Nara Hotel is the city's landmark guest house, founded in 1909 in a grand Japanese-Western style with sloping tiled roofs, wooden corridors and a quiet garden. It stands on a rise at the edge of Nara Park, three minutes on foot from the grounds, with Kofuku-ji, Sarusawa Pond and the Nara National Museum nearby. The hotel has 127 rooms, two restaurants, a coffee shop, a bar and a garden, plus bicycle rentals, laundry service and luggage storage. Rooms have flat-screen televisions, bathrobes, bidet toilets and deep soaking tubs, and the hotel offers free parking, a rare convenience in a historic city. It is the obvious splurge for a first visit and for travellers who want atmosphere as much as comfort.
Location and getting around
The hotel sits in the Takabatake area on the park side of the city, a three-minute walk from Nara Park and about fifteen minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station. That makes early mornings with the deer effortless, because you step out of the hotel and into the park before the crowds arrive. Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and the museums are all reachable on foot, and the city loop bus passes nearby for tired legs or rain. Bicycle rental is offered at the hotel, which suits the flat streets around the park.
Rooms and who it suits
Rooms vary between the historic main building, where the style is classic and wood-panelled, and more modern wings, so ask which you prefer when you book. Deep soaking tubs and bidets are standard, and the mix of Western beds and Japanese details suits couples, history lovers and anyone celebrating. Families are welcome, and the garden gives children room to roam. The two restaurants and bar mean you can dine without leaving the property after a long day of walking.
Good to know
Breakfast is available, with a cooked-to-order option for an extra charge, and it is worth paying for in a setting like this. Check-in starts in the afternoon and runs until midnight, check-out is at eleven, and parking is free, but spaces are limited, so confirm in advance if you are driving. Because the hotel is a short walk from the park rather than beside the station, pack light if you arrive by train or take a taxi from the station. Book early for the autumn colour weeks and spring.
Why stay here
- ✓Founded in 1909
- ✓Three minutes from Nara Park
- ✓Two on-site restaurants
- ✓Bar and coffee shop
- ✓Garden grounds
- ✓Deep soaking tubs
- ✓Free parking
- ✓Bicycle rental
Good questions
How far is Nara Hotel from Nara Park?+
It is about a three-minute walk from the park, so you can be among the deer within minutes of leaving the lobby. Kintetsu Nara Station is about fifteen minutes on foot.
Is parking available?+
Yes, parking is free, but spaces are limited, so confirm with the hotel before you drive. Most visitors arrive by train and do not need a car.
Is breakfast included?+
Breakfast is available at the hotel, and a cooked-to-order option carries an extra charge. Compare rates with and without breakfast when you book.
