Yutorelo Nikko — Hotel in Nikko

This place is all about the little kind details. One of my 9-year-olds said, “If I could imagine the perfect hotel, this would be it!” Things he counted in its favor: they give you marshmallows to toast in the lobby. The third floor has a lovely board game area with a ping pong table, snacks, and make-your-own flavored sodas (or alcoholic drinks). My kids recommend a lemon sparkling water drink and a chocolate waffle. The third floor also has 24/7 coffee. There are hammocks there and an incredible view of Lake Chuzenji. We really could not stop trying to capture the beauty of the area in photos, but they don’t begin to do it justice.

You should come here just for the town. (And for the bus ride up to Chugushi.) Make sure to visit the Kegon Waterfalls and get a boat tour of the lake (There are a lot of former European embassy retreat homes on the side of the lake opposite the hotel. The tea and scones at the British one were a recommendation from our boat tour guide that was pretty delicious (and again- the view!!!!) It is indeed quiet here in the off-season (apparently it’s more popular in the fall and earlier spring), so expect the shops to close by 5pm. Fortunately, Taro’s restaurant is close to this hotel and opens at 6 pm for a great dinner. We went twice because we enjoyed it so much. (The restaurant dinner is a multi-course affair that would have been wasted on my kids.)

The hotel onsen are lovely, although the temperature on the outside one was too high on the women’s side, and too low on the men’s side. The inside one on the women’s side was a good temperature, but inside was too hot on the men’s side (other onsens have this problem sometimes too).

The mattresses on the beds are indeed firm, but we managed (some folks have suggested layering the futons on top, but our kids were using the futons). The breakfasts are great, but they’re not buffet-style, nor can you order—you get served the dishes of the day. Most of these dishes were wasted on my kids, who just weren’t going to eat corn soup and salad for breakfast despite my coaxing. I felt terrible that we wasted so much food between my vegetarian self and my kids.

The building does need renovation, so if I ever become rich, I will be their benefactor because they put a lot of care into the space, and I want them to be able to replace the carpeting on the stairs and buy a reading lamp for...

【湯けむりと静寂、奥日光の癒し宿】

Yutorira Nikko has become something of a seasonal ritual for us—this was our third visit, and with each return, the reasons why we keep coming back crystallize further. My husband, an avid fisherman, loves the proximity to Lake Chuzenji, but it’s the ethereal, milky white onsen that truly draws us in.

This time, he opted for the capsule-style bunk beds (a practical, no-frills alternative to the private rooms we’ve used before), and found them just right for solo sleeping. The room itself is basic—more dormitory than modern capsule hotel. No built-in fans or personal trash bins, which would’ve been welcome upgrades. One glaring omission: earplugs. I always travel with my own, seasoned ryokan guest that I am, but let’s just say one guest’s elephantine snoring performance could’ve used a curtain call.

That said, the ryokan makes up for it in thoughtful amenities and charm. Dinner at the counter in front of the chef at the first floor restaurant was a delight: light meal set, but full of care and craftsmanship. Watching the chef at work felt like a quiet performance. The 90-minute “all-you-can-drink” exceeded expectations—no watery disappointment here, just a surprisingly full-bodied red wine. Breakfast the next morning, with its French toast, sausage, and salad, was a warm and easy start to the day.

The highlight, as always, is the outdoor onsen: a steamy, mineral-rich bath under the open sky, the kind that leaves your skin soft and your spirit lighter. Yes, a few seasonal bugs may join you, but it’s a small tradeoff for such restorative bliss.

While I’d choose the private rooms for better sleep, this remains a cost-efficient, soul-soothing getaway from the daily grind—and we’ll absolutely return.

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【Features】 🚃 2 minutes walk from Chuzenji Yubinkyoku (post office) bus stop 🍽️ Order: Light dinner set with all-you-can-drink 🛌 Accommodation: Capsule-style bunk beds 🔙 Would I visit again?...

It is my second stay here (last one was in 2020) and now (the fall of 2022) the hotel has become much better! It is renovated recently and it looks totally fresh clean and modern. And now it has two really nice lounge areas. One lounge is on the second floor and it looks like a capsule hotel but in reality it is a library with plenty of the most popular manga and books of different themes (like coffee or travel, for example) and nice and clean capsules where you can escape and hide with a book.

But books in the library are mostly in Japanese and it would be really nice if some English books would be added as well.

The second lounge is on the third floor and it’s going to be your favorite location in the whole building. It has totally comfy sofas (including fancy ones installed in the walls) and hanging hammocks. There are complimentary drinks: in the morning it is just coffee and water but after 3 p.m. you can get for free two types of juice (orange and apple), a variety liquor and whiskey (!) for making cocktails, sparkling wine, several types of snacks (like dry nuts, waffles and cookies), coffee (black and latte) and five types of tea bags. On the shelves on the walls there are magazines in Japanese and books about art in English. Add to this a splendid view of the lake and cozy blankets. On the same floor there is a gaming zone where you can find a table tennis and at least 30 boards games. I spent all my free time in the lounge (after visiting the onsen which was clean and neat) and it was so good and relaxing time! I am really glad that stayed at this...