L＇Hotel du Lac

Came here because I wanted to try out Sower, an exquisite locavore restaurant, chef Coleman and 2 other team members are alumnus of Inus. Sower hands down beats many of the best restaurants in Kyoto and showcases the terroir of Shiga. Likely no Michelin star yet only because the inspectors have not made it to this more remote part of Japan. I had such a nice stay, there was still snow on the ground, the hotel faces the stunning Biwa lake, the 15 cabins/rooms are spread out across the tree covered grounds. I was in a Japanese style room, you can choose other styles ie Scandi. My room was small, but comfortable with heated bathroom floors, soaking tub. I also booked one of the two private onsens which was a pleasant surprise as I didn’t know what to expect at the hotel. If any room for improvement, would suggest the onsen to also be available in the mornings, and the pillows in my room were really hard. Service was excellent too, when I told the hotel I had trouble with their website (the English website changes into Japanese when you actually start booking a room), they literally changed this issue in less than a day. This is a place I definitely want to come back to, at least I know I would eat incredibly well, and to use this as a base to travel this less traveled area of Shiga.

Private cabin accommodations are comfortable, spacious and well equipped. It was the heart of summer, yet the air conditioning worked great and my room was just a 1 minute walk to the swimming pool and a 3 minute walk to the cool waters of Lake Biwa. The views of the lake and surrounding forest are quite stunning! The restaurant also exceeded my expectations. Michelin quality elevated cuisine, made using fresh local ingredients. My only complaint would be some of the buildings are a bit outdated and in need of a makeover, however I heard the hotel is set to go under a renovations sometime soon. Overall it was a great stay and a slice of real Japan, off the beaten tourist path. Highly recommended.

This place offer a rare view on the lake Biwa and propose an excellent quality of service and accommodation. Special mention about the food that definitely worth the trip by it self. A good place to relax and enjoy this very beautiful part of japan.