Name: Hotobil
Address: 181-15 Kainozukacho, Nara, Nara, Nara, 630-8142, Japan
Rating: 10

Air conditioning

Smoke-free property

Heating

Ticket assistance

General

Fridge

Family room

Hairdryer

Flat-screen TV

Rooms

Laundry

Luggage storage

Iron

Services and amenities

Breakfast

Restaurant

Kettle

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Tour assistance

Tourist services

Free parking

Parking

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the guest house

Room amenities

Osaka Castle

Kema Sakuranomiya Park

Osaka Museum of History

Shitennoji Temple

Abeno Harukas

Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Arcade

Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

Kids Plaza Osaka

Kuromon Ichiba

Nakanoshima Park

Tennoji Zoo

Tsutenkaku Tower

Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade

Tempozan Harbor Village Ferris Wheel

Utsubo Park

Osaka National Museum of Art

Osaka Science Museum

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Toji Temple

Kyoto National Museum

Kyoto Tower

Sanjusangendo Temple

Umekoji Park

Kyoto Aquarium

Shoseien Garden

Higashi Honganji Temple

Kiyomizu Temple

Nishihonganji Temple

Universal Studios Japan

Kodaiji Temple

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Kenninji Temple

Yasaka Shrine

Maruyama Park

Chion-in Temple

Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art

Itami Airport

Kyoto Municipal Zoo

Kyoto International Manga Museum

Nijo Castle

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Kobe Airport

Kansai International Airport

Hotobil

Nara

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

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19-beds

2-beds

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3-beds

30-beds

31-beds

32-beds

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39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

This is a Rayocan, or a bed-and-breakfast. It is a room in a private house in a residential street. It is great if you want to get an idea of how Japanese people live. You are provided with slippers when you arrive and you leave your outdoor shoes by the front door. DO NOT wear your slippers in the bed room! The bedroom is traditional, with tatami matting on the floor and bedding laid out ready. Your bags need to be left outside the actual sleeping area. To be honest space is tight and you need to move about carefully to avoid damaging the sliding shutter doors. The host was good enough to make and serve us traditional green tea (an acquired taste if truth be told!). In the morning we were offered a choice between a traditional Japanese breakfast or continental. We chose one of each so that we could compare and experience. As the house is in a residential district we had to walk some way (10-15 mins) to find an evening meal. I'm not sure if we found where host was directing us, but we found what I can only describe as a "diner" where we got something to eat. In the morning the circular bus goes by pretty close and this takes you to the station.The house lets out two rooms, we were lucky in that we were the only guests so got the best room. Also you share the shower room, toilet and wash basin. That might not be to everyone's taste. You can also wash and dry clothes, which is always handy if you're travelling - although there is an additional cost for this. This place is well worth a stay if you're touring Japan and want an authentic taste of the country.

Fantastic Experience - recomended

The rooms are large and sunny, scrupulously clean, and beautifully appointed. The location is excellent (a pleasant walk from JR Nara station; only moments to walk from JR Kyobate station; two blocks from the loop bus; and three blocks from the historic Naramachi district). And the food is AMAZING. I was a bit dubious at so many reviews saying so, but honestly every breakfast (we were there three days) was spectacular and better than the one before, and the dinner we had there was the best meal we've ever had in Japan. (She didn't provide alcohol, but had no objection to us picking up our own and bringing it to dinner.)

The larger room can easily sleep a family of four, and has a balcony and a shoji-screen door; the smaller could sleep a family of four if they sleep moderately close, and has a Western-style door. 

Shared toilet and bathing facilities, but with only two rooms being rented, you're hardly fighting a crowd to brush your teeth. There's a fridge and basic cooking facilities available in the common space. And she asked only 200 yen when we wanted to wash and dry a load of laundry; she'll help you if you can't figure out how to work the machines (instructions are in Japanese, of course), and she gave us a drying rack for the things that shouldn't be heat-dried. 

I would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Beautiful rooms and amazing food in a terrific location

We had such an excellent time staying at Hotobil. Coming from busy Hong Kong it was just the relaxed and peaceful stay we needed. Very good location, very traditional, very comfortable. We had the dinner and the breakfast and both were fabulous! highly recommend. Thank you so much.

THE BEST

I just stayed the night. Excellent accommodations. Clean very clean. Very personal feel and private. Very quiet. Mieko-san is a master chef and the best host. The breakfast I had almost made me cry. It was the best meal I had in Japan and I've gone to tsukiji at a highly rated sushi restaurant, had fugu in shibuya, gone to a highly rated ryokan onsen around yudanaka, shibu area by jigokudani monkey park... this meal takes the prize. She is an excellent cook and host... thank you so very much Hotobil and Mieko-san!!! The best.

Best Food Hands Down & Hats Off.

One of the best things about Hotobil (Guesthouse) is its fabulous location in the Historic District of Nara. It's great and totally safe to stroll around the narrow streets in the evenings, dine in the local eateries or have a drink in one of the nearby bars. 

Usually we stay in the centre of a town, location, location. location, but in Nara it was a real treat to go 'local' in the historic district and only a 15 minute interesting walk through the lanes to Nara Park – From Hotobil we found our way around no problem, it’s close to a big supermarket and the main shopping street is just 10 minutes walk away.. 

The owner of Hotobil, 'Mieko' is just a delight and hosted us very well indeed. The western style breakfasts were a real treat and the rooms are spotlessly clean. The only down side (if you were unaware) is that the 2 guest rooms share the one toilet and the one separate shower area. The smaller of the guest rooms is quieter and more like a ‘normal’ hotel room with a closing door, whereas the big room that we had, although very traditional, has Japanese style sliding doors to the communal areas, so not as sound proof when other guests are around.

Hotobil is easy to reach from the JR Rail Station - catch the 'yellow' circular bus (in either direction) that runs continually around the city circuit and get off at stop number N13 - Hotobil is a minute walk from the bus stop. The cost of the bus is 210Yen for 1 trip, or 500yen for a 24hour pass. 

Staying the historic suburban areas of Japan cities is a must do on any itinerary and here in Nara it is so easily accomplished, when staying at Hotobil.

Fabulous Location

Hotobil is basically a small guesthouse run by a lovely old Japanese lady who rents out the two rooms on the top floor of her house. We slept in the large room which was very comfortable and had all the amenities that we required. She cooked us a fantastic Japanese breakfast in the morning which was delicious. I would recommend staying here if you wanted a true Japanese guest house experience when staying in Nara. 

Hotobil

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