5-Star Hotels in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Transportation: The hotel is right next to Changbin Station, very close, so there's no need for a shuttle. Room: The carpet in the room had a strange, foot-odor-like smell, as if something had been spilled on it. However, the bed faced a scenic window, which was quite nice, though the curtains weren't blackout. Hot Springs: The outdoor hot springs weren't particularly clean. My friend, who has allergies (but usually doesn't react to topical exposure), had an allergic reaction after using them. Entertainment: There's a game room with activities like table tennis, which doesn't require reservations. You can just go in when it's empty, which is pretty good. Food: The breakfast and dinner were fantastic, no complaints there. The restaurant also had a great view, and I even saw a rainbow in the morning. The snacks were good too.

This hotel offers incredible value for money! It's located right by Lake Biwa in Otsu City, boasting stunning views and an affordable price. Getting here is easy: from Otsu Station's North Exit, cross the road directly and walk about 20 meters to your left. You'll spot a small platform – I've included the train schedule in the photos for reference. There's a convenient mini-mart on the first floor for snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. For breakfast, you have a choice of two floors. The 36th floor offers Japanese-style breakfast, but by 8 AM, it was full. The 37th floor, however, has plenty of Western and Japanese options, so you won't have to wait. Near the hotel, you'll find a large supermarket and a fantastic, highly recommended BBQ restaurant – delicious and budget-friendly. Taking a stroll along the lakeside is incredibly relaxing. You'll see many eagles 🦅, people fishing, and dog walkers – it's wonderful to experience the laid-back town life. Staying here makes it easy to visit the Lake Biwa observation deck and Kyoto.

A beautiful hotel with a stunning view of Lake Biwa. The Shuttle bus to and from Katata station made it convenient, as long as you time your transport well, and the staff were very friendly and professional. We recommend staying here for a more peaceful and luxurious experience in Kyoto outside of the city, and it would also be good to visit shirahige shrine and cycle around Lake Biwa!

I booked the VIP room and it was huge! It really felt like a traditional ryokan, which was superb! Having the onsen right in the room was also fantastic, honestly. I absolutely loved my stay here. It was so relaxing, and the lake view was just magnificent. Since I'll be in Kyoto for the next few days, I'm definitely coming back for another night to enjoy the onsen and the stunning view of Lake Biwa again.

Lake Biwa is stunning, and this area offers much better value for money than Kyoto. The room was really big and spacious. Even though the hotel facilities are a bit old, everything was very clean. The TV was a little small, though. The large public bath was great for relaxing in the hot springs; it's not huge but definitely sufficient. The service was excellent – the front desk staff saw we had a lot of luggage and immediately helped us with a cart and brought it up. The restaurants on the first floor were surprisingly good too. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing holiday.