Rakuten STAY VILLA Nikko

We had a wonderful stay at Rakuten STAY VILLA Nikko. The villa was spacious, modern, and very clean, with plenty of room for a family or group. After a day out exploring Nikko, the private onsen-style bath was a real highlight. 🛁✨ It’s close to the main attractions but peaceful and quiet at night. The kitchen, living area, and smart appliances made everything comfortable, and check-in came with clear instructions and went smoothly. Parking was easy too. I’d recommend it for a cozy, private stay with comfort and Japanese atmosphere in Nikko.

The house was so well designed and equipped, the quality really caught us off guard. We only had one night there, unfortunately, but I'd happily recommend it.

We really enjoyed Nikko and wished we had more time for hiking, though staying here longer would have been a little awkward despite the apartment's size and location. It's perched on a hill, so walking into town isn't easy. We first got confused and drove to the other Rakuten Stay spa property near the highway exit. Garçon, the dessert shop across the parking lot, seemed to be open all the time, but the noodle place across the road only serves lunch, which doesn't work too well when you're out sightseeing in the middle of the day. We couldn't get restaurant reservations either, apparently because it was high season despite the heat wave. The apartment has a sauna and O-furo, plus a small dishwasher and a washer-dryer. There was too much furniture on the balcony to use it properly, and the kitchen had far too few dishes and cooking tools for a place where you may need to cook. The tall windows look lovely, but at night they made the apartment feel a bit like a TV set. It would've helped to have a way to close them. Getting to the Ofuro privately felt uncomfortable since there were no bathrobes, yukata, or pajamas. All the instructions, including check-in and checkout, are digital. I found the manuals lacking. I wanted to run laundry on a gentle cycle, but the washer buttons and settings weren't translated. The online directions only covered basic operation and one standard setting, and Google Translate didn't help much.

The staff had a really bad attitude, and there were so many insects in the room that we couldn't get rid of them all. It was very uncomfortable, especially at HK$6K for one night. I'd never stay with Rakuten again.