Hotels near Saikyoji Temple, Otsu

The first time I lived in the orthodox squatter house, I was pleasantly surprised. The house is very distinctive. The sister of the hotel will not communicate with the translator because of the text but has been communicating with the translator. The breakfast is delicious. Everyone must order breakfast in advance. There is also a vinyl dish machine in the living room. It is very nostalgic and sentimental. Otsu is really a very quiet town, and on the last day of 2024 I spent a very peaceful day here.

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 would have said that we had a wonderful stay: loved the peaceful environment, the food, the morning service…. But then they started the morning with a team of workers going through the temple grounds with deafening leaf blowing machines! Why do they disturb the peace like this? The temple claims to be environmentally conscious, but these machines are noisy, irritating, wasteful and bad for the environment. It made me leave the place in a bed mood.

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 bathroom was tiny, only one person could fit in at a time. It's about a 5-6 minute walk from the JR station. The breakfast selection wasn't extensive, but it was enough to fill you up. If you're traveling with children over seven, you'll be required to book an additional room. We had two 10-year-olds in our group of seven, and they insisted we get an extra room. However, the rooms have bunk beds, and the bottom bunk is a double, so a family of three could easily fit. Forcing us to pay for another room was really bad.

Being a Toyoko Inn, there's nothing wrong with the hotel itself. The rooms are clean and the service is also excellent. The only downside is the location. It's a bit far from both JR Otsu Station and Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, so it might be a bit difficult if you have luggage or during hot or cold seasons. Also, there are no convenience stores nearby, so you might find it inconvenient if you forget to buy something.

The hotel is located right outside the Otsu Station ticket gates. Entering the property is through the attached bar and restaurant. Most of the nearby restaurants seem to close around 11pm. There are no cooking utensils, but you can bring your own food and drink in the common areas. There are also pots and water dispensers, so we were able to eat cup ramen inside the hotel.

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.

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.

Ok. First of all leave your expectations at home expecting hotel level service. Once you've done that if you want a cheap but clean place to stay this is it. This is a seinenkan - a facility for youth and youth-related organizations to conduct independent study and recreational activities, many of which have basic accommodation facilities but higher grade facilities than youth hostels. They are located all over Japan. I stayed in a tatami mat room on a floor with shared toilet facilities. The ground floor has a large communal bath - obviously separate for male and females. They have lights out at 11 p.m. and guests must return by the same time. There is a very modern cafe onsite serving cheap breakfasts (see photos) but the cafe closes by 6 p.m. There is a convenience store 10 minutes walk away so I suggest you buy snacks and beverages en route from JR Ishiyama station. For dinner, there is a family restaurant - good value and okay food - about 6 minutes walk away. The seinenkan is located on a small island by a historic bridge. The views of the river inlet flowing into the main Lake Biwa is relaxing, lots of bird wildlife, and lots of rowers (the seinenkan is a water sports facility too). and the sunrise and sunset views are lovely. The staff are very kind. It cost me ¥5,500 for one night and I will stay there again if I have the opportunity.