The 10 Best Hotels in Nara

Home to historically significant temples, shrines, and adorable but mischievous deer, Nara, one of Japan’s former imperial capitals, is often visited on a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka. That said, staying at Nara can be advantageous for those who’d prefer to explore in depth and/or stay someplace quieter than downtown Kyoto or Osaka. If you can’t decide where to stay in Nara, here are our top 10 accommodations

Located at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, which offers one of Japan's best night views, the tranquil Ando Hotel Nara Wakakusayama DLight Life & Hotels makes for an idyllic retreat from the concrete jungle. It’s a roughly 10-minute drive from Nara Station, but rest assured; a free shuttle service is provided to guests for added convenience.

This hotel is situated on a hilltop and overlooks Nara's most popular attractions, such as Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple. Guests can enjoy the view from selected rooms or the relaxing private baths on the rooftop.

The hotel's spacious rooms range from 38 square meters for a twin or double to 110 square meters for its stylish but cozy penthouse suite. All rooms come with panoramic views of the nearby forest, mountains, or Nara's cityscape. Additionally, the hotel arranges various activities for guests, from stargazing to hiking.

In the heart of downtown Nara City, near the area’s main attractions, is Nara Ryokan Asukaso. This traditional inn is a mere eight-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station — though a bit farther from JR Nara Station, at 18 minutes on foot.

Situated right next to Kofuku-ji Temple, Asukaso offers guests views of the temple’s famous five-story pagoda from selected rooms and its open-air baths, both communal and private. Its rooms are in western, Japanese, and fusion, with the Japanese-western rooms being particularly charming thanks to fixtures such as latticed windows reminiscent of traditional houses and rounded windows.

*Note: The pagoda is under renovation at the time of writing

Another ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Nara’s city center is Kasuga Hotel, which is just two or three minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station and Kofuku-ji Temple. This inn boasts spacious rooms, some of which overlook the greenery of Nara Park. 

Selected rooms even have open-air baths that allow guests to enjoy the view while taking a relaxing soak. The communal baths, however, are just as delightful, with the open-air bath overlooking a landscape garden.

For a truly unique and comfortable experience, consider booking the Japanese room with a private bath with a luxurious massage chair. Or, if you're intrigued by the idea of sitting by a horigotatsu — a heated table with a recessed floor underneath — opt for the Japanese-western room with a private bath. These unique amenities will surely add an exciting element to your stay at Kasuga Hotel.

Halfway up Mount Wakakusa is Mikasa Ryokan, an inn that provides scenic views thanks to its surrounding nature. Even its standard Japanese-style rooms overlook Mount Wakakusa’s greenery, so time your trip right, and you might enjoy the breathtaking sight of cherry blossoms in spring and colorful foliage in autumn — right in front of your room.

Meanwhile, some other rooms have views of Todai-ji Temple’s Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) and Nara’s cityscape, which is beautifully aglow at night. More luxurious rooms are equipped with private open-air baths and even terrace seats so you can feel the cool breeze after your bath.

Though this ryokan is a short drive from downtown Nara, a free shuttle service for guests links JR and Kintetsu Nara Stations to the inn.

The chic and modern Iroha Grand Hotel Kintetsu Nara Station is a business hotel strategically located just two minutes on foot from Kintetsu Nara Station or 10 minutes on foot from JR Nara Station. The area’s main attractions such as Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple are all within reasonable walking distance, and various shops and restaurants are nearby, too.

All 143 rooms at this hotel are furnished with comfortable Simmons beds, infused with earthy tones for a relaxing ambience. On the ground floor, there is an amenity bar where you can stock up on everything you need to enhance your stay, from tea bags to basic skincare products. The on-site restaurant provides all-day dining, with a breakfast buffet that serves local specialties and various other dishes.

Comfortable western-style rooms with a modern Japanese-inspired design await at Centurion Hotel Classic Nara, a business hotel that offers great value for money. A five-minute walk from JR Nara Station (make that a seven-minute walk if you’re alighting at Kintetsu Nara Station), this hotel is suited for solo tourists, business travelers, couples, families, and small groups alike.

The hotel has a lounge where you can chat with friends, get some work done, or just chill before or after your stay. Its breakfast buffet offers familiar continental fare and Nara specialties such as chagayu (tea porridge) and Miwa somen noodles.

Despite being a relatively new hotel — opened in late 2020 — An-Grande Hotel Nara has been winning guests over quickly with its proximity to Kintetsu Nara Station (just a minute’s walk from exit 1) and its sleekly designed and spacious rooms, many of which offer scenic views from the windows.

From some of the guestrooms, you can see Kofuku-ji Temple, Nara Park, and Mount Wakakusa. Or, if you’re feeling luxurious, pick the 57-square-meter View Bath Junior Suite, a fancier room that also provides panoramic views and is equipped with terrace seats.

The Nara branch of the Onyado Nono chain of business hotels has a traditional Japanese aesthetic. Onyado Nono Nara, a five-minute walk from JR Nara Station, features rooms equipped with modern comforts such as Serta beds but with wooden furniture, tatami flooring, and other traditional touches.

Named after Nara’s Mount Yoshino, a famous spot for cherry blossom viewing, the communal bath Yoshino Sakura no Yu sources its water from a local hot spring facility, Suzaku no Yu. The open-air view bath and the indoor cypress bath will keep your skin moist and relieve you after a day of sightseeing.

And, for breakfast the next day, don’t miss the opportunity to try sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves and Miwa somen — both local specialties — at the buffet.

Another business hotel that goes beyond providing simple rooms and basic comforts is Daiwa Roynet Hotel Nara, also a three-minute walk from JR Nara Station. The hotel’s rooms, which range from standard (but spacious and comfortable) twin rooms to suites, all take inspiration from the Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest anthology of classical waka poetry, which was compiled during the Nara period (710–794).

On the second floor is a communal bath called Nara Wakakusa no Yu, which uses natural hot spring water and features traditional Japanese art-inspired LED installations that you can gaze at while you bathe. The breakfast buffet at the on-site restaurant, Asuka, includes local delicacies: tea porridge and somen noodles.

Just a minute on foot from JR Nara Station is the sophisticated Piazza Hotel Nara, which boasts spacious rooms bathed in warm colors and a relaxing ambience. While all rooms are mainly designed in the western style, some add Japanese touches like tatami flooring and bamboo arrangements. 

This city hotel has a range of on-site facilities: a gym, convenience store, banquet hall, buffet restaurant, teppan-yaki grill restaurant, bar, and live music facility. Whether you’re a solo traveler on vacation, a couple, a family or group of friends, or even someone attending or holding an event at this hotel, you will surely enjoy comfort, convenience, and style at Piazza Hotel Nara.