“so authentic, meals an absolute must have experience. staff so beautiful make you feel so special.”

Exceptional, outstanding, so authentic & beautifully presented

Staying at Biwako Hanakaido was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. Our room was incredible and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and comfortable. With regards to the facilities, they were fantastic, as was the onsen. The meals were also exceptional.

“Relaxing Stay with stunning view!”

We truly enjoyed our stay and felt incredibly welcome from the very beginning. The staff were exceptionally kind and even picked us up from the train station, which made our arrival so easy and stress-free. The room was absolutely beautiful, with a stunning view that made our stay even more special. Everything was clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully arranged. I’m especially grateful that my meals were carefully adapted to accommodate my vegan diet, it really meant a lot! I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a warm, welcoming, and memorable stay!

Great service and staff. Delicious Kaiseki. Awesome view and outdoor bathtub. Would recommend!!

“Beautiful hotel with excellent service”

We loved the whole setup. The place was extremely clean, rooms comfortable, staff very friendly and efficient, breakfast and dinner excellent. As this was our base for 3 night our meals were served in private room which was a nice touch.

“I would recommend this experience for anyone wanting to relax and recharge and to get a glimpse into this Japanese exper”

This was a true cultural experience for us. The staff were so welcoming and polite and could do enough for us. The facilities were great and we just relaxed and recharged here for two nights. The food was incredible each night offering us something special in a different dining area experience. The view over the lake and watching the eagles soar above was mesmerising.

The pickup service The suite experience, including private dinner and breakfast, and private onsen bath Everyone spoke English well

“Highly recommended to anyone who wants a nice private onsen. One can see sun rising while soaking”

The private onsen

Very lovely and polite staff. Always willing to help even though we have language barrier. Good for families with children and elderly.

Great staffs and great views. Foods were delicious. Onsen inside the room can have a magnificent view

“The view and rooms were gorgeous. Staff spoke English and were quite helpful when approached.”

The Views from our room was fantastic. The private onsen facility combined with the views was a magical experience. Absolutely enjoyed the breakfast and cultural experience. However some more explanation of various components and the order in which they need to be consumed would have been good.

“Star of our trip. Do try to get the room with private onsen. It's well worth it.”

Everything! The room was clean, spacious and had an amazing view. In room onsen was the best ever, included dinner was like a 10 course Michelin meal. And above all the hospitality service made us feel very welcome and comfortable.

This ryokan is absolutely beautiful. The entire stay from check in to check out was exceptional. We went as a family with our 4yo and 8mo and they had all the facilities we needed including high chairs (a selection) for the kids as well as a kids menu, toy borrowing service and books. The public baths were beautiful. Make sure to try them all! We had the kaiseki dinner in a private room which was delicious and meant the kids being a little noisy didn't bother anyone. Our room overlooked Lake Biwa and it was very comfortable.

“A good ryokan for holiday”

The location was good, both for private car and public transport (close to train station and it provided shuttle bus services). The staff who served us were warm and welcoming. Our room was clean and neat, slept on tatami and was able to see the lake. Onsen was excellent. Both dinner and breakfast, in Japanese dishes, were excellent. Highly recommended for families and couples who wanted a quiet stay.

“Execeptional Hotel Experience”

Incredible introduction and service. (Alexa was wonderful) being picked up from the station and dropped off, room was exceptional, felt like royalty. Private dinner was wonderful, this hotel made for great memories.

First time trying ryokan. Went absolutely above my expectations! Fancy private dining room that you both eat dinner and breakfast at. Very friendly staff who walks you through everything. Amazing private onsen with a beautiful view. Food was amazing! Shuttle bus was quick. Absolutely huge room, even for western standards!

“Amazing!!!! *****”

Amazing stay. Very nice Japanese experience. Personal is extremely professional and committed. Food was amazing. Onsen huge and very clean. Such a beautiful area. Everything was just perfect.

“Biwako Hanakaido was a cultural and culinary delight!”

We came to Biwako Hanakaido hoping to completely relax and enjoy the cultural and culinary experiences of traditional Japan. The wonderful staff helped us to achieve our goals! The rooms were beautifully designed and finished with a lovely lake view. After traditional breakfasts the hotel shuttle bus could be used to transport us to the station for a short trip to Kyoto, the Onsen (a first experience for my partner) was the perfect place to switch off from technology, soak and then dress in the provided yukata for a sumptuous dinner.

perfect dinner and onsen

“Beautiful, quiet, and relaxing stay”

Such a comfortable and luxurious stay. Loved how spacious our room was and the view. The private hot tub in our room was beautiful, with a nice view of the lake. The yukatas provided that we could wear around the hotel was a special touch. The kaiseki dinner was amazing - the staff were extremely pleasant and the food was phenomenal. The breakfast was also a nice experience. Both dinner and breakfast were included in our stay. They also provided so well for our baby - he was only 5 months so could not use most things they provided, but he did lie in the baby rocker that they provided while we had dinner. Very thoughtful. Both my husband and I used the public baths - such a calming and serene experience, especially the outdoor area. It was such a relaxing stay and it was a shame that we only had one night here.