Urban Hotel Minami Kusatsu

The location is a plus, being nearer to the lake and close to Kyoto. I also liked the coffee, and the morning meal was delicious and included. Rooms were nice, clean, and comfortable. The reception was very good when we arrived by car and when we left. I didn’t give it five stars because foreigners were treated differently from Japanese guests: Japanese guests could pay at the automatic machines when leaving, while foreigners had to pay in advance. I’d still recommend the place.

I’m not very picky about hotels, and this place was good. The room was super comfortable, especially the bed, and the TV had YouTube. Breakfast was good too, though I’d hoped there would be a bit more.

I enjoyed my one-night stay before heading to Osaka the next day. The service was great, and while the staff’s English was limited, we managed fine with Google Translate. Breakfast turned out to be the best part. There was a huge all-you-can-eat selection of Japanese and Western food, and I really enjoyed it without overdoing it. The ¥7000 price was worth it, especially with breakfast for two included. The pajamas they provided were comfortable too. My only complaint is the lack of room for suitcases, which seems to be a common issue with lodging across Japan.

The hotel is clean and the rooms are standard size. Breakfast isn’t included, but there’s a Family Mart right downstairs. The JR station is only 50 meters away, yet the rooms are very quiet.