Hotels near Lake Biwa Bridge, Otsu

The first time I lived in the orthodox squatter house, I was pleasantly surprised. The house is very distinctive. The sister of the hotel will not communicate with the translator because of the text but has been communicating with the translator. The breakfast is delicious. Everyone must order breakfast in advance. There is also a vinyl dish machine in the living room. It is very nostalgic and sentimental. Otsu is really a very quiet town, and on the last day of 2024 I spent a very peaceful day here.

Lake Biwa is stunning, and this area offers much better value for money than Kyoto. The room was really big and spacious. Even though the hotel facilities are a bit old, everything was very clean. The TV was a little small, though. The large public bath was great for relaxing in the hot springs; it's not huge but definitely sufficient. The service was excellent – the front desk staff saw we had a lot of luggage and immediately helped us with a cart and brought it up. The restaurants on the first floor were surprisingly good too. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing holiday.

This hotel offers incredible value for money! It's located right by Lake Biwa in Otsu City, boasting stunning views and an affordable price. Getting here is easy: from Otsu Station's North Exit, cross the road directly and walk about 20 meters to your left. You'll spot a small platform – I've included the train schedule in the photos for reference. There's a convenient mini-mart on the first floor for snacks, drinks, and souvenirs. For breakfast, you have a choice of two floors. The 36th floor offers Japanese-style breakfast, but by 8 AM, it was full. The 37th floor, however, has plenty of Western and Japanese options, so you won't have to wait. Near the hotel, you'll find a large supermarket and a fantastic, highly recommended BBQ restaurant – delicious and budget-friendly. Taking a stroll along the lakeside is incredibly relaxing. You'll see many eagles 🦅, people fishing, and dog walkers – it's wonderful to experience the laid-back town life. Staying here makes it easy to visit the Lake Biwa observation deck and Kyoto.

Being a Toyoko Inn, there's nothing wrong with the hotel itself. The rooms are clean and the service is also excellent. The only downside is the location. It's a bit far from both JR Otsu Station and Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, so it might be a bit difficult if you have luggage or during hot or cold seasons. Also, there are no convenience stores nearby, so you might find it inconvenient if you forget to buy something.

The bathroom was tiny, only one person could fit in at a time. It's about a 5-6 minute walk from the JR station. The breakfast selection wasn't extensive, but it was enough to fill you up. If you're traveling with children over seven, you'll be required to book an additional room. We had two 10-year-olds in our group of seven, and they insisted we get an extra room. However, the rooms have bunk beds, and the bottom bunk is a double, so a family of three could easily fit. Forcing us to pay for another room was really bad.

I would have said that we had a wonderful stay: loved the peaceful environment, the food, the morning service…. But then they started the morning with a team of workers going through the temple grounds with deafening leaf blowing machines! Why do they disturb the peace like this? The temple claims to be environmentally conscious, but these machines are noisy, irritating, wasteful and bad for the environment. It made me leave the place in a bed mood.

Well, for the price... it's a really good hostel. The communal bath is large and the private showers are well-equipped. (I'm giving it a high rating for not having a communal shower.) However, it might be a bit crowded. The location is nearly impossible to get around without a car or bike. I wonder if people in their 20s would find it easy to get around. I'm not sure about people in their 30s... Even the desk staff aren't Japanese. It's incredibly global. I thought I was in Europe.

The hotel is on the second floor, and you have to walk through the restaurant to get in and out, which is a little inconvenient, although the restaurant itself is quite nice. Upon check-in, they provide a check-in guide in Chinese, which is generally very clear. The hotel is clean and tidy. There are many comics in the common areas, and you can eat there; it's very quiet. Other toiletries, including combs, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, are provided. Facilities are complete, and you can ask the front desk for locks for large luggage; there's a place to store it. Security is ensured by swiping a card each time you enter and exit. Just a heads-up: they don't clean for consecutive stays. The only downside is that the pillows are too hard, and the upper bunk is a bit stuffy; otherwise, I'm quite satisfied.

This is a decent hotel I stayed in during my travels in Japan. The main problem is that the wallpaper is peeling, which makes people feel uncomfortable. The location is good, Seta Station can be seen at a glance, not far from Kyoto, and the transportation is convenient. The service attitude is very good. My companion couldn't find the breakfast coupon, so the front desk gave him another one. The breakfast was also okay. It is a good hotel with a little renovation.

Ok. First of all leave your expectations at home expecting hotel level service. Once you've done that if you want a cheap but clean place to stay this is it. This is a seinenkan - a facility for youth and youth-related organizations to conduct independent study and recreational activities, many of which have basic accommodation facilities but higher grade facilities than youth hostels. They are located all over Japan. I stayed in a tatami mat room on a floor with shared toilet facilities. The ground floor has a large communal bath - obviously separate for male and females. They have lights out at 11 p.m. and guests must return by the same time. There is a very modern cafe onsite serving cheap breakfasts (see photos) but the cafe closes by 6 p.m. There is a convenience store 10 minutes walk away so I suggest you buy snacks and beverages en route from JR Ishiyama station. For dinner, there is a family restaurant - good value and okay food - about 6 minutes walk away. The seinenkan is located on a small island by a historic bridge. The views of the river inlet flowing into the main Lake Biwa is relaxing, lots of bird wildlife, and lots of rowers (the seinenkan is a water sports facility too). and the sunrise and sunset views are lovely. The staff are very kind. It cost me ¥5,500 for one night and I will stay there again if I have the opportunity.