3-Star Hotels in Nara Prefecture, Japan

It's a well-known fact that accommodations in Japan can be pricey, so for my trip, I opted for several chain budget hotels, and Smile Hotel was one of them. It offers great value for money. The Smile Hotel in Nara is conveniently located right next to Nara JR Station; you can spot their sign as soon as you exit the station. It's the perfect starting point for exploring Nara. Rooms in Japanese budget hotels are generally small, but they are always clean and tidy, with impeccable hygiene standards. And even though the rooms are compact, they still come with a desk and chair, which I found very convenient for writing and organizing. I really appreciate that. Finally, a heads-up: toiletries and pajamas are available on the first floor for guests to pick up as needed. You might want to grab them before heading up to your room.

Very friendly and helpful staff. We were able to leave our luggage after checking in and enjoy coffee and tea when we picked it up in the evening. Clean and well-kept rooms.

Fantastic hotel for anyone who drive. Free Car park with lots of spaces. The facility is very clean, spacious room, both indoor and outdoor hot spring. Really there is nothing to complain in this hotel. It is located in a fairly decent neighborhoods and able to provide this standard of hot spring is phenomenal. One of the best stay we had in this journey. Highly Recommended.

Friendly staff. Helpful amenities that made the stay comfortable. Approx 15 minutes walk to Nara Station and Nara Park. Provided one keycard for the room. Room was a lot more spacious than most other hotels of the price. They have a dining/seating area in the lobby, as well as a dry foot spa and a manga corner. Would stay here again.

The hotel is literally next to the JR Nara Station.You can purchase all of your travel tickets there and the airport bus tickets, too. In that area, there is a grocery store, a Walgreens type store, and nice affordable places to eat. I highly recommend the place on the corner(pic #1-2). The two guys that run it are so nice. There is a long shopping/restaurant street kinda across from the tourist center. I don't recommend this one ramen place located there. They make everyone pay before eating, and for the basic ramen that I got, it was overpriced. My bowl wasn't even full!(pic# 3-7) The tourist center is located close by, and the folks in there are very helpful(pic# 8). All of the buses are right there, so touring is very easy. The hotel itself is very comfortable. It's keyless, so take a picture of your pass code. The onsen on the premises has a pass code as well. Inside was very nice and relaxing. I went at 2:20am and it was wonderful. They have pajamas, pillows, and a free happy hour. The variety of spirits is extensive. Also, the elevator smells so good! The scent will de stress you. You can try a lot of things with a nice view of the station. I would definitely stay at this hotel again. The last two pictures are the view of the bus terminal. There is another one on the other side of the building. This is the front view (airport bus location)

The room is large, suitable for self-driving family travel hotel, there are not many restaurants nearby, the hotel can make an appointment for barbecue, but it should be noted that: make an appointment with the hotel three days in advance before entering. The pastoral scenery can see the beautiful sunrise and sunset.

Excellent stay! The breakfast was fantastic, and the staff were attentive and meticulous. The room was huge, especially by Japanese standards – incredibly spacious and a rare find. It truly felt like a secluded paradise.

It's quiet, clean, and friendly. It's in the countryside, but there are restaurants and convenience stores nearby, and there are various places like a mart, Don Quijote, and Liquor Shop nearby. Public transportation can be difficult. I used a rental car and got around comfortably.

Near to attractions and it is quite spacious, feel like the management care about customers and make sure they have everything they need, there is laundry area, common work area and vending machine, all staff speaks english and is very polite and helpful, for the price they include a delicious breakfast nothing more i can ask for, if i am back in nara i will stay there again!

It is not far from Nara JR Station and Kintetsu Station, but Kintetsu Station is relatively closer. I checked in during my birthday. I informed the hotel in advance and received a handwritten card and a bag of konpeito when I checked in. There is no need to clean up and there are free cans of sparkling wine or barley tea. I added a Japanese dinner, and when I was almost done with the meal, the restaurant staff also brought free small cakes with candles and fruit platters, which was very touching. The rooms are all sliding doors, with a tatami area, which is very large and clean. There are free white pajamas to change every day. The bathroom and toilet are separated into wet and dry areas, and there are two hair dryers. There is free coffee and matcha milk on the first floor. You can mix your own sparkling wine before 21 o'clock in the evening, and the souvenir shop is also open before 22 o'clock to buy some specialties. There is a free 1-hour walking tour of Nara street buildings at 7 o'clock on weekends. Just inform the hotel in advance to make an appointment. There is a non-hot spring hot spring bath on the basement floor, but I didn't experience it due to the itinerary. The breakfast is a buffet of Japanese scenic spots. The egg rolls are delicious, and the fruit is as good as cantaloupe. A very pleasant stay experience