Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel

I would give location 5 stars for its where I like it… next to a beautiful lake, a bus stop out front for ease… but was a challenge to get to all the way from Australia, hence 4. Also, one can hire a bike for 100¥1 hr~ The on site Onsen is yen 150/day

Located on the shores of Lake Chuzenji is this lovely hotel with a rustic setting with an elaborate timber feel. We stopped here for lunch and both selected the set menu lunch special. This started with an appetiser of beautifully smoked duck, asparagus and leaves and excellent vinegarette. For mains we had the trout and the pork belly with pepper sauce coupled with excellent sides of potato, broccoli and beans. They were the perfect meal we could have ordered. We finished with a dessert plate which featured chocolate cake, strawberry sorbet and fruit. We finished off with coffee and greatly enjoyed the meal. Staff here were attentive.

The location is a bit far from the town, so be prepared that you won't have easy access to convenience stores or restaurants. Of course the hotel has pretty good restaurants and a nice onsen which is conveniently located by the hotel. It was actually quite a memorable experience walking back to your room after a relaxing dip in the onsen. The deep snow along the road made it so much more fun. All is well except the location a bit remote.

Tldr lovely, quiet, quaint location. Literally minutes from the beautiful lake chuzenji, and accessible via shuttle bus or local bus. Strict hours for the adjoining onsen though, so be mindful of timing. Expensive but satisfying dinner service.

Hotel itself is very charming. The attached onsen is delightful and includes and outdoor pool. Beautiful greenery surrounds the building, and the lake is shores are a step away. |I didn’t much like the restaurant but with out a car it’s really your only option. The menu was limited, no vegetarian options, and close to 100 dollars US. |Overall a mixed experience

We spend here just one night, but we enjoyed so much! The restaurant is amazing, offering a great menu and great service. The rooms are spacious as well as the bathroom, and the atmosphere is kind of Old times! Really nice. |You are immerse in the nature and all the rooms have the lake view, so you can enjoy the beautiful landscape. |The onsen is probably one of the best part of the hotel.. and you can enter also if you have tattoos. On top of that, the lounge at the second floor is just amazing.. lots of books, free cosse and tea, and cozy sofas!

A good hotel with a rich history. Pretty upscale though the rooms do have some wear and tear. The centre piece is the onsen with sulfiric water that is just heavenly. Very nice surroundings near the chuzenji lake about an hour by car from Nikko. A shuttle bus can take you to the hotel, but mind the times as it just runs a few times a day. Diner and breakfast were nice, but the portions were a tad small. The staff is very friendly and classicly formal. Biggest down side is that everything including you after using the onsen, smells a bit like sulfer.

We stayed at this hotel after a mistaken booking at a hotel north of Nikko. This seemed to work a lot better for the many shrines we want to visit at Nikko but not too close to the busy town and can relax by the lake and onsen at the hotel. The hotel service was excellent and all the staff is more than professional. They’re always helpful and very friendly. Rooms were dated like other review said but it is still nice and clean. The hotel just has a long history. The onsen was super relaxing and convenient when it’s in your hotel. The breakfasts and dinners that were included in our package was excellent! It was great to enjoy all the local seasonal products of Japan. You can also take a short and pleasant hike to the closest waterfall. There’s a path off the main road. The hotel is a short walk to the most beautiful boat house where you can relax and take in the serene lake view. The staff was very welcoming as well and we got some good local info. Alas, it was our last day in Nikko. There is a free hotel shuttle that takes you to the Kanaya family of hotels in the area which is a good way to visit other sightseeing spots in the area. Be sure to check the schedule before your visit. We wished we knew about it in advance since the town shuts down before 5? We had to scramble since we thought we could always take a taxi but there was no taxi to the lake part? We ended up taking the last bus (every foreigner seemed to be in this pickle). It took us more than 2 hours to get to the hotel when it should’ve been much faster because the long wait times between buses. We got the 4-day train and ferry pass for Nikko at Asakusa, Tokyo. We found out when we got to Nikko station, we can get luggage shipping cheap to hotel so we could do sightseeing before checking in the hotel. It’s a great service! In retrospect though, the hotel can probably do it for free if you don’t have a huge luggage if you plan ahead. The ferry from the pass was also a nice way to tour the lake. All and all, it was a great short trip from Tokyo. We would love to visit again in late October/November. Only very little leaf change in early October.

Great little hide away hotel in the mountain area of Nikko. Almost has a sleepy "Timberline Lodge" feel to it but not creepy just quiet. Has all the amenities one could want; such as restaurant, lounges (non alcoholic), and wifi but that is only in the common areas not in the rooms. There is an onsen but we did not partake. Dinner and breakfast is included in the price! Not going to dock a star because it is Japan after all but smoking in the rooms are allowed and unfortunately has left its odor however faint behind.

Great place to head to for the Fall Color Change. Shinkansen from Tokyo took 50 min. I nailed it perfectly 10/20/17, but YMMV. Takes less than 1hr to reach the Lake by bus and 40 min by taxi. Take the local bus from Nikko to stop 34 (1300 yen) vs taxi from Nikko 74000 yen. Have lunch in the elegant hotel dining room and coffee and Apple pie at the adjacent Yukon Cafe on the lake. Pictures at the hotel's koi pond are keepers. Perfect day trip from Tokyo.