4-Star Hotels in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Whenever I travel, I always choose a hot spring ryokan to make the entire trip even more perfect. This time, I stayed at Hanadouya Ryokan. Overall, it wasn't bad, but I wasn't entirely satisfied either. The ryokan's hot spring facilities didn't offer milk or popsicles. In the past, many hot spring ryokans I've stayed at in Japan provided milk and ice cream. Additionally, the staff's attitude was just average; not rude, but they lacked warmth and smiles. For this price, we definitely have better options.

First of all, I think the rating is inflated by the foreign travellers coming to Japan. This Ryokan is pretty much a middle / a little bit lower experience than what I've got to experience in some less popular places. I did not like the service. In general, it was lacking information a lot. When checking in, we were not offered any information about the morning transfer. Also there was no map booklet of the area offered that made us get lost a few times. These are pretty basic important service details that should be included in a quite expensive place like that. While these two weren't a major problem, the dinner and breakfast experience was somewhat disappointing for the same reason. We did not receive any explanation of the dishes, the way of cooking & eating. One of the served dishes was actually expected to be untouched by us until the next one is brought (why would you bring in the first one in the first place, or not put any sort of emphasis on this moment?). For the morning session, we also didn't get an explanation of what would be expected. We were left alone, and had to call the staff to fire the pots. And after waiting some time, we left without getting the dessert served because, as before, nothing was explained, and the whole situation felt very awkward. I think the hotel should really focus on teaching staff to explain certain things, putting more focus on when guests finish eating (or stating that the call button is the way to go), and not ignore foreigners if they don't speak Japanese that much (or expecting they don't speak Japanese). Also, we were provided only two bath towels, and that's all. No feet towel, no hand towel, no second set of bath towels. That made the experience much less comfortable. This is quite a mistake for a room that has a private bath. The room itself felt clean. The bath was nice, everything was pretty much ok. I liked the view a lot, two room setup. AC was a little bit hard to make sense of even with the ability to read basic Japanese. No coffee in the room, very basic tea set. I would not recommend this place unless you have a special interest in these room types, a discount, or these problems are fixed.

★★★★★ We had a wonderful stay at Biwako Ryokusuitei! The hotel was exceptionally clean, well-maintained, and very comfortable. The staff were incredibly friendly, polite, and attentive, making us feel truly welcome throughout our stay. We especially enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and relaxing onsen experience. Everything was thoughtfully arranged, and the hospitality was excellent. The only downside was the 10:00 AM check-out time, which felt a little too early, especially for a relaxing onsen stay. A later check-out would have made the experience even better. Overall, we had a lovely experience and would definitely recommend this hotel!

After comparing room amenities and dining options on their official website, I booked through Trip.com. It was slightly cheaper than booking directly on their site or Rakuten, and I earned Trip Coins. The hotel reception was very welcoming. On the 4th-floor lobby, there were various drinks and ice cream available for guests to enjoy freely. It was quite a treat to have ice cream while soaking my feet in the foot bath. Our room on the 9th floor was clean with an open view, and the two beds were incredibly comfortable, making it perfect for bringing elderly family members. The best part was being able to watch TV on the ceiling while lying in bed! For two female guests, they even provided a full set of beauty and skincare products, including a hairdryer, curling iron, and straightener. The room also came with a private open-air bath, offering plenty of space. You could relax in the hot spring while enjoying the views of Lake Biwa. For those who prioritize privacy, I highly recommend choosing a higher floor. The outdoor public bath on the 11th floor also offered panoramic views of Lake Biwa. Dinner was a set menu. In June, the main ingredients were eel and Omi beef. The taste was good, though I wished there was a bit more beef. The breakfast buffet included grilled/tempura blackthroat seaperch, but other dishes were pretty standard. Areas for improvement: They could offer more dinner options, such as an Omi beef set meal. The breakfast buffet also needs some enhancement.

The hotel owner is very warm and friendly. The room is very clean. Looking at the Wuhu breakfast, there is another flavor. The hotel bathroom has a heated bathtub. Very advanced experience. I highly recommend everyone to go! 😍

Located right by Lake Biwa, our room offered a view of the lake. The weather was bad, so it was foggy, but I imagine it would have been beautiful on a clear day. The top floor also has an observation bath with great views. It would have been even better if there was an open-air bath. We couldn't open the window, so we couldn't enjoy a long soak. The kaiseki dinner, featuring Omi beef shabu-shabu, was delicious. Breakfast was Japanese style, with many side dishes, like a Shokado bento. Hikone Castle is nearby, making it convenient for sightseeing.

I am very happy to take two dogs to such a beautiful place. The overall environment is very beautiful and quiet, and the dog run brought by the house also makes the puppy have a great time. Dinner and breakfast are made on-site by the staff. The ingredients are fresh and the portion is very sufficient. It is really satisfying. However, at the same time, the overall experience is very good, there are two small suggestions, I hope that the quality of service can be further improved in the future. 1️⃣ Communication on check-in time The hotel's check-in time is 15:00 〜 19:00, so guests arrive before 19:00 is a normal check-in range. On the same day, if the check-in time has not exceeded, the temporary inquiry ”about what time will arrive” will give people a little feeling of being urged. Since the hotel has set a check-in time range, the catering and reception departments may be prepared in advance according to this time period. 2️⃣ About the service experience at check-out The staff was very enthusiastic on the day of check-in. The vehicle just stopped and took the initiative to help carry the luggage, which made a very good first impression. But in contrast, there was almost no assistance when checking out. I didn't even ask if I needed help with my luggage. Since some houses here are far from the front desk, I also saw some elderly guests need to drag a lot of luggage alone to check out. I personally think that a really good hotel is not only the enthusiasm at check-in, but also whether it can still be maintained in the same meticulous and thoughtfulness when checking out. Because the feelings of the guests when they leave, it is often the last impression left by the entire stay experience. The above content is not offensive, only represents a little real feeling of the individual during the stay. I also sincerely hope that the hotel will continue to improve the service details in the future, and do not let such an excellent environment and hardware be affected by the small regrets on the service. Some items were forgotten when I checked out. Thank you for calling me to communicate with me. I will stay next time. Please take care of it.

Overall, the place was clean and the service was good! They helped me make a restaurant reservation! Unfortunately, they couldn't get an Italian dinner reservation! I'll try again next time!

The breakfast is very good and the hot spring experience is also very good. There was no one when I went there, it was just a charter. The location is right by the lake, comfortable and quiet, there is a 7-11 next to it, you can do some simple purchases. The owner of the hotel is a kind and amiable grandmother, who can recommend local activities to us in simple English. I am very grateful to her for taking care of her for a few days.

Despite the language barrier, you can still feel the enthusiasm of the service staff. There is no bathroom in the room booked this time, a large bath is enough. The free large bath has an outdoor part but no view.