Need comfortable and affordable accommodation in Nara? No problem! The Nara Nikko Hotel has you covered.
A pedestrian walkway connects the 2nd floor concourse of JR Nara Station to the 2nd floor of the Nara Nikko Hotel Building. No lugging heavy luggage up and down stairs here, just smooth and easy rolling from the ticket gates to the hotel elevator and a quick ride to the airy 3rd floor lobby where friendly hotel staff will help you. I was working my Japanese on the check-in staff but I heard two other receptionists speaking good English with other customers.
My single room, though a standard business hotel single in layout was better appointed than an ordinary business hotel. The desk, chair, mirror frame and the wall mounted bed headboard were all made of wood. The bed and its covers were plusher than those of other hotels I’ve stayed at, and the bathroom was spotlessly clean without feeling sterile (and without the odor of cleaning chemicals). There was also free wifi and a LAN cable port. The internet connection was quite fast so busy business travelers can complete any last minute tasks, and leisure travelers can stay connected to friends and loved ones near and far. The bed’s headboard alarm clock was also easy to use and worked very well. My only complaint was that the air conditioner in my room wasn’t quite up to the task of keeping the room as cool as I wanted it to be.
Nikko Hotels offer room packages that include an all-you-can-eat western and Japanese style breakfast buffet in the cost of one’s stay (opt for a package that doesn’t include breakfast and the breakfast buffet costs ￥1,800 for adults and ￥900 for children). The buffet had a very wide range of choices and I found myself trying a little bit of everything (both Japanese and western) that caught my fancy. The scrambled eggs were a bit oily and the sausage and bacon were of the same variety that one can find at any Japanese supermarket, but the salads and fruits tasted fresh and some of the bakery items I tried were also tasty, having come straight out of the oven.
The Nikko Hotel Nara’s room rates vary by season but the average rate for a single is about ￥12,700. The Japanese website lists several “Otokuna” (special price) plans that can drop the nightly rate to as low as ￥4,425. Requirements and restrictions obviously apply and Japanese skills maybe necessary to take advantage of these plans but they are available and worth a look. The English website (through JAL Hotels) offers a discount for reservations made 60 or more days in advance, and has a helpful planner for visitors to plan their trip to Nara.
The Japanese expression, “Niko niko,” means to be bright and smiley. Get niko niko with the Nara Nikko Hotel. Happy Travels!
