Mikasa

The location was great, very accessible via public transit as we took a train from Kyoto. The shuttle service provided by the hotel was efficient and the staff were friendly and accommodating. The meals provided (kaiseki dinner and breakfast) were also excellent! We booked a room with a private bath and it was spacious and comfortable. I also liked that the hotel provided a quick evening tour (free shuttle) to Wakakusayama Hill, which overlooks the city of Nara. While it was quite cloudy (we couldn't appreciate the stars in the sky) the view of the cityscape from the hill was breathtaking.

Mikasa was a wonderful place to stay for a visit in Nara. Perfect place to unplug and treat yourself, thanks to the atmosphere of the hotel and the a tentative staff, that went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. The rooms and onsen are complete with all amenities needed. The onsens in particular are beautiful and relaxing, and are available late in the evening, so can be used after dinner as well. The traditional dinner and breakfast in a personal dining room are an experience in itself. Especially recommend the room with the personal hot bathtub. The room is very spacious and the futons the staff lay for the evening are surprisingly comfortable after a trip to the onsen. If we ever get the chance to visit Japan and Nara, we will definatelly book another stay.

The experience and treatment were exceptional. We felt like royalty in their presence because of how we got treated. Some of the staff can communicate in english but not all but they try their best. We had an tatami room and slept on the futon which was very comfortable. Also the onsen is really nice and they so allow small tattoos but if you are more aware of the culture for the elders you can still bathe later at night or after breakfast. They have a shuttle bus that provides a ride to the center of Nara once to go and then you have a choice of different times to go back. Also the luggage storage in front of the station really helped to explore nara without having to walk around with all of that. The food was really extravagant and very Japanese overall delicious.

Amazing place on a mountain in the deer park of Nara. Staff could not be friendlier or more helpful. You felt like a real guest there and they went out of their way to make you feel comfortable. The meals were exquisite and very nicely presented. The next day they drove us to the temples and dropped our luggage off near the station. Was nice to use the Onsen as well. Special experience.

I loved how easy it was to get to from the JR Nara station! You could request a car from the property and you'll need to meet them at the designated spot. Upon entering the property, you'll see your name on a board and it feels so special! Ladies will get to choose their own yukata to wear for the duration of the stay, which was super fun. If you're taller than 5'7", you'll need to request a longer size (I'm short so this didn't matter). If you're a man and you're taller than 5'10" or something, you'll need to let them know so they can get you a larger yukata as well. I also loved the property itself. The baths were so relaxing, and the outdoor one was my favorite. The beauty of a place like this is that it's small, so you know it won't be overly crowded. This makes the onsen experience as tranquil as one would expect it to be. The breakfast was by far my favorite part. The kaiseki dinner was wonderful, but it's one of those things where you have to really be sure your stomach can handle everything. They also accommodated my allergies.