sky. The whole floor is our family. There are few people for the location, the bathroom is a bit inconvenient outside the house, the service is very Japanese and very polite.

I really liked the hotel. Beautiful interiors with natural and expensive materials, a magnificent onsen with a view of the lake, very beautiful sunsets. On the 10th floor in the evening you can enjoy the views and drink a glass of wine. The dinner is very tasty and varied, thanks to the chef! I also want to note the politeness of the staff. Thank you!