L'Hotel de Hiei

We came for the Biwa and the fireworks display. Before we left, few people explained whether the hotel offered a view of the fireworks. The answer is yes! The hotel is located on a hilltop, offering a great view of the fireworks display. There's also a spot for guests to view the fireworks. (Photos taken with an iPhone 16 at 5x magnification.) But please note that the entire driveway is closed to pedestrians, only vehicles. On the day of the fireworks display, all parking lots are packed early, making it nearly impossible to view the fireworks from other viewing platforms. If you want to see the fireworks from an observation deck, you'll have to queue up early and pay the exorbitant parking fee. All in all, if you're here for the fireworks display, this is a great place to relax. As soon as the fireworks are over, you can go back to your room and relax without having to squeeze in with other people on the train. If you're coming at other times, the room price is a bit high for me.

The hotel is perched atop Mt. Hiei, offering stunning views and expansive vistas. The facilities do feel a bit dated, but they're kept clean. We ordered two meals, and the dinner was excellent, while the breakfast was so-so. In addition to the hotel's own shuttle bus to and from JR Otsu-kyo, there's also a bus service right outside the hotel. After checking out in the morning, I could take a bus all the way to Ginkaku-ji Temple's Philosopher's Walk around 10:30 AM, which was incredibly convenient. The journey down the mountain path, gazing at the scenery of Lake Biwa, was a wonderful experience. Luggage was delivered free of charge to the Keihan Grand Hotel near Kyoto Station, making the trip a breeze. Overall, it was a great experience. 😎

Dinner and breakfast were both delicious and I loved it. The view was great, and the service was excellent, with all-you-can-drink alcohol and drinks after the meal! It was refreshing to stay near Enryaku-ji Temple.

The atmosphere is very nice, but the food is not that great considering the price. I wish they would lower the price or improve the food.

Standing quietly in the embrace of Mount Hiei, Yamano Gourmet Inn has a pick-up service from Kyoto Station (about 30 minutes' drive). The hotel is only a 10-minute drive from Enkakuji Temple. At 6 o'clock in the morning, the hotel organizes a visit to the main hall of Yanluo Temple to worship Buddha. At 9:15, there is a shuttle bus to take you to the temple. The hotel serves breakfast and dinner. The menu is customized according to the season and is very exquisite. It combines the food culture of Lake Biwa and Omi with French style. You can also taste Shiga's local wine. The most considerate service on the day of departure is free luggage transportation to Kyoto Station, so that tourists can easily visit Mount Hiei and Lake Biwa.

It was great to drink alcohol while looking at the amazing night sky after dinner.