Ratings based on 205 Verified Reviews
4.7 Room cleanliness
4.8 Service & staff
4.6 Room comfort
4.6 Hotel condition
Expedia Verified Reviews
by A verified traveler
Posted 2 Jan 2025
Loved having a drawer of kimonos to choose from to wear for our stay! The room was wonderful and we saw the beautiful sunrise from our bed. It was really a special experience. The private bath on our balcony was so nice and relaxing. The staff is super, very well trained and attentive. They make you feel special from the moment you walk in with a snack and a drink. We purchased some quality souvenirs from the gift shop. The half board is a grand experience. The onsens are unforgettable. I went early and had the whole place to myself.
by A verified traveler
Posted 25 Dec 2024
by A verified traveler
Posted 13 Nov 2024
everything was amazing from the room, to the onsen, the food, the staff and the service. there is a free mobile phone in ogoto onsen station which you can use to call the different onsen hotels nearby and they will send a shuttle to come pick you up :)
by A verified traveler
Posted 8 Nov 2024
This Onsen was incredible. The staff was very polite and helpful. The rooms were spacious and traditional, a had yukata for us to wear around the hotel. We had a private bath that was beautiful and very relaxing. The meal they prepared for us was very elegant and delicious. Beware that it is very seafood heavy (my wife isn’t a huge seafood fan). There is a bit of a language barrier, but it didn’t keep us from communicating (google translate helped a few times). Overall a great experience in a less crowded and beautiful area of Kyoto that was fairly easy to access
by A verified traveler
Posted 7 Nov 2024
Biwako Hanakaido was/is amazing. The staff are very friendly and service is top tier. I really can’t say much about this place other than it was amazing. I would do it again on my next trip. The dinner set was amazing and so was the breakfast.
by A verified traveler
Posted 25 Sep 2024 on Hotels
The staff was extremely friendly, and they were also professional and clear about the guidelines for the onsen and dinner expectations. The food was incredible, the private bath was soothing. And the area is wonderful. Lake Biwa is a special place.
by A verified traveler
Posted 7 Sep 2024
Top notch ryokan, highly recommended.
Stayed in a Japanese style room, including 2 meals per day, and with shuttle service from the ryokan to the train station.
Includes an onsen and massage service as well.
The room was very spacious, clean and comfortable.
The meals delicious.
The staff extremely friendly and helpful.
Very nice experience while in Kyoto.
by A verified traveler
Posted 24 Jul 2024
The staff and private onsen were top-notch, no comparison. The meal provided was interesting. We were hoping that there was a way to change our first night’s meal choice prior to our stay instead of the business defaulting to the traditional Japanese meal on the first night of our stay. After messaging on Expedia, they would not let us change the meal. Other than that, the service provided by the staff is second to none and we wouldn’t trade our stay with Biwako Hanakaido for anything.
by A verified traveler
Posted 3 Jul 2024
This beautiful, well-run hotel makes you feel very special. We were greeted warmly on arrival, given peach tea and walked through the hotel’s spa protocol. Since they are currently doing work on parts of the spa (this was no problem, and there was no noise).
The onsite onsen is absolutely beautiful— a deep pond in a (part) bamboo forest, relaxing and piping hot.
The dinner and breakfast are extravagant, delicious, and gorgeously presented.
The staff is so very kind and gracious. They go far out of their way to make you feel at home. We speak no Japanese except “good morning” and the staff spoke enough English to help us in every way.
This was my first trip ever to Japan, let alone an onsen, and this hotel made it a delightful experience!
by A verified traveler
Posted 19 Apr 2024
The shuttle to pickup/drop off to and from Ogoto Onsen Station was great; otherwise, it would be a 10 minutes walk with luggage! Our tatami room was very traditional and offered a great view of the lake. Only downside is no blackout curtain so the room is nice and BRIGHT at 6 o'clock in the morning! The 10-course (I think) dinner was interesting and filling; it took us 2 1/2 hours to finish. One note though, the massage was not very pleasant but then again, the appointment was 10pm so I wasn't expecting a great masseuse at that time. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.
