We stayed 2 nights at Biwako Hotel, it is located 12 km from the iconic Kiyomizu-Dera temple in Kyoto. If you are traveling to Kyoto and not knowing where to stay. I highly recommend the Biwako Hotel. The hotels in Kyoto usually cost more expensive and the rooms are very small especially if it is located next to the train station. If you are driving a rental car, why not drive further away from Kyoto and stay in similar price range hotel but offer a bigger room, free onsen bath, and a better view?
I met a lady in the Biwako hotel onsen, she is also a tourist from Philippine, she and her husband stayed few nights at Biwako hotel and they do not drive. She told me there is a train station nearby called Hamaotsu station, just 7 minutes walk.
Hotel Room Review
The minute I open the door of my hotel room, I am speechless. There is a breathtaking view overlooking Lake Biwa. You could enjoy sunset and sunrise in the room. And yes, the room is super spacious, especially in Japan! Like I said, if you are self-driving with a rental car, go further away from the city, half an hour and you get a totally different experience.
Night view from the Varanda
Veranda with Lake Biwa
Rooms have a veranda that looks out over the lake, Italian furnishings, and a spacious bathroom. Relax and unwind in a laidback, luxurious space.
Bathroom review
Many foreigners prefer to take bath inside your room so there is a complete bathroom, a bathtub, shower and toilet and equipped with all the toiletries. I like how there is a glass door to separate the bath and the toilet so it is pretty neat.
Japanese Toilet Seat Review
If you have been to Japan, you know how elaborate their toilet seats are. Just to name one of my favorite features – the seat warming function, this is super helpful, especially in colder seasons. At least I won’t feel a shock when I sit on it early in the morning. Well, there are other features too such as bidet washing which you can adjust the water level and heat of the water. Even opening and closing of the toilet seats are operated by a finger. At least you don’t have to worry about touching the toilet seats. There is a panel with buttons at the side of the toilet seat for you to control every feature.
2 types of Slippers Provided
Inside the cabinet, you found indoor slippers for the room and outside the room but within the hotel, for you to walk from your room to the Onsen/hot spring bath area.
The hairdryer and the complimentary of toiletries sets are kept in the box in the bathroom so the bathroom looks pretty tidy.
Restaurants & Bars
A range of restaurants and cafe/bar establishments are on site, offering buffet style, kaiseki cuisine, teppanyaki, sushi, French cuisine, Italian cuisine, and much more.
Deluxe Japanese
Decor at the front lobby
Not very often we see blue roses but few bouquets of blue roses were seen decorated at the front, welcoming the guests.
Bridal Service
Biwako Hotel also has bridal facilities such as bridal shops, photo studios, beauty salon, and florist shop.
Onsen / Hot Spring Review
The operating hour is from 6 am to 10 am /2 pm to 12 am midnight. Morning and night are open. First, wear the yukata and slippers provided in the room, then go directly to the onsen bath area. Do not wear the yukata and slippers and walk to the main lobby because Biwako is a hotel, not ryokan Inn. (In Japanese Ryokan Inn, you are allowed to wear Yukata and roam around the whole complex but not in the hotel! Hotel & Ryokan is different.).
Dressing Area
The dressing area are very spacious and tidy, it has all the women basic cosmetic and a baby bed. The lighting is bright and plenty of compartments to lock your belongings.
It also has a free drink server which provides hot and cold water for cooling down after your bath. It is advisable to drink some water after onsen bath because your body is very much dehydrated.
Onsen Shower Area
Before jumping into the onsen pool, you must clean your whole body thoroughly. It is an etiquette to shower here and not inside your room. I did that once when I was a student in Japan and being scolded by the local. This is to make sure everyone is clean before jumping into the onsen pool.
You look into the mirror and shower, which is pretty funny as you get to see all your body fats! There are free hair shampoo, Hair conditioner, and body soap. You can use the shower head or use the bucket to fill the water and pour into your body. I quite like filling water into the bucket and pour to my body. Pretty fun.
Lake view Indoor Public Onsen Bath
The indoor pool has a view overlooking the lake Biwa too.
This is what you should do before entering the hot onsen. Scoop the hot water with the scoop provided, pour the water several times on your feet, then to your arms, shoulders, and back. When your whole body is used to the temperature of onsen, enter the pool slowly. Don’t jump into the pool and making a big splash, that is considered rude in Japan.
Open Air Onsen
Once your body becomes hotter at the indoor onsen, take a break and come out to the open air onsen. The feeling of openness with mountains and lake ahead heals the fatigue. Spend some time to gaze at the landscape and embrace nature in your naked body. At night, you may see Lake Biwa Flower Fountain and the beautiful boats.
When exist, take shower lightly as you do not want to wash away all the good ingredients from the onsen. The good ingredients from onsen are good for body healing, tiredness and skin beauty.
My honest review from onsen experience, you certainly feel lighter, especially on both of your shoulders and refresh after the onsen bath.
Sauna
You also go to the sauna naked. You can use the small face towel to cover some part of your body, not sure where you choose to cover? The top or bottom.
Vending Machine outside the Onsen Bath
It is really important to cool down after the onsen bath. If you do not like the free water provided in the dressing room, there are vending machines with different flavor drinks, tea or coffee, and cold ice-cream.
Sunrise View from the Varanda
The Michigan Cruise Ship
Michigan Cruise is the most famous cruise ship in Lake Biwa. Depending on the cruise, the average price is about ¥2,700 (USD 23.40) for adults, ¥2,200 (USD 19.90) for students and ¥1,300 (USD 11.70) for children.
Hotel Parking – Free
The hotel has free parking for its guests and it is very easy to park. Unlike some hotel near the crowded city area, they have a very limited parking lot and some even have a complicated underground car park. Nothing like that at all, just get the ticketing from the front desk to enter and exist.
Nearby Stroll
Well, obviously you can spend some time walking around the Lake Biwa and enjoy the beauty of the lake & the cruise ships. We spotted a half rainbow!
Lake Biwa/Biwako or 琵琶湖
Lake Biwa is a large freshwater lake in Shiga Prefecture, near Kyoto. The Kanji writing of Biwa is 琵琶 which mean short-necked fretted lute, the origin of this type of musical instrument was from China, called “pipa”.
Nearby city – Otsu city
We drove to Otsu city which took us about 10 mins to have our dinner and get some snacks for our morning breakfast for the following day. Our stay does not include breakfast because we figure out it is too expensive to include breakfast.
Alternatively, you can also take the hotel bus to Otsu city, is free of charge. Or you can just walk around Biwako as there are some restaurants nearby. I remembered the second nights, we have our Chinese Chuka cuisine, which tasted so yummy and cheap. If you are a budget traveler, you can go out of the hotel and explore cheaper options.
Final thoughts:
Hotel Biwako is one of the best hotels that I have stayed in my Kansai Japan self-drive trip. I love how the view overlooking Lake Biwa and the cruise ships. The room is also incredibly spacious and the onsen bath is spectacular. If you don’t know where to stat in Kyoto, I strongly recommend you to stay in Biwako Hotel! It is not in the heart of Kyoto city but still very accessible by train and offers more value for money stay than city hotels. If you are self-driving a rental car, the more you need to check this place out.
34 comments
This looks like a little luxury for your visit. I am totally taken with the view from your room.
Dear Coombe Mill,
The hotel cost similar to the hotel next to the train station in the center of Kyoto city but offer a better value, more spacious and stunning view. I highly recommend anyone who is driving with a rental car should drive a little far away from the city center and have a stay here.
What a lovely luxurious looking hotel perfect for relaxing in. Your view was perfect.
Dear Jenny,
You are right, the selling point of this hotel is the view overlooking Lake Biwa!
First of all thank you for this amazing review of this hotel. It looks amazingly beautiful outside and definitely inside. Great amenities and almost everything you want is inside the hotel.
Dear Catherine,
This is not really an expensive hotel compare to the city center of Kyoto. It offer free hot springs and beautiful view. I like how it is far from the city and I got to see how the local people live.
This looks like a comfortable and beautiful place to stay. If we ever go there, I will definitely stay there.
It takes about 10 minutes via JR train from Kyoto Station to Otsu Station, the nearest station to the hotel. From JR Otsu Station to the hotel, it takes about 5 minutes via shuttle bus. Very accessible from Osaka and Kyoto.
Wow Kyoto looks so fabulous. This luxury hotel looks like a great place to stay.
Kyoto is a must visit city if you are doing Japan as it’s the cultural and historical heart of the country. Geisha, temples, shrines are all here.
I would love to stay at this hotel, the room looks spacious and comfortable, not to mention modern. The view is so pretty! I’d also love to experience the ryokan but I’m not sure I’ll be allowed, as I have a tattoo on my wrist. It’s very interesting though the process of entering the water in the ryokan.
Dear Joanna,
A small tattoo is ok I think, they won’t even notice it. Only big tattoos are not allowed. But now we have so many people with tattoo and are they going to stop them I wonder? I love ryokan experience more than a hotel if you were to ask me to choose. Biwako is more like a hotel.
It’s pretty luxurious looking to me. The view is enough to make me book. I love it.
Dear Rosey,
Not sure where you are from but the hotel in Japan actually doesn’t cost that much as compared to US and UK.
This a good place to relax and rewind especially when taking a break from work. Thanks. for sharing.
Dear John,
If you want some quiet time, this is the place as it is far from the city center of Kyoto.
The Biwako Hotel looks so inviting, I totally love the Bath! Thanks for sharing all the photos of the place
The public bath is one of my favorite thing to do in a Japanese hotel. Not all hotel has a public bath hot spring. Business hotel or hotel near the train station usually does not offer an onsen bath.
This place looks so clean and relaxing; especially with that view! And how cute are those ducks?!
Dear Jacque,
Good to find some ducks swimming in the lake Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan! Very cute indeed.
Looks like a great place to stay in Kyoto! The baths looks so serene. Definitely need to stay there if I ever get there! 🙂
Dear Suzanne,
If you ever take a public onsen bath in Japan, do remember to shower in the onsen area and not in your room.
looks like a nice hotel! kyoto is on my travel list for sure
Dear Jasmine,
The famous Arashimaya Bamboo Forest and Gion District, (places to check out the Geishas) are in Kyoto so why not? I totally agree it should be in your travel list.
Nice reading you review. Kyoto is in the top of my bucket list in places to visit this year.
Dear Kalyan,
I hope you get to visit Kyoto this year. Japan is actually one of the very affordable places to visit in the developing countries. People think it is so expensive but it is actually very cheap, the food and the accommodation are not expensive at all. Because the hotel in Japan is based on per head so even you stay in a big room, the hotel will only charge you for one person money. Food can be very cheap and easy to get, from USD 5-10 dollars.
Such a wonderful place to take a wonderful stay while in Kyoto. It’s so really nice ambiance to spend with family and loved ones.
Dear Alexandra,
I like how the hotel is located in a small town called Otsu city. You can also take a cruise around Lake Biwa with most famous ship called The Michigan.
Looks like a great place to stay while in Kyoto. I’ll definitely go here one day with my family.
Dear Preet,
Biwako Hotel is super spacious and is great for family or couples, great place to relax.
Amazing review of this hotel. The hotel looks beautiful inside and outside.
What an amazing hotel! So interesting to see the hospitality of other cultures.
That hotel looks amazing and look at that stunning view. I’ll definately look in to kyoto and this hotel x
Sure feels a 5star hotel already . Nice facilities i see there aswell. I love the pool and room settings. Good review of this place … I am sure their food will taste delicious aswell…
The hotel looks beautiful and love the view from your review! I’d love to stay here!