Nara Hotel

Outstanding historic hotel walking distance to Nara Deer Park. Excellent staff and lovely old world feel. Beds are comfy, rooms are spacious, bathrooms adequate w tub. We had lovely tree views in new section. Both sections new and old are available at check in. The dining areas are superb with high ceilings and impeccable service. Would highly recommend to stay here at least 2 night if not more!

We had an unforgettable stay at the Nara Hotel. But what made our experience truly extraordinary was the concierge, Mr. Hatanaka. From the moment we arrived, he went above and beyond in every way. He not only helped us with directions and bookings, but also personally recommended restaurants that were absolute gems and places we would have never discovered on our own. His attention to detail, care and professionalism made us feel so welcome. He made mine, my husbands and my daughters stay exceptional and we really hope that management recognized what a treasure they have in him.

We chose Nara Hotel for its historic charm and stayed two nights to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary on July 12. Unfortunately, the anniversary dinner turned out to be a disappointment. The table next to ours was occupied by Japanese guests who were drinking and speaking loudly throughout the meal. The noise level made it nearly impossible for us to hear the explanations from the waitstaff about the dishes and wine pairings—an essential part of a fine dining experience.||Only after those guests left did we realize how peaceful the ambiance should have been. I raised the issue with the head receptionist, who could only offer a verbal apology, with no gesture of goodwill or attempt to make up for the ruined experience.||This was not the tranquil, memorable evening we had hoped for. A hotel of such reputation should have better crowd management and customer care.

After the 50 mins journey on the early morning Kintetsu train from Kyoto, we rejoiced at arriving in Nara with the park-like atmosphere and the ubiquitous gentle deer roaming along the pedestrian pathway. We had a lovely stroll to Nara hotel passing the serene Ara pond with the lush greenery. Soon we arrived at the entrance to Nara Hotel. There is a bus stop opposite to this entrance. We walked up a short distance along the gentle slope to the main entrance of the hotel. We left our day bag here and walked to Todaiji temple. The weather was cool on that day and we saw many deer being fed with the senbei biscuits sold around here. After a day of sightseeing and an early dinner at Kura at 4 pm, we strolled back to Nara Hotel passing numerous interesting shops such as Cat Goods Store. Near to Hotel Obana is a sign indicating the short-cut back to Nara Hotel. We were pleasantly surprised to see so many vintage cars at the carpark. We learnt that the participants of the Destination Rally (May 7-May 30) were staying at this hotel for a night. The hotel was built in the style that blends Japanese and German architectural design by Kingo Tatsuno. This design philosophy is reflected in the combination of the torii gate and the fireplace seen in the lobby. Audrey Hepburn took a photo at the grand staircase with the unique Japanese style chandelier. We stayed at the main building. We toured the Sakura room to look at piano played by Albert Einstein, the Grand clock with the lovely tones played every 15 mins. Especially beautiful are the radiators found along the corridors and Sakura room which were installed in 1914 to replace the fireplaces. We loved wearing the white pyjamas provided in the room and soaking in the bathtub after a long day of walking. ||Breakfast was a highlight of our stay here. Mikasa is an elegant dining room and we chose the Japanese option with porridge. The presentation was dainty and the food was delicious. We took the free 8 am shuttle to the JR Nara Station to take a train to Tenri Station to do our walk of the Yamanobe-no-michi trail.

The rooms are amazing. Fantastic price. Can't be beaten in value and quality. Also very big. The location is prime, sitting atop a beautiful hill. Sunsets are nothing less than stunning here. They carried our luggage all over the place, and they had a shuttle bus to and from the station. It was truly an amazing experience. If you book right, you can pay less than a standard APA room. Next time I want to stay a whole week! Bravo to this monument and the crew that operates it 👏

Beautiful location, but a bit of a walk to other main parts of town. Staff were remarkably friendly and helpful. Interesting to stay somewhere with some history too! We found that it was close to a great hike along a creek up to an ancient Buddha cave, so if a little hiking is your goal, this hotel is the perfect place!

This is a Classical European style Japanese hotel more than 100 yrs. old which gives a definite feeling of aristocracy. And rightly so. The Royal family of Japan including the Emperor and the Empress stay here during visit to Nara. As also did the great scientist Einstein. There are photographs of many well known personalities in their lounge to view. The entrance decorations furniture and the construction of solid wood give a feeling of antiquity. Very well located in close proximity of Todai-ji temple and Nara park it is easily approachable from the railway station. Rooms are large with all modern facilities. There are both European and Japanese restaurants. The food and service in the main restaurant is a memorable experience. The variety and presentation is excellent. Crockery and cutlery beautiful. Some silverware bear markings of being more than 75 rears old. The staff very polite and helpful. Overall an awesome feeling.

This delightful hotel is over 100 years old. It's very "old school" and formal and brings you back to bygone years of travel. It seems to be very popular with Japanese people, and I think we were the only non-Japanese we saw during our stay. It's a very short walk to Nara Park, and the deer. The hotel's main dining room is a delight. Well worth a stay!