Biwako Ryokusuitei

The room was very nice, with a private onsen, and both dinner and breakfast were good. During happy hour they even had free-flow red and white wine, which was a nice surprise. The only thing I didn’t care for was the coffee, but with so many other good things, that was easy to overlook. Bring a good drip bag if coffee matters to you. There’s free pickup from the train station, which makes getting to the hotel easy.

The breakfast was mind-blowing, with grilled fish, curry, and two kinds of soup. Dinner was distinctive too. My one small gripe was the Omi beef steak: given how fatty it was, smaller cubes would have been easier to cut and eat. We paid quite a bit for a private onsen with a view, hoping to treat ourselves, and the room went well beyond that. It was spacious and had every amenity we needed. We chose the Japanese-style bed, which was very comfortable, especially the pillows. My wife was hard to pull away from the massage chair, and even harder to get out of the private bath. The staff were the real highlight. The person who checked us in was patient and friendly, explained each step in English, and was delighted by my wife’s shin-chan socks, showing us her keychain. It made us feel at home. Our dinner server in the private room was warm and radiant; we later learned she’d won the best smile award at the staff retreat. The concierge team were just as welcoming, especially the bespectacled lady who always seemed to be there and was wonderfully helpful with our needs. We were thoroughly spoiled during our stay, and this place has set a high bar for us.

The food was excellent and the location beautiful, but what stayed with me most was the people. The staff were warm, passionate, and clearly focused on caring for guests. I was especially glad to see young people working at this ryokan who seemed to sincerely care and put so much thought into their service. Biwako Ryokusuitei has done a wonderful job helping these people grow in hospitality. I hope they keep it up, and I’d love the chance to come back.

The Koyu suite was spacious, spotless, and luxurious, with a private Onsen and a semi-outdoor lounge area that I loved. The staff were kind and helpful, and the food was so good it was mind-blowing for me. It isn’t cheap, but I felt it was worth every penny. A perfect stay.