Hotels With Pools in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Hotel Otsu Biwako was absolutely superb in terms of both facilities and service. It was the most satisfying hotel stay during my entire trip to Japan. We were given a high-floor room with a delightful view. There's a large VALU supermarket just a 5-minute walk from the hotel, and the drugstore next to it offers tax-free shopping. About a ten-minute walk away, there's also a sushi restaurant with excellent value for money and incredibly fresh ingredients.

This hotel is located right by Lake Biwa, and every room boasts a large balcony where you can take in the stunning lake views. It's truly refreshing and uplifting! The hotel offers a convenient shuttle bus service right from the JR station, with pretty good frequency. Although you could walk to the hotel, providing a shuttle for this distance really shows their thoughtfulness. The onsen (hot spring) is definitely a major plus. The water quality, temperature, and ventilation were all perfect for us. Plus, enjoying the outdoor bath with views of Lake Biwa and a gentle breeze, while soaking away the day's fatigue, was just sublime! Highly recommended; I'll definitely choose this hotel again next time I'm in Otsu!

Facilities: The hotel boasts excellent facilities, including indoor courts for basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Cleanliness: Spotless. Environment: Stunning views of Lake Biwa directly from the room. Service: The front desk and restaurant staff provided excellent service.

The hotel is slightly dated but has a strong Japanese aesthetic—stepping inside feels like entering a novel, reminiscent of a quiet rendezvous setting. We arrived after 7 p.m., by which time the hotel no longer served food, and the surrounding area was very dark and quiet, leaving Uber Eats as the only option. If you want to try the kaiseki dinner, be sure to make a reservation well in advance. The private in-room onsen was a major highlight. It offered excellent privacy, and soaking in hot water on a cold winter night was deeply relaxing. In the morning, the misty view outside the window was beautiful. The public baths are gender-separated and require full nudity; they are open until midnight and well equipped with toiletries. At check-in, guests receive small amenity kits and face masks. There is also a bar open from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., which was a nice bonus.

Check in was not smooth simply because the male receptionist did not bother to explain to us that the room we've booked is actually classified as cottage & was separate from main building & need to drive there, even though he saw us with our many luggages offloaded from our car & pushed to reception area. By the time I figured out with the help of another female receptionist the actual location of our room, my husband has already followed the male receptionist's map instruction to look for numbered car park slot to park our car & then walked all the way back to the reception area to meet me. There is no buggy or any form of transport or concierge to assist us. In the end, we borrowed a trolley & wheeled all our luggages on road to our room. The toilet bowl smells bad & despite washing the floor & spraying anti odour, the smell persisted. There is no free wifi. However, overall, we are satisfied with our stay as the big room size (5 single beds) with many aircon units & the dedicated car park slot just right outside our room made it convenient for us to load our luggage when we check out. Overall, if you need a big room & dedicated parking slot, this is still good hotel to stay, since most hotel room in Japan is really small. The other reason we chose this hotel is the location near the sea where we were hoping to catch the sunset but we didn't managed to due to rain & super cloudy sky : (

I was thoroughly impressed by the hotel's onsen, which offered a truly relaxing experience. The only downside is its somewhat remote location, making it a bit far from other attractions. However, this is compensated by the superb view from the room, which provides a breathtaking and serene backdrop.

The hotel is located in a very special place. It is in the village, right by Lake Biwa. There are dinner and breakfast. The dinner is the famous local Sukiyaki pot, and the breakfast is traditional food. The hotel is very clean, but the facilities are old. There is a public bathroom and outdoor hot spring where you can look up at the stars. We are the only family living on the whole floor. Due to the location, there are very few people. The toilet is outside the house, which is a bit inconvenient. The service is very Japanese, warm and polite.