Hot Springs Hotels in Nara Prefecture, Japan

This was the best hotel on my Kansai trip to Japan! The room was clean and comfortable – small but perfectly formed. The onsen (hot spring bath) was also incredibly relaxing and had a lovely natural feel to it. They even provided facial makeup remover in the changing rooms, which was super convenient. I visited during the off-season, so the hotel wasn't crowded. Everywhere you looked, there were charming and thoughtful design touches, and it was immaculately clean. The location is also fantastic, near several of Nara's transportation lines and the bus terminal. Plus, there's a small street right next to it with plenty of food options. This is definitely the hotel I'll stay at again next time I visit Nara!

Everything was excellent! This is our second visit this year, and the hot spring pools were fantastic as well.

A fantastic local hotel, popular with both locals and international guests. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The breakfast for the half-board option was a bit lacking, but dinner was excellent. We had booked a Japanese suite with a view of the Five-Story Pagoda, but unfortunately, the pagoda is under renovation until 2034, so the view was a bit compromised. Otherwise, everything was great. Deer were everywhere right outside, and the location was superb.

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.

I like Mercure very much. There are lounge services in the afternoon and evening. There are quite a lot of drinks, as well as cookies and candies. It is very comfortable to chat with family and friends. The room is quite large. The one we stayed in is a bit old, but the hygiene is still quite good. This time, we included a buffet breakfast and dinner. There are not many categories, but there are still surprises. It includes many specialties of Kashihara Nara, and provides a lot of sauces, which can be DIY. A student team checked in on the second day of the stay, but the hotel management is good, orderly, and food is added in time. The overall feeling is great.

I used Nara Health Land before entering the hotel. If you stay at a hotel, the usage fee became cheaper and it was a good deal. Also, the check-out time of the room was extended and I enjoyed it slowly. The room was properly futoned, and I rested immediately even if I was tired of playing, so I rested comfortably.

Check-in after 15:00. The staff are very friendly, including those who speak English at a sufficient level so that you can understand each other without a translator. The room is spacious, heated/cooled by air conditioning. There is also a kotatsu, under which it is very comfortable to sit, a tea set, including a kettle. Yukata and khvori are very beautiful and comfortable. In the room there is also a memo for foreigners on the correct visit to the onsen (be sure to read it, this is important). There are only two onsen - one large with a view of the river (there are curtains) and one smaller without windows. The water is moderately hot, not scalding. As a dinner, kaiseki was provided with a change of dishes - it was very tasty and VERY much (honestly, we could not eat everything, since we usually eat much less, for which we apologize to the staff)

This hotel holds the high standard of their group as usual. Firstly, I thought the service was not sincere as the front deck refused to reserve the restaurant for us (there were 2 other hotel's front desk rejected in this Dec 2025 trip too). But then they offered tremendous help when I encountered parcel problem and which is out of what they need to offer. That's really helpful. The superior twin room is good for family of 4 with children under 12 years old. We put together the beds and there were spaces for4 big luggage to pack and tidy up things. Thank you to the entire front desk for their help. The downside was the breakfast really average and I only recommend to try once if you are staying long.

We stayed at Mikasa Ryokan (万葉若草の宿 三笠旅館) in Nara, and overall it was a great experience — but there are definitely some things you should know and plan for in advance. 🏞 1. Location & Transportation The ryokan is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, with beautiful views over Nara city — the scenery is stunning, especially at night. But getting up and down the mountain isn’t very convenient. At first, I thought the location was right near Todai-ji Temple and would be easy to access. Turns out: The mountain road is very narrow and winding, and it actually takes longer than expected. According to the staff, walking up the mountain is not allowed. There's a gate, and the staff inside don’t permit people to walk up. Luckily, the hotel offers a shuttle bus up the mountain, but you should arrange it with the hotel in advance. Once you’re at the ryokan, getting out isn’t very easy either. Even if you want to take a taxi, you need to book it in advance — it’s not like calling a cab from the street. So I’d recommend planning your itinerary carefully before you arrive. While Todai-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Kasuga Taisha are technically just at the bottom of the mountain, they’re not within walking distance from the hotel, so you’ll still need transport. 🛌 2. Room Experience We booked the Japanese-style room with a private open-air bath. I did quite a bit of research before booking: Sites like *********** say the room is about 28 sqm (307 sq ft) But Ctrip listed it as 56 sqm, which was confusing After checking in, I think 28 sqm is probably just the indoor area, and 56 sqm includes the balcony, private onsen, and garden area. The room is traditional Japanese-style with tatami floors and a low table in the center. In the evening, while we were out having dinner, staff came in and set up our futon beds for the night — a really nice touch. This was our first time sleeping on Japanese futons. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the room temperature was perfect. If you're traveling with kids, this type of setup could be extra fun. 3. Onsen Experience We tried both the public onsen and the private one in our room: The public bath areas are located on the first and second floors, with men’s and women’s baths alternating daily. They include both indoor and outdoor hot spring pools. The water is hot — after about 10 minutes, we felt totally warm and relaxed. The private bath in the room was also very enjoyable. The garden had high fences and trees for privacy, and the tub was perfectly sized for two people. 🍱 4. Meals We booked a plan that included both dinner and breakfast. One important thing to note — you need to confirm your dinner time with the hotel before arrival, because if you arrive after 7 PM, you might miss dinner. Dinner is served in private dining rooms, which gave us a cozy and quiet atmosphere. The food was beautifully presented and very Japanese — including Wagyu beef and sukiyaki. Breakfast was also very traditional — grilled fish, rice, and various small dishes. Personally, I prefer something lighter for breakfast, and there was no coffee, bread, or buns included. If you want coffee, you can get it later in the lounge near the lobby.

The hotel is conveniently located right next to JR Nara Station, making it easy to purchase all your travel tickets, including airport bus tickets. The surrounding area is very convenient, with a grocery store, a drugstore, and several nice, affordable dining options nearby. There is also a 4-hour open bar in the evening where you can try a variety of Japanese and international alcoholic beverages. The hotel also features an onsen with both indoor and outdoor areas, which was quite popular among guests.