Grand Mercure Nara Kashihara

The buffet is all included, even alcohol, with sparkling wine, red wine, beer, syochu, and sake to choose from. Kashiwara shrine is 5 min. away. It seems good for foreighner, with fewer foreighner than Nara park.

The hot spring bath was never crowded, and the lounge offered free alcohol and snacks from 15:00~18:00 and 21:00~23:00. Breakfast had a good selection, too. The rooms were clean, the beds soft, and the staff helpful. It's convenient for shopping and sightseeing, and the price is very affordable. Parking was ¥500, and we could leave the car in the lot until 13:00 the day of checkout. We'll come again.

The mattresses were old and uncomfortable, and the pillows barely gave any support. I wouldn't come back to this hotel. The hotel is beside the train station, which is convenient. The entrance is well lit at night, and the lobby made an impressive first impression. But I disliked the souvenir shop in the lobby. When I'm inside a hotel, I want to relax and not be reminded about buying souvenirs or being a tourist. My room looked clean when I arrived, but two things were unacceptable. I went to wash and found brown stains on both the bath towel and the bathroom floor towel. That made me think staff weren't checking hygiene properly and left me wondering what else might be unclean. I felt very uncomfortable. The bathroom badly needs renovation. The sink and tub look like they were designed in the 1970’s, in that strange muddy green shade that was popular then. The shower pressure was weak, and the shower head looked as cheap as possible. The bath plug chain was attached with two rusty rings, like the kind people use for keys. It seems bad to use materials that can rust in a bathing area. I still have another night here, and I'm uncomfortable enough already. I don't want to look for any more problems. Please see the photos of the towel stains and rusty bath feature.

The room was below average, and I felt my heart sink when I walked into the massive place. But for just over $100, the Onsen, free snacks and drinks, and breakfast made it a really enjoyable stay and amazing value, anywhere and especially in Japan.