はる家 ならまち — Hotel in Nara

Beware of this hotel’s terrible service, confusing check-in process, and threatening refund policy

I had one of the most stressful and frustrating hotel experiences of my life at this property. The setup here is unusual and poorly communicated, with zero onsite staff and incredibly confusing check-in instructions that left me completely lost upon arrival. Here’s a rundown of the key issues:

No staff and vague instructions: This hotel operates without any staff onsite, which isn’t necessarily a problem if they provide clear directions—but they don’t. Instead, I arrived to find a sign that simply said, “Take the letter out of the box.” It didn’t specify that I should take a letter with my name on it; it just said to take a letter. With no other guidance, I assumed all the letters were the same, as it wasn’t clear they were specific to each guest. The letter had a foreign-looking name with a Japanese symbol (which I later learned was sama), but without any context, I assumed it might be the name of the property or something generic.

Misleading room expectations: I booked a traditional machiya house, expecting a private, authentic experience. Instead, I was directed to a small, basic room that looked nothing like the photos. There was no private bathroom, and it seemed like a completely different setup than what I’d paid for. With no staff to clarify, I had no choice but to accept this room for the night.

Invasion of privacy and middle-of-the-night disturbance: In the middle of the night, a man unlocked my door and entered my room, waking me up, only to inform me that I was in the “wrong” room. Since I’d taken a letter that wasn’t actually meant for me (because they failed to explain this at check-in), I was placed in a room assigned to someone else. I later learned that had I taken the letter with my specific name, I would have known where to go. Instead, I was left completely confused, with no staff to guide me, and my privacy was interrupted in the middle of the night.

Unacceptable, disrespectful, and threatening customer service: The next morning, I contacted the hotel (since, again, no one was there in person). Initially, they admitted fault and apologized for the miscommunication. However, after a few emails, they reversed their stance and rudely blamed me for the confusion despite their extremely vague instructions. Shockingly, they even threatened to withhold any refund if I didn’t accept their partial offer of only 5,000 yen on a 12,000 yen booking. Even worse, they tried to claim that my “mistake” forced them to “upgrade” other guests because they were supposedly inconvenienced. In reality, the only “upgrade” was that those guests received the machiya house I had paid for!

If you want a relaxing, enjoyable stay, avoid this property at all costs. Their unstaffed setup is poorly thought out, their communication is inadequate, and their customer service is shockingly disrespectful and even threatening. There are better and cheaper options nearer to the park. Along my way to the park, I came across another machiya inn, which looked nicer. No guest should have to endure a lack of privacy, confusing instructions, and rude, intimidating responses from management—especially at this price point. I hope my experience serves as a...

【古都に息づく静寂の宿】

Haruya Guesthouse in Nara is where history exhales gently between wooden beams and a blooming inner garden. I first passed it by during April’s sakura season and promised myself I’d return—and I did, for one night that blended cultural reverence with cozy pragmatism.

The guesthouse is a designated Cultural Heritage property, and it wears its age with poise. Check-in starts a bit later than standard (16:00), but the process is smooth with clear English instructions and passcodes. I stayed in the dorm housed in a renovated kura (storehouse) for 4000 yen, while the main building offers private rooms.

The bunk bed setup is straightforward: my sleeping area above and a small personal nook below. It’s functional, not luxurious. While I appreciated the tiny window near my bunk that allowed fresh air to sneak in, I did miss having a secure, larger storage box for valuables. No locks, no real ventilation in most bunks—something to keep in mind.

Evening strolls took me to the grand Nara Hotel for a cocktail and cake—a charming cultural juxtaposition to the minimalist guesthouse stay. Shared showers at Haruya were clean, and my travel earplugs and mask turned out to be vital allies: the dorm’s heavy door can be jarringly loud.

All told, it’s an excellent option for the culture-inclined traveler seeking value. Just bring your own towel and a bit of patience for rustic quirks.

⭐ My Rating: 4 stars

【Features】 🚃 15 minutes walk from Nara Station 🛏️ Room: Dormitory bunk in renovated kura 🧼 Cleanliness: Simple but tidy shared facilities 📝 Check-in: 16:00 - 10:00 🙋‍♂️ Staff: Friendly and hands-off, clear written guidance 💰 Value: Excellent cultural value for the price 🗺️ Nearby: Nara Park, Nara Hotel, and historic sites 🔠 English: Written Material in English 📶 Wi-Fi: Available (not specifically tested) 🚿 Bathroom: Clean shared showers 🔇 Quietness: Dorm door noise can disturb sleep 🍵 Amenities: Optional, not included by default 🛌 Sleep: Bring earplugs and mask for better rest 🔙 Would I visit...

First off, we loved Nara! Such an interesting part of Japan with such a diverse array of things to do. Our stay at Haruya was a big part of our great experience of the area with the place from the get go giving off good vibes. From the ancient building itself to the small little garden space out the back it was such a relief to know that we were coming back to Haruya at the end of a big day exploring. We stayed in the little building off the main one on the upper floor. The little pod beds were great with power points and little shelves to store stuff. The beds themselves were super comfy with sleep coming long and easy. We had a bathroom, toilet and shower in our small building on the first floor although we did tend to use the main building as they are right near where people are sleeping on the ground floor. The showers are small little pods with shampoo and body soap provided. Towels are also provided which is great for when your are on the road all the time and yours needs a wash. There are some great little common nooks on the first floor to hang out in and endless amounts of chilled green tea which we definitely took advantage of. Check-in was super easy and the staff were always helpful with recommendations for local eats and to dos. ||||We stayed in pods but there was an option to sleep on the traditional tatami mats and beds as well which I would recommend trying if you haven't done it before. I would also advise getting some sort of slip on shoe as shoes have to come off before entering any of the living areas. ||||All in all, we loved having this tranquil slice of Japanese tradition to come home to for our time in Nara and will definitely be back to see the guys again when we are back in town. ||This little...