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.

This hotel offers incredible value for money! It's located right by Lake Biwa in Otsu City, boasting stunning views and an affordable price. Getting here is easy: from Otsu Station's North Exit, cross the road directly and walk about 20 meters to your left. You'll spot a small platform – I've included the train schedule in the photos for reference. There's a convenient mini-mart on the first floor for snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. For breakfast, you have a choice of two floors. The 36th floor offers Japanese-style breakfast, but by 8 AM, it was full. The 37th floor, however, has plenty of Western and Japanese options, so you won't have to wait. Near the hotel, you'll find a large supermarket and a fantastic, highly recommended BBQ restaurant – delicious and budget-friendly. Taking a stroll along the lakeside is incredibly relaxing. You'll see many eagles 🦅, people fishing, and dog walkers – it's wonderful to experience the laid-back town life. Staying here makes it easy to visit the Lake Biwa observation deck and Kyoto.

This hotel is a renovated old building, but the refurbishment was very thorough. The room was clean and new, with a great view. The staff were enthusiastic and helpful. The hotel also offers a shuttle bus service. Besides the dinner being a bit pricey, there's really nothing to complain about. By the way, I'd love to know what brand the lobby's air freshener is, it smelled wonderful!

It was great that there were two large public baths for men and two for women, and they were open 24 hours. Thanks to this, the baths weren't crowded at all, even for such a large ryokan. Dinner was served in a grand banquet hall at a designated time, and it was so lavish that the dishes barely fit on the table – everything was delicious! The facilities are quite old, so I did notice noises like the motor and the bathroom fan, but all the staff were very kind, and I had a pleasant stay overall.

First time staying at this hotel! It's not super close to the JR station, but they do have a shuttle bus. It's about a 15-minute walk otherwise. The hotel itself is very large and impressive, and the front desk staff were incredibly warm and professional. The room was spacious with a beautiful view, all facing the lake. It was also very clean and the facilities felt relatively new. The large public bath on the fourth floor was very convenient to use, well-equipped, and also offered a nice view. Breakfast was abundant, with both Japanese and Western options, and the service staff were very friendly. All in all, if I visit Lake Biwa again, I'll definitely stay here!