A beautiful hotel with a stunning view of Lake Biwa. The Shuttle bus to and from Katata station made it convenient, as long as you time your transport well, and the staff were very friendly and professional. We recommend staying here for a more peaceful and luxurious experience in Kyoto outside of the city, and it would also be good to visit shirahige shrine and cycle around Lake Biwa!
On short notice, I was looking for various accommodations, including business hotels. I chose this one as I only needed a room for the night. The price was very reasonable, and it was excellent.
Facilities: A bit old-fashioned but very clean and well-maintained.
Cleanliness: Very clean, even cleaner than Mitsui.
Environment: Having a balcony is amazing! The air is fresh, the scenery is unbeatable, and taking a walk by the lake during the day is simply blissful.
Service: The staff are mostly Japanese and don't speak English, but check-out was super fast and the shuttle bus was very punctual.
I hope to have the opportunity to return to this hotel again in the future. It has a large room, a balcony, is very quiet with few people, and the environment is exceptionally beautiful.
the best hotel i stay in for this 2 weeks japan trip. thumbs up for the staff attention and service.
key features
1 shuttle bus service from train station
2 big room facing lake
3 very good breakfast
4 good location, quiet yet within vicinity of supermarket and good restaurant
Transportation: The hotel is right next to Changbin Station, very close, so there's no need for a shuttle.
Room: The carpet in the room had a strange, foot-odor-like smell, as if something had been spilled on it. However, the bed faced a scenic window, which was quite nice, though the curtains weren't blackout.
Hot Springs: The outdoor hot springs weren't particularly clean. My friend, who has allergies (but usually doesn't react to topical exposure), had an allergic reaction after using them.
Entertainment: There's a game room with activities like table tennis, which doesn't require reservations. You can just go in when it's empty, which is pretty good.
Food: The breakfast and dinner were fantastic, no complaints there. The restaurant also had a great view, and I even saw a rainbow in the morning. The snacks were good too.
What surprised us most about this hotel was the amazing breakfast! There was so much variety! It's very close to Hikone station. It seems that it even offers bicycles for (free) use. We thought of going for a short bike ride in the morning but didn't have enough time--needed to get to Kyoto (only an hour away) quickly. This hotel makes an overnight trip to see beautiful Hikone castle very feasible.
Thank you very much to Ctrip customer service Saga. I contacted him after I got on the train from Kyoto to Hikone and asked the hotel to pick me up. He solved the problem as fast as lightning, accurately, efficiently and with high quality! The public transportation from Kyoto to Hikone takes about an hour. When I arrived, I found the hotel's transportation bus accurately and clearly according to the notification. I was picked up by myself. The journey took five minutes. It was in the direction of Hikone Castle. It was not recommended to walk with luggage. It would be more tiring. If you take a taxi, it would cost about 700 yen. Half of the hotel room faces the castle and the other half has no view. The scenery facing the castle is very beautiful. I checked in on April 2, 2025. The cherry blossoms will be in full bloom after April 10. My room on the top floor of the 5th floor faces the castle tower, and the scenery is first-class. The room is not big. The other bed is attached to the wall and it is inconvenient to go up and down. It is just right for one person to live. The bathroom has been renovated. The room style is more old-fashioned, not old. The room without a view on the other side is smaller, and the check-in experience is poor. I booked a one-night stay and two meals, and Japanese cuisine for dinner. I think the quality is very good, but the duck hot pot tastes average, and the overall sincerity is full. The breakfast is simpler, there is no hot spring egg, but there are all kinds of freshly fried vegetable tempura. The breakfast is worse than that of Ogoto Ryokusuitei, and the dinner is about the same level. They are all hotels that cook very carefully, so you can rest assured to choose the meal package. The lounge has beer and juice, but no snacks. The male and female hot spring baths are not changed. The female baths are 38.5 degrees and 42.5 degrees, so one is too cold and the other is too hot. 41 degrees is better. The reason for giving one star for hygiene is: I found a green Japanese-style outer coat with oil spots and changed it to a purple flower one. This is the decision I regret the most, which means that it should not be worn without washing. After taking a hot spring bath in the afternoon, I put it on and drank tea in the room. I felt that it smelled bad. I picked up the outer coat and smelled it. I almost didn't send it away. The stench made me rush to the bathroom to vomit. It was the stench of people with severe bad breath sneezing several times at the clothes. This kind of clothes is not like a yukata. It is not changed for each guest. It is very unhygienic. The slipper cabinet is also smelly, and the slippers are a little sticky on the floor. I went to the hot spring again to wash it again and change into my own clothes, but the feeling of nausea was difficult to eliminate. The hotel will pick you up at the station at 9, 10, or 11 in the morning, and the staff are courteous and considerate.
Extremely satisfied with this hotel, definitely a vacation experience you won't regret!
First off, the check-in service was impressive, with staff literally kneeling to assist us, and they provided a very thorough introduction to all the hotel's facilities and services. The lady who helped us was beautiful, gentle, and spoke excellent English 👍
Next, the hot springs: We booked a Japanese-style room with a private onsen, and the view was absolutely stunning. The private hot spring was incredibly comfortable; all three of us could soak together with no problem, haha.
The hotel's public baths were also super clean, and there was almost no one else there when we went, which made for a very relaxing soak.
Then there's the food:
The dinner was Kaiseki cuisine plus Omi beef shabu-shabu, which was surprisingly delicious! I thought I might not be used to Kaiseki, but that wasn't the case at all! The Omi beef was also of superb quality, incredibly fresh and flavorful after a quick dip in the clear broth.
Breakfast was also very rich and varied!
The room size was also perfectly fine.
The only slight drawback is that check-out time is too early... 10 AM... If it could be a bit later, it would be absolutely perfect!
There are not many choices on this side of Lake Biwa, so we came to this one-bed, two-dining restaurant. The food is so-so, but unfortunately there isn't much food nearby. Breakfast is okay. Normal Western breakfast options have no special extras. The most special thing is that there is a large beach outside the hotel. I was going to see the sunrise, but the weather was bad and I was a little disappointed. Overall it was neat and comfortable.
We drove to the hotel and were able to park in the hotel's contracted parking lot. The room was even cleaner and more comfortable than we expected. We had made a reservation for breakfast in advance and were impressed by the deliciousness, variety, and abundance of local ingredients. We are grateful for the hospitality of the hotel staff. We hope to have another opportunity to share these wonderful memories.
Great
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9.2/10
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8.8/10
Very Good
Free flow lounge for all guest staying, lovely onsen bath, shuttle bus to nearest train station.
very warming services from the front desk staff to the waitress inside the hotel they took good care of my bike and then delivered an excellent service during the dinner. the old lady took initiative to introduce me each dish. very nice she was indeed. the location of the hotel is great. even i didnt get a room with nice view but i still could see the hikone castle from the drink lounge and osen. so amazing view. the last thing is the food! the dinner is so nice
I recently stayed at AB Hotel Hikone and had an exceptional experience. The location deserves a solid 5 stars—it's conveniently situated at 5-9 Daitocho, Hikone, Shiga, offering easy access to key attractions. The cleanliness of the hotel is commendable, earning another 5-star rating. The staff was friendly and accommodating, though a slightly higher rating for friendliness would enhance the overall experience. The value for money is excellent, with top-notch facilities that deserve a full 5 stars. The breakfast exceeded expectations, earning a perfect score. Overall, AB Hotel Hikone provides a fantastic stay with its prime location, cleanliness, value for money, and outstanding facilities. I highly recommend it to fellow travelers seeking a delightful and comfortable accommodation experience in Hikone, Japan.
This isn’t our first stay at a Vessel Inn, and it likely won’t be the last. They’ve become a safe, reliable choice for us whenever we travel around Japan. The room at Vessel Inn Shiga Moriyama was exactly what we expected—clean, well-maintained, and equipped with the standard amenities and toiletries we’ve come to appreciate. We didn’t get a chance to use the hotel facilities this time, so can’t comment on those. Our main concern is always the cleanliness of the bed and overall comfort, and we’re glad to say it passed with flying colors. No funky surprises, just a peaceful night’s rest. One thing that stood out: the room size felt more spacious than what we’re used to in places like Osaka. Definitely a plus when you’ve got luggage or just want to breathe a little easier. All in all, a solid stay that gave us what we needed—nothing fancy, but exactly right.
Really comfortable hotel with very good breakfast and free bicycle rent. Thete is a hair dryer and a cattle in the room. It is close to the station. Wonderful onsen is 10 min bicycle ride from it. The girls on the reception are very helpful. When I forgot my bag in onsen hall, they called there and saved the situation.
This place gave us a truly memorable experience. The owner couple treated us like family, and the grandmother’s kindness warmed our hearts. The peaceful countryside setting, traditional Japanese house, relaxing onsen, and the generous, delicious breakfast made our stay absolutely perfect. この宿で、本当に忘れられない素晴らしい体験をさせていただきました。 ご主人と奥様は家族のように温かく迎えてくださり、おばあさまの優しさが心に深く残っています。 静かな田舎の風景、伝統的な日本家屋、心身ともに癒される温泉、そして品数豊富でとても美味しい朝食のおかげで、滞在はまさに完璧なものでした。
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