Sarusawaike Yoshidaya

Over our four days, we had a wonderful range of exceptional food. It was my first time trying kaiseki, and it didn’t disappoint. We also got to use a private bathhouse. The hotel was much better than we expected, with genuinely friendly staff and very personal, hospitable service. Our family will definitely come back.

We stayed here in April 2024, and it was a pleasure. One of the best hotels in Nara!

The staff were consistently nice, though they didn’t give off particularly good energy, and I wondered if they disliked their jobs. We were welcomed with a yuzu drink, and staff used the lobby to explain bath hours, breakfast times, and other details. I liked being directed to the lobby for coffee after breakfast, and how the hotel made use of different spaces. The private bath was right in front of our room, which was handy, but it wasn’t attached to the room. If you miss the bath hours, there’s no way to shower. The room was clean, which I appreciated, though I don’t like having to use toilet slippers. Amenities were sparse: no complimentary bottled water, and I wasn’t sure if the tap water was drinkable. There was a kettle with hot water when I arrived, and Itoen green tea bags, though the tea was a bit boring. We got a small sugary sweet, not a special treat as far as I could tell. With no bath in the room, there was also no face lotion or cleanser. Luckily, I could pop into the private bath across the hall to use some. The location is convenient for most tourist spots and the old town, with its many restaurants. It’s walkable from the station too. The view, however, was dull because our window faced the next hotel building, even though this hotel sits in front of a small lake. Breakfast was the biggest disappointment. The main dish seemed to be a slice of cheap ham with mayo, and I eat better breakfasts at home. The nori was stale, and the onsen egg was disgusting and flavorless. They cook the rice over a fire, which seems to be a point of pride, but it wasn’t good either. It lacked shine and texture. I’d been rating the hotel four stars up to that point, but my rating dropped drastically, especially since my friend didn’t enjoy breakfast either. I felt embarrassed that I’d chosen the place.

The room was spacious, and the staff were really friendly. It’s very close to Nara deer park.