The front desk staff were all friendly and polite, and could communicate in English. We could store our luggage, and were welcome to use the lounge even after checking out.
The location is excellent, very close to Kintetsu Nara Station (not JR Station!), which made getting around very convenient. There are many restaurants nearby, and plenty of places to explore on foot.
The room was clean and tidy, with all the basic amenities. Breakfast was alright (not a huge variety though). The room wasn't large, but it was comfortable. The bed and pillows were good, the air conditioning was cold enough, and the hot water was hot enough.
I stayed for 1 night this time and had a good experience. I would definitely stay here again when I revisit Nara.
I originally wanted to book a designer B&B, but after booking it, I chose this hotel instead. I've stayed at Dormy Inn hotels in Hokkaido and Tokyo before and had good impressions of them. This Nara location is visible right from the train station. The downsides are that it can be a bit noisy when trains pass by, and a 1.4-meter bed is a bit tight for three people. The advantages are that the lobby smells pleasant, the hot spring facilities are complete with an outdoor bath, and the breakfast is incredibly rich with seafood rice. After a relaxing soak, there are free massage chairs and free ice cream, and complimentary noodles are served after 9 PM. For this price, the amenities offered are more extensive than what you'd find at an Atour hotel in China.
It's a well-known fact that accommodations in Japan can be pricey, so for my trip, I opted for several chain budget hotels, and Smile Hotel was one of them. It offers great value for money.
The Smile Hotel in Nara is conveniently located right next to Nara JR Station; you can spot their sign as soon as you exit the station. It's the perfect starting point for exploring Nara.
Rooms in Japanese budget hotels are generally small, but they are always clean and tidy, with impeccable hygiene standards. And even though the rooms are compact, they still come with a desk and chair, which I found very convenient for writing and organizing. I really appreciate that.
Finally, a heads-up: toiletries and pajamas are available on the first floor for guests to pick up as needed. You might want to grab them before heading up to your room.
A fantastic local hotel, popular with both locals and international guests. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The breakfast for the half-board option was a bit lacking, but dinner was excellent. We had booked a Japanese suite with a view of the Five-Story Pagoda, but unfortunately, the pagoda is under renovation until 2034, so the view was a bit compromised. Otherwise, everything was great. Deer were everywhere right outside, and the location was superb.
This is one of my favorite hotels. It boasts a stylish design and is directly accessible from the JR line. Despite its proximity to the station, the soundproofing is superb. A bus stop for Nara Park is conveniently located right downstairs. The breakfast spread was excellent; I particularly recommend the cold noodles for their delightful chewiness. I've generally found hotel breakfasts in Japan to be quite generous. The last photo shows a nearby restaurant called Yayoiken, where I enjoyed a salmon set meal.
Modern stylish hotel. Room was spacious with panoramic view. Cozy comfortable matres and soft pillow.
Very hospitality staff. In every moment try to help you.
You may see Nara deers from cafe terrace.
Convenient and quiet location. Not too many tourists. Grocery and a lot of deers near.
Paid parking about 700 yens per weekday.
I couldn't eat Japanese breakfast. It was too conceptual and unusual. But western breakfast is ok.
I recommend you not to pay for hotel breakfast. Because of its unpalatable and at a high price for this place.
Handy laundry. One washing costs 600 yens.
This hotel's convenient location near the train station and a five-minute walk from a shopping district offers easy accessibility. While the bathroom curtain exhibited an unpleasant odor (not a big deal), the overall environment was quite pleasant.
The hotel is elegantly decorated, the quality of breakfast and dinner is excellent, and the service is also in place (language communication requires translation software, which is ok), and the pick-up station is free, which is very convenient!
Because it is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, if you don't order a meal, you have to go down the mountain by yourself for dinner, so it is recommended to book a room with two meals.
The stargazing activity at 8 o'clock in the evening, the winding mountain road is a bit dizzy, but the scenery on the top of the mountain is worth it. If it is a sunny day, you can see the stars, and it will be more exciting with the lights of thousands of houses below the mountain. If you want to go to the top of the mountain the next day, hiking is also feasible, but the winding mountain road is a bit tortuous and requires physical strength.
There are cherry blossoms in spring and snow in winter. The scenery of Mount Wakakusa is endless. I will come again next time.
The transportation is incredibly convenient; you can take an elevator directly from the platform to the front desk, so there's no need to worry about wind or rain. Plus, there are plenty of convenience stores nearby.
The hotel's own hot spring is open all night, which is perfect if you want to avoid crowds.
The entire place is clean and tidy, and the room even came with a multi-port charging cable, which shows great attention to detail! Thumbs up!
Breakfast starts at 6:30 AM, which is especially good for those who need to leave early. Check-out is quick and self-service. This is my second time booking this hotel, and I'll definitely choose it again next time I'm in Nara.
Although the room was small, I have to commend the separate bathroom and toilet. The location is truly excellent, right next to Kintetsu Nara Station, making it super convenient for trips to Kyoto or Osaka. Kofuku-ji Temple, Nara Park, the National Museum, Todai-ji Temple, Mount Wakakusa, and Kasuga Grand Shrine are all within walking distance. Self-service check-in, check-out, and luggage storage are available, and you can call a staff member via the machine if needed. Highly recommend!
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GGuest UserFirst of all, the service staff is warm and thoughtful, and the attitude is amiable! Tell the precautions, the hotel is clean and hygienic, and the quilt is covered by yourself. The bathroom in the bath is particularly clean. Every guest is very conscious. Try to control yourself and not disturb others. It is really great!
蔡蔡瓜The front desk staff were all friendly and polite, and could communicate in English. We could store our luggage, and were welcome to use the lounge even after checking out.
The location is excellent, very close to Kintetsu Nara Station (not JR Station!), which made getting around very convenient. There are many restaurants nearby, and plenty of places to explore on foot.
The room was clean and tidy, with all the basic amenities. Breakfast was alright (not a huge variety though). The room wasn't large, but it was comfortable. The bed and pillows were good, the air conditioning was cold enough, and the hot water was hot enough.
I stayed for 1 night this time and had a good experience. I would definitely stay here again when I revisit Nara.
XXiaoCDmamiThe living room can be converted into another bedroom, and the smart amenities are a nice touch. There was a slight hiccup during check-in due to a discrepancy between the hotel's and Trip.com's information, but both Trip.com and the hotel were very proactive in resolving it. The hotel doesn't offer luggage service, but everything else was excellent, and the service was great. The front desk staff's English communication skills were quite good for Japan.
GGuest UserThe hotel is conveniently located near the station in a quiet area. You can walk to Nara Park and the nearest sights. The room had a teapot, tea, plastic glasses (which is uncomfortable), a fan, a lingerie dryer, bathrooms, lots of towels. But on the layer floor where the bed is very dusty. All the windows and curtains are in dust. Appended a photo.
MM348626****The hotel's decor is a bit dated, but the rooms are larger than typical Japanese hotels, with enough space to open a suitcase, and well-equipped. The breakfast is exceptionally plentiful, there's a large supermarket downstairs, and delicious ramen nearby. Plus, the transportation is super convenient.
DD4900****The transportation is incredibly convenient; you can take an elevator directly from the platform to the front desk, so there's no need to worry about wind or rain. Plus, there are plenty of convenience stores nearby.
The hotel's own hot spring is open all night, which is perfect if you want to avoid crowds.
The entire place is clean and tidy, and the room even came with a multi-port charging cable, which shows great attention to detail! Thumbs up!
Breakfast starts at 6:30 AM, which is especially good for those who need to leave early. Check-out is quick and self-service. This is my second time booking this hotel, and I'll definitely choose it again next time I'm in Nara.
星星际穿越It was pretty good overall, but some rooms had an old, musty smell, probably due to their age. The deluxe Japanese-style room was especially great. However, not being able to control the ventilation was a bit annoying. For the price, the room size was quite generous. Next time, I'd like to stay two consecutive days; checking out after just one night this time was really inconvenient.
RRebeikatangThe hotel is elegantly decorated, the quality of breakfast and dinner is excellent, and the service is also in place (language communication requires translation software, which is ok), and the pick-up station is free, which is very convenient!
Because it is located halfway up Mount Wakakusa, if you don't order a meal, you have to go down the mountain by yourself for dinner, so it is recommended to book a room with two meals.
The stargazing activity at 8 o'clock in the evening, the winding mountain road is a bit dizzy, but the scenery on the top of the mountain is worth it. If it is a sunny day, you can see the stars, and it will be more exciting with the lights of thousands of houses below the mountain. If you want to go to the top of the mountain the next day, hiking is also feasible, but the winding mountain road is a bit tortuous and requires physical strength.
There are cherry blossoms in spring and snow in winter. The scenery of Mount Wakakusa is endless. I will come again next time.
KKinglumLoved the hotel!! It’s in the center of nara city
It’s 5 mins walk to the nara shopping area, 5mins walk to the nara park there is deer walking around the hotel in the morning
There is free morning city walk tour at 7:00-8:00 with local guide; the bicycle is free
The view of the pond is nice the service is great!! 5stars to everything
The room is spacious and the bed is comfortable
They have drink lounge for free use with unlimited snacks; fruit juice, sake, beer, wine from
15:00pm-2:00am
Really recommend everyone that travels to nara city to stay at this hotel!!
The only downside of this hotel is the breakfast only provides japanese style food ; grill fish and onigiri
The onigiri is huge, grill fish and miso soup is cold
I wish they can make the onigiri smaller so
We can taste more flavors
And hope that they can provide a bakery corner for people who doesn’t like to eat fish
Otherwise we loved the hotel and want to go
Back again!!
Ps: there is not parking space so we need to park at the coin parking costs us 2400¥ /night
LLindsayIt’s a really lovely old Japanese house, but it’s really not been made over into a guest house at all.
1. There are pictures of a bath. It is not in the hotel it is just a separate public bath you have to pay for…
2. They charge for everything including “renting” towels and yukata
3. No noise blocking at all and kids are allowed. It sounds like they are in your room
4. Contactless check in doesn’t feel very safe
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