Hotel Nikko Kanazawa is the city's landmark high-rise, opened in 1994 and rising thirty floors beside the east side of Kanazawa Station. It is the choice for travellers who want a full-service hotel with a view. Rooms sit on the upper floors of the tower, with free Wi-Fi, wired internet and thoughtful touches such as in-room humidifiers and air purifiers, and the higher you book, the wider the view across the city toward the Sea of Japan and the mountains. The hotel has five restaurants and a cafe, among them a sky lounge on the thirtieth floor with live piano in the evening, a teppanyaki counter on the twenty-ninth floor, a European dining room and a Cantonese restaurant, which means you can eat well without leaving the building on a rainy evening. The spa offers treatments inspired by Kanazawa's gold leaf, and guests have access to a partner fitness club with a gym, a pool and a steam sauna. Staff speak several languages and the concierge desk can help with restaurant bookings and tour arrangements.
Location and getting around
The hotel is a three-minute walk from Kanazawa Station and about two minutes from the Ishikawa Ongakudo concert hall, so arrivals by shinkansen are painless, with luggage storage available if you arrive before check-in. Omicho Market is a ten-minute walk, the Kanazawa Castle area is a short taxi or bus ride, and the Higashi Chaya district and Kenroku-en are easy to reach by the loop bus from the station. The Oyama Shrine and the Yasue Gold Leaf Museum are about eighteen minutes away on foot.
Rooms and who it suits
The hotel suits couples, business travellers and anyone who wants a high-floor city view and a polished service style. It is a good base for shorter trips because everything starts from the station, and it is especially convenient for day trips such as Shirakawa-go, where tour groups meet near the station. Families will find enough space in the larger rooms, but request details when you book. Rooms facing the mountains and the city are the most sought after, so ask for a high floor when you reserve.
Good to know
The breakfast buffet is a paid extra, served each morning, and is substantial enough that many guests skip a morning meal in the city. Parking is on site for a nightly fee, with limited spaces, so reserve ahead if you are driving. The hotel is near a busy station area, but the tower design keeps upper floors quiet, and noise-sensitive guests can request a high floor away from lifts.
Rates are higher than business hotels nearby, but the setting, the dining and the views justify the step up for a special trip or a base of several nights.
Why stay here
- ✓Thirty floors above the station
- ✓Sky lounge with evening live piano
- ✓Teppanyaki and Cantonese restaurants
- ✓Spa with gold leaf treatments
- ✓Access to a partner fitness club
- ✓Free Wi-Fi in all rooms
- ✓Concierge and luggage storage
- ✓Three-minute walk to the station
Good questions
How far is Hotel Nikko from Kanazawa Station?+
It is about a three-minute walk from the station, making it one of the most convenient hotels for shinkansen arrivals. Omicho Market is about ten minutes away on foot.
Does the hotel have good views?+
Yes, the thirty-storey tower looks over the city toward the sea and the mountains, and a sky lounge on the thirtieth floor makes the most of it. Ask for a high floor when you book.
Is breakfast included?+
Breakfast is a paid buffet served each morning, so it depends on the rate you book. It is generous and popular with guests.
