Biwako Hotel

The hotel is old but still has 1970's vintage charm. It looks like a big, docked cruise ship from the streetside, but all the rooms and public spaces all face the lake and have an amazing view. For this hotel, it's all about location and the lake.

The rooms have mid-century charm, furniture and art. Unfortunately, the rooms are not quite up to modern standards, like no USB ports. It's a simple ask to add the convience of some USB ports or some USB-C charging ports (big suggestion.) Even the top-of-the Toto washlet is all in Japanese. The room heater/AC takes a while to get to the right temp. But the beds and comforters were excellent. We were cold going to sleep and hot in the middle of the night.

The hotel has a wonderful onsen (hot springs) on the 4th floor (indoor and outdoor area) facing the lake. Spectacular.

The 5th floor also has some nice private banquet rooms. Our Supera Tour included a fixed dinner with local cold sake and an opportunity for the tour group to do karaoke together. The cotton yukata that they provide for guests were comfortable but not as beautiful and colorful as the yukatas provided as nocer hotels.

Also, this hotel does not provide toothbrushes, razors and other toiletries found at nicer hotels. This is not a big deal for me as most travelers prefer their own toiletries anyways.

I went to a bridal fair here. It was wonderful! The staff is very kind, the pricing is reasonable, and they're very accommodating. There is a makeup studio, a flower shop, and a clothing rental space
in the hotel. We also got to sample some food for the course meal, and it was incredible! I would go again just to eat!

Although we didn't stay the night, we were shown a very nice room. All the rooms should have a great view of Lake Biwa.

We checked in to Biwako Hotel on Christmas Eve (i.e. December-24). This hotel is a high standard hotel. We drove to the hotel and it was easy to find a parking space in the hotel carpark. And we can have 24 hours free parking for 1 night hotel booking.
The staff can speak English that helps us to do the check-in easily.

The onsen is not very big, but still fine with both indoor and outdoor baths in silky onsen water.

Very good location for traveling around Biwako Valley area. Super nice lake view in room, I did see great sunrise view on 2nd day of my stay. Very food for family tourist as room is spacious and it proivdes great buffet breakfast. Will recommend to visit there if you target travelling Biwako Valley area. Car park is provided and simply get entry ticket to hotel front desk, staff would help to convert it to 24 hour free parking privileged offer.

This is a wonderful hotel situated right in front of Lake Biwa.

Service at the reception while checking in was smooth and hassle-free.

The room is big & spacious unlike other typical Japanese hotels which are small and cramped.

It is spacious enough to have small table and a set of sofa for guests to chill & relax.

I stayed in the room on level 6 & it had all the basic stuff except for ladies toiletries such as cleansing lotion & etc. Other than that, I was quite happy with the room.

The bed faces Lake Biwa and it is quite nice to wake up to such a lovely view. There is a balcony guests have access to.

I was transferred to another room because my husband forgot to book another night. So to another room we went & this time was on the 11th floor.

The 11th floor room had different deco and facilities fit for a king! Imagine the joy we had though it was only for 1 night. Even the colour of the yukatas was different.

For exercise-enthusiasts, you can access Lake Biwa via the exit near one of the restaurants & take a walk or have a run at the park.

Plus point, it has public bath, provides free parking & free shuttle service to Otsu JR station.

Overall, I’m very pleased with my stay with Biwako Hotel.

Spacious and clean. Best view of Lake Biwa from the hotel room. Great breakfast. Shuttle bus available from Otsu JR. Good for family and friends.

We had a great stay in Otsu.
Friendly staff, close to the main train line with a shuttle bus, great breakfast and large family room.

I knew that the hotel was old, with its operation for nearly 100 years. However, it was pretty clear that the management team has tried its ultimate best to renovate not only the facilities but also the overall experience. It was a great experience overall. Thank you very much.

A lovely hotel overlooking Lake Biwa in Otsu. Very nice rooms, very good food service, very enjoyable. Stay.

Very efficient services , no problems with languages most of staffs can communicate in English, and very attentive to providing excellent services.
Need to mention Miss Haruno in breakfast lounge she’s super nice , her service was beyond expectations. It’s very impressive . and Miss Seina good knowledge bartender in the evening lounge.

The location of the hotel is excellent, commanding a panoramic view of Lake Biwa. The room is clean, spacious and very comfortable. The staff are helpful and courteous. We will definitely come back and revisit Otsu just for an excuse of staying in Biwako Hotel again!

It's obvious the hotel has seen better days but it's equally obvious that the management cares enough to renovate & reappoint their facilities & rooms. I loved my lake view room & am determined to revisit & stay longer next time. Service was excellent in line with quality Japanese hotels although they aren't very good with English. Still, their warmth & care cocoon you with a feeling of confidence & security despite the language barrier. I stayed just 2 nights but I believe to enjoy the environment without having to rush like a headless chicken, I recommend a stay of at least 4 to 5 nights. This being still the thick of winter, not all the dining facilities are available but their Italian restaurant with a beautiful view of the lake & mountains was a joy to dine at. Note that there's no room service & that those with tattoos are not allowed in the onsen unless covered with concealing tape. This is a cultural practice that goes back ages & if you don't accept the practice & choose to view it through a Western lens, remember this is an ancient society with a long history & deep roots. They too have the right to maintain their traditions. They do apologise profusely for maintaining their traditions about the onsen but so long as the greater part of their clientele are locals, they have to cater to the majority. Besides, I think most rooms are appointed with full length bath tubs - a rarity in Japan so it's not a big deal to give the onsen a miss. Either that or buy some tattoo concealing tape! There are so many other things to enjoy & discover, I'm positive you will enjoy your stay here.

Gorgeous room with a divine view. January was definitely the off-season for this area, but the staff were still helpful, attentive, and patient. The public bathing area was wonderful with great amenities, lots of room, and an open-air area overlooking the lake. This is a great place for a weekend getaway! I can't wait to visit again!

The view from this hotel is magnificent. The room is luxuriously decorated and the price is reasonable. There are couple of restaurant in the hotel that served international food and reasonable priced too. There are one day cruise just at the back of the hotel for people who enjoy cruising. There is a onsen pool at fourth floor if you need relax and unwind your muscle. Highly recommended.

I came to this hotel 3 times. Once I came to eat dinner with my ex-s family and ours. The second time I came with my Uncle. The third I came to have tea with my ex. It is a very clean and comforting place. The view is amazing. I wished I could have stayed longer, but our trip was cut short by unplanned circumstances. We really enjoyed the food, and the hospitality by staff was excellent.

For our wedding anniversary we stayed at the luxurious fourth floor. We were welcomed with a cup of local tea brewed for us in the room, with a delicate local sweet. The rooms were very new and well equipped. There's a Bose bleutooth speaker and 1st class Dyson hairdryer. The bathroom is open and right next to the bed, which creates a very spacious atmosphere. So desired you can close a curtain between bath and the bedroom.
When you open the toilet door, the light turns on automatically and the toilet seat goes up by itself.
There are beautiful ceramic cups and pots to drink tea, and a minibar with several complementary local drinks.
The onsen and sauna are conveniently located at the same floor.
The breakfast was a great experience in the ground floor Japanese restaurant.

We stayed at the Biwako Hotel for one night as a day trip from Kyoto. It was a short JR ride from Kyoto Station and the hotel has a free shuttle from the station to the hotel. There is seven different dining options at the hotel and next door there is a funplex center with a movie theater, bowling alley, and an arcade. It's also right next to the cruise port if you want to take a cruise out into lake Biwa. The view from our room was absolutely fantastic and the hotel staff was incredible. The only complaint was that the beds were a little soft both if that's the only thing it was nothing in comparison to watching the sunrise rise over the waters of the lake as the mist parted. It was stunning! I would absolutely recommend staying for at least one night.

this hotel is very nice. it is located near lake biwako and it is at an affordable price. the facilities of the hotel is amazing, the onsen bath is relaxing and efficient. the shuttle bus that comes every 15 minutes to the JR Otsu station is convenient and efficient. the hotel is very large and grand and they have a large array of decorations around the building. the staff are very friendly and accommodating. the room itself is very spacious and it has the beds facing towards the lake which is surprising. the toilet is very clean and the bathtub is very new and fresh. highly recommended hotel to stay in for the view of lake biwako and for a nice hotel stay. this gets a rating of 5/5.

Great view of Lake Biwa. Rooms and facilities are well kept and clean. Avoid keeping the balcony door open though if you don't want tiny bugs sneaking in. (They don't bite anyway.) Japanese style breakfasts are simply magnificent. A great place to stay in Otsu.

All rooms offer spectacular view of Lake Biwa. They have a very relaxing bath, which also faces the lake. Staffs are professional and welcoming. Highly recommend.