Nikko Kanaya Hotel

This historic hotel has hosted many celebrities over the years. In Japanese style service is impeccable. The building is not flashy, but the rooms are at least twice the size of a typical hotel room in Japan. Nice for a change, even though the rooms could use a bit of renovating.||The location is great for visiting the shrine. Just a 10 minute walk up the road. They also have an excellent restaurant serving fresh local food among mostly Japanese customers.||The walk from the main street up to the hotel is a bit steep, so if you have luggage better use a taxi.

The service at this hotel was truly exceptional—absolutely out of this world. We had no idea it carried such a long and iconic history, but we definitely felt it during our stay. The staff were warm, sophisticated, and incredibly attentive, which made a huge difference. While the hotel and rooms do show their age, there's a distinct charm to it all. The atmosphere was cozy, welcoming, and incredibly comfortable—like a home away from home. Some facilities may feel a bit dated, but the overall experience more than made up for it. Don’t miss the garden walk along the riverside—it was easily one of our favorite spots in all of Nikko.

We are foreigners. We specifically arranged a trip to Nikko to celebrate my husband's birthday. Having heard about the history of Nikko Kanaya, we specially booked a one-night stay on Agoda. The positive aspects of the hotel are as follows: 1. The dinner included in the one-night stay with two meals was especially delicious. 2. The birthday cake we pre-ordered (a 9cm cake priced at 2800 yen) was beautiful and exquisite. 3. The night tour guide of the hotel was interesting, and we learned a lot about the hotel's history. The aspects that were less satisfactory: 1. Although there are many foreign tourists in Nikko, the overall English proficiency of most of the hotel's staff is poor. They basically speak Japanese in daily conversations, especially in the restaurant. There are no English introductions to the dishes, so we can only guess, which is very unfriendly to foreigners. 2. Not sure if it was due to their limited English communication skills, but when we checked in, we were not informed about the hotel tour at 5 pm or the early morning walk tour the next day (500 yen per person). Although we are foreigners, we would have been happy to participate in these activities. Of course, these activities were all conducted in Japanese. 3. All the window seats in the restaurant were empty during dinner, but we were told they were all reserved, so we couldn't enjoy the beautiful view through the window. Even though we had informed them in advance that we were celebrating a birthday, no staff member had informed us in advance whether we needed to reserve a window seat. 4. The birthday cake we pre-paid for was great, but the waiter didn't bring birthday candles when serving it. So we couldn't blow out the candles and make a wish, which was very regretful. 5. As mentioned in other reviews, the rooms in the main building of the hotel are very old, which is not commensurate with the booking price. The staircases and corridors have an unpleasant smell. Although we are foreigners, we have stayed in many resort hotels in both urban and rural areas of Japan, and the overall hardware configuration here did not meet our expectations. 6. There is no separate meal set for children on the breakfast menu, and the price of a la carte items is extremely high. A glass of milk costs 800 yen, which shocked us. In short, Kanaya Hanaya Hotel itself is very attractive, but the overall service and the feeling the hotel gives are a kind of "noble indifference". We don't know if the experience would be better as a Japanese citizen, but overall, it's not worth it for foreign tourists, and we won't choose to stay here again.

This place really shows its history, and by that I mean: It's old. The floors creak above and below so it's seldom quiet. Plus, the prices for drinks (2,500-ish yen) and food (4,000-6,000 yen) would lead you to think it's the height of luxury (1920s), but I'd recommend other locations. And that doesn't mention the steep STEEP driveway you will be walking luggage up to get to the hotel. To the owners/managers: a little fresh paint, ground maintenance, and reduced cost items would go a long way.

A classic hotel where some iconic figures, including Albert Einstein and many more, once stayed. If you're interested in history, this is a must-visit

I loved my stay at Nikko Kanaya. First, there is a complimentary shuttle to pick you up from the train station (only a few pick-ups so you might want to schedule your train accordingly); otherwise city bus will drop you off but you will have to walk up a slightly long driveway. You are greeted by the nicest staff; everyone was such a delight! ||I stayed in the older part of the hotel, and it is old. (I heard that they renovated one building, but pretty expensive). I had room 54 - paid $369 for 2 nights - included a western breakfast, and dinner. Great deal! My room was spacious and had beautiful views. There is a slight odor, and I thought it might be musty, but I was in a wood shop later on in my stay and recognized it to be the same smell. So there is a "woodsy" odor; the floor seemed to slightly slant, but it didn't bother me in the least. ||The breakfast is a Western style breakfast - you can order traditional Japanese breakfast 24 hours in advance, at at addt'l price; the dinner was absolutely amazing - 5 courses and just beautiful ||The history of the hotel is displayed throughout, and it is an amazing story. So many dignitaries have visited here. ||Great location - directly next to Shinkyo Bridge - I walked to the Shrines/Temple from the hotel - bus picks you up in front of the hotel if heading to Lake Chuzenji. ||I would definitely return - lovely!!

Arriving at the train station, I found out the shuttle bus for the hotel wouldn't arrive for another 45 minutes, so we opted to walk there. It takes about half an hour but going uphill in the blazing sun was a bit torturous. The driveway is also very steep, so beware if you have a lot of baggage. Hotel has a wealth of history. It hosted a lot of famous guests in the early 20th century. Modern hotels are sterile in comparison. It's an old building, so is draughty and full of ancient furniture. This may be a turnoff for some but I found it completely charming.

Nikki Kanaya Hotel: Lovely, Really||Even the winter landscape here is quite inspiring, even if a little melancholic"||Propositions in Winter||Here, in Nikko, the snow is trying desperately to hold on|      to the smallest branch and hill, |the distant mountains surrounding us, |      blue and gray in the fog.||But the Buddha is unmoved,|      the stone lanterns offer no light |in the darkness, no way |      forward or back. ||There was never a road, |      only the naked branches in winter, and the soul, |not more than the wind stirring |      in the branches.||Despite the sentiments in this poem, I must say our room here is large with an amazing view of the gardens from one window, and the mountains from another. ||The town is in walking distance, and worth a trip. Lots of fine eateries and stores offering trinkets. ||Nikko is a perfect diversion in winter, especially if you are in the mood to review your internal life. It tends to send you inward, even though the landscape is everything you could hope for during the winter season. ||I highly recommend the Nikko Kanaya Hotel. This is one of the oldest western style hotels in Japan, if not the oldest, and, in fact, it manages to conjure a perfect harmony between West and Far East sensibilities.||We will stay here for a few days, before going to Kyoto, and then Tokyo. I will try to keep you updated. ||RICHARD MILAZZO|richardmilazzo.com