JW Marriott Hotel Nara is a 158-room luxury hotel on six floors at Sanjooji, a few minutes by car from Nara Park. It has an indoor pool, a sauna and steam room, a full-service spa, a 24-hour fitness centre, two restaurants, the Flying Stag bar and lounge, afternoon tea, a terrace and a garden. A shuttle bus runs to Kintetsu Nara and JR Nara stations, and the rooms and public spaces are modern and quiet.
Location and getting around
The hotel sits in a quieter, more residential part of Nara than the station areas, with an easy rhythm of mornings among the temples. Nara Park is about a three-minute drive away, and on foot it is roughly nineteen minutes to Suzakumon Gate at the Heijo Palace site, thirteen minutes to Kairyuoji Temple and fifteen to Hokke-ji.
Shin-Omiya Station is about nine minutes on foot. A shuttle bus links the hotel with Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station, which is useful for day trips to Kyoto, Osaka and Horyu-ji. Kansai International Airport is about an hour and twenty minutes by car, so most guests arrive by train or airport bus.
Rooms and facilities
This is the most complete resort-style hotel in Nara. The indoor pool is open from the morning until the early evening, and the spa has four treatment rooms and needs a reservation. A sauna, a steam room and a 24-hour fitness centre are also available. Two restaurants, a bar and lounge and an afternoon tea service mean you can stay in for dinner after a long day at Todai-ji, and there is a terrace and garden for a calm hour.
Free WiFi is standard. A daily buffet breakfast is available for an extra charge. Parking is available for a daily fee, with valet and nearby off-site options, and there is an electric vehicle charging station. Check-in starts in the afternoon and check-out is before eleven. Pets are not allowed, though service animals are welcome.
Who it suits and what to know: couples celebrating something, families who want a pool and space, and travellers who want a modern five-star base after days of walking. It also makes a comfortable choice for a longer stay, because the shuttle bus and the quiet setting take some of the effort out of the day.
The trade-off is that it is not in the old town, so evenings in the Naramachi streets mean a shuttle ride or a taxi. Prices are higher than at the station hotels and rise for cherry blossom season, autumn leaves and holiday weekends, so book early and compare rates with and without breakfast.
Why stay here
- ✓Indoor pool
- ✓Full-service spa and sauna
- ✓24-hour fitness centre
- ✓Two restaurants and the Flying Stag bar
- ✓Shuttle bus to Kintetsu and JR stations
- ✓Nara Park 3 minutes by car
- ✓Afternoon tea, terrace and garden
- ✓Electric vehicle charging
Good questions
How far is the hotel from Nara Park?+
About a three-minute drive, and the shuttle bus to the stations makes it easy to reach the park and the temples.
Is there a pool?+
Yes, there is an indoor pool with set opening hours, and a spa that needs a reservation. Check the details when you book.
Is breakfast included?+
A daily buffet breakfast is available for an extra charge. Compare room-only and breakfast rates when you book.
