Ōtsu hotellia

Plussat: Food was awesome!!

Plussat: Great service from all the staff. Very comfortable rooms. Food was amazing. Onsen has amazing views on L11.

Miinukset: Location is a bit inconvenient. Games room is a bit old and run down. Mahjong room is a bit too expensive.

Plussat: Our room with the private onsen was excellent! The room was very clean and they provided us with complete amenities. The staff were really friendly. We also availed for the half-board and the dinner was really delicious. I would recommend for those booking this hotel to avail for the dinner and breakfast as they are both worth the money and will save you time as well. For anyone who wants to relax and experience staying in a Japanese-style hotel, I would recommend booking here especially the room with the private onsen.

Miinukset: It would be better if the payment would go be done directly through websites such as booking.com or any other trusted website. The email that was sent by the hotel looked a bit dodgy so I was hesitant to pay through the PayPal link that was sent. I had to confirm first and make a call to the hotel to make sure that the email was really sent by them.

Plussat: Love the choices of bath available, the staff were very friendly and helpful, and the cleanliness.

Miinukset: The room is a bit smaller than I expected, but that's just because I stayed at a bigger room at a different ryokan.

Plussat: We like staying there we try japanase style room and we were enjoy there and love it . The private onsen was great and very clean. The staff very helpful.

Miinukset: We did not like the dinner .

Plussat: Lovely Kaiseki dinner and authentic Japanese breakfast was provided. The staff were considerate to remember my request for specific meal plan (no beef and pork) as one of my family members requested so. We expected to eat in our room but had our meals in the restaurant instead as our room only had one room. As such, staff came and set up the bedding in our tatami room when we were having our meal. The room though old, was impeccably clean. The indoor bath on the second floor was old but big and clean. The outdoor bath on the 5th floor was incredible and the locker/powder room area was big, warm and clean. The bath on the 8th and 11th floor were smaller than expected but still great to soak. While the bath on the 8th and 11th floor have a view of the lake, it must be noted that Yumotokan is still a distance away from the lake, as such, we could only see the lake in the distance. On the day of the check-out, we did not know that the shuttle bus to the station operated at certain timings only. The staff called us 2 taxis due to the amount of luggage we had. However, 1 taxi could only arrive 20 minutes later, which was too late for us as we had a train to catch. The staff asked us if we were alright with taking just 1 taxi (which could arrive 10 minutes earlier), but shared that one of us would have hug the extra suitcase due to the lack of boot space. We told them we were okay with that as it was only a 5 minute car ride to the station. However, the staff decided that that was not okay for us and found one of the front desk staff who was licensed to drive the shuttle to ferry us to the station. This was such a kind and generous gesture and we were so touched by it! Really thankful to the front desk staff at Yumotokan who helped us catch our train on time! This was our first onsen inn experience and the service standard and cleanliness standard of the hotel shone through.

Miinukset: It was difficult that many of the staff around the hotel could not speak English. However, they really really tried their best to help us and answer our queries. Really appreciate that! (Front desk staff were more equipped in speaking English though)

Plussat: evrything good and meet my expectation

Plussat: The staff were all super friendly and provided great service! The breakfast was excellent! The bed was comfortable!

Plussat: - Staff was nice - Room was good

Miinukset: - The "view on the lake" is not really as described - There was cockroaches and insects in the onsen....

Plussat: The room was very clean and comfortable. Delicious breakfast.

Miinukset: It is really cold to use the outdoor bath within the room during winter. You would have to shower at outdoor bath before dipping into tub.

Plussat: Very authentic experience of traditional ryokan. Loved the bath in room and at the rooftop. Pretty interior, big room, yukata, tea. Interesting and cute town, very friendly personal, picked us up from station and brought us back, japanese breakfast

Miinukset: Limited english, except one receptionist, but it didnt hinder the communication:) the town a bit empty, not a lot of food choices or much to see but for one or two days enough:) Considering the building there is specific smell, but it didnt bother much. Price for the private bath is a bit much in my opinion but i still loved the experience. But In overall we had amazing stay!

Plussat: The service was outstanding, the staff were very welcoming and always friendly. The food was delicious and the baths though only 2 public ones, were comfortable for soaking. The private pool in our room was superb for anyone not wanting to use the public baths.

Miinukset: Wasn't much to see or do close by. Only 2 public onsen pools for each sex, they are probably the same in design which is probably why they don't swap them around.

Plussat: Dinner was great. Lots of variety and tasty dishes And room was great too, very authentic Japanese ryokan which is why we spent a bit extra on this one

Miinukset: Being rushed at our welcome drink, only sat down and had a sip before lady wanted to take us to room And wanted to have drink before dinner at 5.30 but got told we needed to go to dinner which we had booked for 6 Paying an onsen tax on check out that had not been explained to us Didn’t make it as a relaxing experience as hoped for. Felt always doing something wrong.

Plussat: The quality of service in this smaller ryokan impressed me. We were slightly late and they sent someone in the street to look for us. We had a person assigned to us during our stay, and she made sure everything was perfect. We appreciated meeting the very cute and cuddly resident Shiba Inus. The room was lovely too. The food was great.

Miinukset: We were hoping for a scenic view of the lake. Our room did have a view of the lake, but not particularly scenic. We were hoping to find a nice lakefront area within walking distance from the hotel, but to no avail. The onsen facilities were great, however I wished there was a cold bath and a steam room in addition to the indoors + outdoors hotbaths.

Plussat: The private Onsen we booked is better than expectation.

Miinukset: I suggest the restaurants can add partition to let people have higher privacy.

Plussat: We booked a room with an open air hot spring bath, which was one of the many highlights. Our room faced the lake and had a beautiful view. The kaiseki dinner was amazing on both nights, with the first one being a typical kaiseki and the second with an emphasis on crab. Breakfast was very good too. Lastly, the hospitality was something that blew me away. Everyone was so friendly to us, so eager to explain and guide us through the inn, the food, and the various traditions that are involved. It was not intimidating at all, and the hospitality definitely had a lasting impression on me.

Miinukset: Some construction was going on during the middle of the day (11am~1pm). It's not a huge deal since most people are out during that time, and it's understandable for the maintenance of the property.

Plussat: 1. In-room onsen and kaiseki dinner were good. 2. Staff can speak some English and are generally helpful.

Miinukset: 1. Daily room cleaning needs improvement. There was still hair on the floor and in the sinks after daily room cleaning. Also some used plates were not cleaned. 2. Housekeeping threw away food containers that we kept in a plastic bag (which we placed on a chair) without asking.

Plussat: I have been to other Japanese style hotels in Hokkaido, so this hotel is not stunning at first sight. However the longer i stay, the better we feel: food is amazing, first night dinner is Kaiseki which is just normal, second night is Snow crab and third night is Wagyu Sukiyaki which are fantatic! Breakfast is exceeding my expectation too. Food is definitely the highlight and i suggest staying more than just one night, so you get the time to value the great food and service. The view from room is good, although it is not as close to the lake as i thought, but all the rooms are facing lake and south. It is a bit far away from Kyoto city, but hotel has free shuttle to the nearest station.

Miinukset: I don't blame it to hotel, but booking.com mismatched my booking and booked me a western style room when i wanted a Japanese style room...but hotel managed to settle this although just for part of my journey.

Plussat: Staff was extremely professional and helpful, and almost everyone was English fluent. Room was luxurious, with plenty of space, a great view, and a wonderful outdoor bath. Choice between futon or a western style bed was also appreciated. The food was excellent, for both lunch and dinner. The course included a wide variety of dishes, which were explained in detail by our server. The hot springs were very relaxing, with outdoor and indoor options available. I also utilized the sauna often. The Onsen area also includes many different soaps and creams to use, which were interesting to try. Overall, I had a wonderful time at Biwako Hanakaido, and would love to go back.

Miinukset: It’s a bit of a trip to get to KIX, and it’s a decent distance from Kyoto or Osaka. We also didn’t find much else to do in the area, besides pick up food from a nearby drug store. However, the second isn’t much of an issue, given that you can spend most of your time relaxing at the hotel.

Plussat: 1. Paying lots of attention to guests’ safety. 2. Concerning every detail of guests’ demands. 3. Providing remarkable breakfasts with reasonable price.

Miinukset: None.

Plussat: thank you for shuiji couple. their breakfast is the best. they are so nice and patient. if i have chance i will travel to ostu and i will live there one more time. i can feel the Japanese culture. we are Cider and Aileen. see you next time.

Miinukset: nothing

Plussat: Bicycle service is good.

Plussat: Quiet., clean ,good kitchen and walking distance (10minutes) to restaurants and supermarkets. We cooked twice for ourselves Less than 30minutes to Kyoto central. Bikes available and Lake Biwa has 200km of graded,sealed paths. Rooms were spacious and the 2 aircons were great. We are away this time for4 months so tend to be on the budget side of average.

Miinukset: Been married for 38 years. Single futons were a bit different but were comfortable enough.

Plussat: Shuttle service between JR station and hotel. Room size when compared with other similar grade hotel.

Miinukset: Coffee cups should provide with sauce plates and spoons and I need more coffee !!

Plussat: The location, cleanliness of the room and the panoramic view from my room

Plussat: The lakeview is splendid and breakfast is really good. They also helped me to book a table at a restaurant in Otsu.

Miinukset: Outdoor onsen is not big.

Plussat: The restaurants inside the hotel were all excellent! Four different restaurants inside the hotel and one had four different styles of cuisines for a total of seven excellent resturants!

Miinukset: You must get reservations, all restaurants always crowded.

Plussat: Nice lake views from hotel room. Parking was free for hotel guests. Good location next to shopping malls, relaxing spring bath, great service.

Miinukset: Nothing.

Plussat: Everything else. Nice large rooms. Excellent lake views. Japanese bath-house experience.

Miinukset: Pillows were too old and firm.

Plussat: Kylpyläalue ja japanilaistyylinen huone ovat viihtyisät. Maisema huoneesta hieno.

Miinukset: Käytävämelu kuuli todella selvästi huoneeseen. Hotellin ulkopuolella Ruokaravintoloiden tarjonta ja aukioloajat olivat vaatimattomat. Kannatta varata ruoka hotellilta varauksen yhteydessä varmistaakseen ruokailun pääsyn

Plussat: Staffs are very nice

Plussat: Love the onsen!

Miinukset: I had expected a better view for a reservation for Lake view room (I don’t think I am unreasonable - see photo attached)

Plussat: The hotel is on the lake side. It is elegant n cozy, with attention to details, not the posh and luxurious type. Our rooms were very spacious with open bath in the balcony with full lake view. Can u imagine seeing the sun rise in a cold day from the balcony while soaking in the open bath and sipping a chilled sake? The beddings are very comfortable and my husband was obsessed with their pillow that he had to buy one back to use at home. Breakfast was soooooo good that I decided to set an alarm to wake up for it. Note that I am normally not a breakfast person even it's included to the room, so you can guess how good the breakfast was. Dinner was absolutely amazing from appetizers to dessert and coffee. We had Omi beef every night and the portion was really generous that we almost couldn't finish it. The staff team was attentive, cheerful and friendly. It's really heartwarming to see their kind smiles around the hotel.

Miinukset: There's nothing I don't like about it.

Plussat: The staff was outstanding nice, the breakfast was in our booking and was also outstanding great. We booked the dinner in the hotel Restaurant and it was a great meal with different dishes and high quality fish and meat. My Gf speaks Japanese so I don't know if the staff can speak English, but all in all it was great :)

Plussat: I liked the view of the lake from my room , this was my first onsen experience so i took the private one as a result . In addition , the dinner was very good and delicious especially the omi beef. The facilitates were also great with outside chairs and tables at garden and very impressive light decor , and The foot bathing was also very nice.

Miinukset: The check-in time was a bit late at 15:00 PM , it would have been better if it was at 14:00 PM at least i can enjoy the room in the afternoon a little bit before dinner time comes . In addition , there was a little problem once you open the balcony door , some little mosquito enter the room which was a bit annoying getting rid of them. Last but not least , it would have been better to include other entertainment option other than Karaoke such as billiards or football table.

Plussat: A great bed

Miinukset: No water provided

Plussat: great scenery, location

Plussat: Very good room, big, clean, great view, great staff at check-in even she is a trainee (M. Sono).

Miinukset: The buffet in the morning is just so so comparing the the other hotels in Japan. No special points.

Plussat: Superb view and nice environment

Miinukset: Just the restaurant is a bit crowded in the morning, need to get there earlier.

Plussat: Very clean and nice view

Plussat: Awesome hotsprings, friendly staff

Miinukset: The beds were rock hard!

Plussat: Great Ryokan that keeps up the image you have when you think japanese style inn. The baths in the other facility were great especially the outdoor ones.

Plussat: Spacious room. Option to enjoy yomotokan onsen

Miinukset: Pillow is too hard and high

Plussat: The property is very clean and the dinner and breakfast were sumptuous! The onsen in the property is very small and is indoor and the room slightly small as well. However, you can and should definitely use the onsen in the sister property next door, Yumotokan for 600 yen per person per day. The onsen next door is lovely and overlook Biwa Lake. There is a shuttle to the property from the nearby subway station which you can call the property for when you arrive at the station. They will also send you to the subway station when you check out. Overall a very enjoyable stay.

Miinukset: Small indoor onsen

Plussat: We love the breakfast and dinner.

Plussat: The staff were very helpful as we only speak English and Spanish. They told us all about the amenities including the first-hour free for the private onsen. Loved it here!

Miinukset: Everything was amazing. Well done!

Plussat: Food

Miinukset: Bath

Plussat: Free Onsen bath and free parking space was the bonus of the hotel. The staff was extremely helpful and kind. We enjoyed staying with them. Beautiful location next to the sea. Free bicycle rental servoce

Miinukset: Maybe the price could have been a little bit lower. The station of the train was 20 minutes walking away but you could always use for free a bicycle.

Plussat: Location is my favourite option about View Lodge Biwa. Even more, it is why I chose this place to stay. The View Lodge Biwa is just about 20 meters from the lake. You can rent a bike for good price. The room is clean. Atmosphere inside is very calm. There is an onsen where you can relax. P.S. We were the first Russians staying at View Lodge Biwa! Historic moment! haha :D

Plussat: Staff were extremely helpful and pleasant, the onsen is great too

Miinukset: Location is a bit out of the way but not in a remote beach hut way...Facing one way you're on the beach looking out on to the expansive Lake Biwa, beautiful, face the other way and it's suburbia!

Plussat: Hotel location was superb and our bedroom was spacious and extremely comfortable. It was very good value for money and the buffet breakfast provided options for all tastes. Shuttle service to and from railway station was very useful.

Plussat: We loved our room so large for Japan. Great view of the lake and a fantastic breakfast. The indoor pool was a great bonus.

Miinukset: There really wasn't anything we didn't like. Just felt it would have been amazing with a bit of maintenance on the grounds.

Plussat: The Spa at the hotel was amazing

Miinukset: The facilities are very simple. The price is too high for the value

Plussat: We stayed for 2 weeks visiting family and had a good size room with seating area and a fridge. The room was very quiet with a huge comfortable bed - we slept very well! Staff were extremely polite, helpful and friendly ... and the huge buffet breakfast catered for all tastes. The bus to Ishiyama station was regular and a great bonus, although we also walked to Seta station.

Plussat: Although a bit dated the hotel has very large and clean rooms, a generous breakfast and extremely friendly staff.

Miinukset: There is not much around so you need to take the shuttle bus and get a train to Otsu. The hotel offers a free shuttle once every hour.

Plussat: Excellent location, and its a little europe right in the heart if Japan. The lake view is beautiful!

Plussat: Classy hotel with dated decor. Very spacious room and excellent bathroom and layout. Very good choice of food for breakfast. The free Shuttle bus to Ishiyama Station was useful. Very good diner down the road called Joyful, next to Lawsons shop. Very good food and price.

Miinukset: We were down about 30 minutes before breakfast ended on the first morning and some of the food was only tepid. It should have been hotter. TV has no English speaking channels. Restaurants were pricey. Too far from Kyoto city centre but trains will get you there in 30 mins. Extra charges for gym, pool and spa, etc.

Plussat: Location is good - fairly near the train station. Clean, friendly owner.

Miinukset: Would rather stay in Osaka for the price - beds are just ok, and unlike most Japanese dorms that are built with curtains for privacy, this one isn't.

Plussat: The owner is very kind and smiling. We had a big room with kitchen and fridge for our group. There was a parking nearby, 600 yens all night.

Plussat: The location--walkable to both JR Otsu and Keihan Hamaotsu Stations, Lake Biwa, & convenience stores--was excellent. We even saw a bit of the Sanno-Sai festival down the block one evening! Multiple showers, sinks, toilets, bunk beds, & trash receptacles were very practical/helpful. Microwave, toaster oven, washing machine, and heater/cooler all worked fine.

Miinukset: The decor had more of a Chinese flair than wabi-sabi, and the WiFi was spotty at times, especially on newer devices.

Plussat: It was walking distance to to the subway stations. Very close to the waterfront.

Miinukset: We reserved a private room that was not private. We got a room that was sectioned off so the "walls" did not touch the ceiling. If there were other guests, you can hear their conversations from the common area.

Plussat: No

Miinukset: Nothing

Plussat: Not much

Miinukset: Run down place. Facility poor -kitchen not very clean and supplies were haphazard. Bed so hard I had to sleep ion a very small couch to get any sleep at all. I had to call the okusan in order to check-in. What if I hadnt had a phone??? II had to call her to come back latef since there were no English instructors for how to use the heat and it was freezing cold. The place was so musty that I felt unwell and gave up after 1 night. Id like a refund of the 2nd night!

Plussat: The hostel is quite small but is very clean and has everything you need including kettle, microwave , washing machine and tea/coffee facilities. Great access to both JR and Keihan train stations which made sight-seeing really easy. The owner was super helpful and happy to answer any questions and also responded to messages through booking.com in a timely manner. She also has a little cafe/pork bun shop in the nearby shopping mall which is super cute and worth asking her about so you can go and check it out!

Plussat: Owner was very nice and helpful. Great location, very close to tram station.

Plussat: Nice little guesthouse. The owner is very helpful and will do everything she can to provide for all your requests. (She took the time to take me to a doctor for my bad knee)

Plussat: Location is very near to train station

Miinukset: Coffee not provided in room or lobby. Staff refused to issue 2nd room card

Plussat: The proximity to the train station was very nice.

Miinukset: Walls were very thin, yelling kids next door the first night made it a challenge to sleep. If they wouldn't have left the next day we would have requested another room.

Plussat: Room size was good. Breakfast was good.

Miinukset: Room seems a bit old and could do with new paint / wall paper. Bathroom small.

Plussat: The room size was good

Plussat: lake view

Miinukset: no heater all in the resort n no adjustment of temperature in the room.

Plussat: 1. the room is slightly bigger then the ones in other cities. 2. all necessities are provided.

Miinukset: 1. the hotel is a bit old 2. is a bit expensive as there is no facility (such as laundry)

Plussat: New type

Miinukset: There was noting shopping mall around the hotel.

Plussat: The bed was comfortable. The room was clean and the view was interesting. I would stay there again.

Miinukset: The Pillows were not comfortable at all.

Plussat: Reasonable price

Miinukset: Car park around is quite full.

Plussat: Near Kyoto yet not in it

Miinukset: Space for unpacked gear

Plussat: Location, staff, facilities, breakfast fantastic. Brand new, modern and spotless. Close to station, convenience stores, supermarket. Spacious room and super comfortable large bed.

Miinukset: Walls paper thin, heard guy next door snoring. Heating much too hot in winter, I had to borrow a fan from reception.

Plussat: Location: it's only half a minute walk to train station and bus station. Everything worked fine. Breakfast was simple but tasty.

Miinukset: A bit dated. Otherwise nothing wrong with this business hotel.