Shikitei

Hotel just next to the Nara park. Full board with traditional dinner serving and room is very spacious with hotel onsen.

Our first stay in a ryokan, therefore we weren’t quite sure what to expect. However it was a superb stay.. Great Japanese food, outstanding service from the charming staff, spacious accommodation (20 sq m room), and all a bit different from the usual hotel experience. Sleeping on the floor was fine, food was great - the 14 item breakfast a highlight - and constant attention from the ryokan staff a delight. The ryokan is in an excellent location right next to Nara deer park. Highly recommended.

Absolute luxury. Prepare to speak some basic Japanese (or use a translator), have an open mind with the cuisine served, eat what you are given, and be appreciative of the public bath culture. I booked the smallest (i.e. lowest priced) room and yet it was plenty of space for three adults and beautiful. We will be back, to try a more luxurious room next time.

I researched a ridiculously long time to find a comfortable authentic ryokan experience in Nara so we could enjoy a more relaxed time in Nara as a family vs just a typical day trip. My husband was VERY reluctant to spend such a large amount on a one night stay where we'd be sleeping on the floor in the room with the kids but I assured him this was a not-to-miss experience, and for the price it was definitely going to be a comfortable night sleep on the floor with lots of padding under the futon mattresses. I was wrong. Not only did it feel like camping out on a hard floor, but the rice paper on the windows did absolutely nothing to block out the bright streetlight outside the window. Between the hard floor and the bright street light glaring into the room, it was a very uncomfortable night of sleep, to say the least. "Don't worry, this will be an unforgettable Japanese kaiseki meal! It's worth paying so much!" Again, inwas wrong. While the staff was incredibly thoughtful with any pre-discussed food options, and the service was delightful, the food was hit or miss. Some courses were lovely, both as a piece of art in their presentation and also delicious! But aggressively overcooking fish and seafood is just beyond unacceptable. Also, I was disappointed to discover that dinner was served in the dining room, not in our private room, as I had assumed. We chose the western option for breakfast. It was pretty terrible, I have to admit. Perhaps we should have opted for the Japanese option in retrospect. I thought my kids would be more likely to eat a western breakfast, but it just wasn't good. Cold eggs, chicken nuggets, stale bread. One of my daughters and I briefly enjoyed the small public onsen inside the inn and that was nice! I feel bad writing a poor review because I REALLY wanted to love this place, and the staff is very warm, thoughtful, and caring. But with the disappointing food and uncomfortable night's sleep, I just can't recommend staying here for the amount of money we spent. Not the splurge-worthy experience I was hoping for, sadly.