L'hotel Du Lac

“Amazing natural beauty and tranquility on Lake Biwa”

Private cabin accommodations are comfortable, spacious and well equipped. It was the heart of summer, yet the air conditioning worked great and my room was just a 1 minute walk to the swimming pool and a 3 minute walk to the cool waters of Lake Biwa. The views of the lake and surrounding forest are… Plus

Private cabin accommodations are comfortable, spacious and well equipped. It was the heart of summer, yet the air conditioning worked great and my room was just a 1 minute walk to the swimming pool and a 3 minute walk to the cool waters of Lake Biwa. The views of the lake and surrounding forest are quite stunning! The restaurant also exceeded my expectations. Michelin quality elevated cuisine, made using fresh local ingredients. My only complaint would be some of the buildings are a bit outdated and in need of a makeover, however I heard the hotel is set to go under a renovations sometime soon. Overall it was a great stay and a slice of real Japan, off the beaten tourist path. Highly recommended.

Moins

“A Special moment in a special place !”

This place offer a rare view on the lake Biwa and propose an excellent quality of service and accommodation. Special mention about the food that definitely worth the trip by it self. A good place to relax and enjoy this very beautiful part of japan.

“Foodie hotel”

Came here because I wanted to try out Sower, an exquisite locavore restaurant, chef Coleman and 2 other team members are alumnus of Inus. Sower hands down beats many of the best restaurants in Kyoto and showcases the terroir of Shiga. Likely no Michelin star yet only because the inspectors have … Plus

Came here because I wanted to try out Sower, an exquisite locavore restaurant, chef Coleman and 2 other team members are alumnus of Inus. Sower hands down beats many of the best restaurants in Kyoto and showcases the terroir of Shiga. Likely no Michelin star yet only because the inspectors have not made it to this more remote part of Japan. I had such a nice stay, there was still snow on the ground, the hotel faces the stunning Biwa lake, the 15 cabins/rooms are spread out across the tree covered grounds. I was in a Japanese style room, you can choose other styles ie Scandi. My room was small, but comfortable with heated bathroom floors, soaking tub. I also booked one of the two private onsens which was a pleasant surprise as I didn’t know what to expect at the hotel. If any room for improvement, would suggest the onsen to also be available in the mornings, and the pillows in my room were really hard. Service was excellent too, when I told the hotel I had trouble with their website (the English website changes into Japanese when you actually start booking a room), they literally changed this issue in less than a day. This is a place I definitely want to come back to, at least I know I would eat incredibly well, and to use this as a base to travel this less traveled area of Shiga.

Moins

“Beautiful property on the lake that serves up great food”

We stayed one night at L'Hotel du Lac on our way back to Kyoto from the Kaga Onsen area. Having gone two dinners in a row enjoying traditional Japanese Kaiseki cuisine, we felt that French-Japanese dining experience would offer a nice contrast. And how right we were. The sprawling property is nest… Plus

We stayed one night at L'Hotel du Lac on our way back to Kyoto from the Kaga Onsen area. Having gone two dinners in a row enjoying traditional Japanese Kaiseki cuisine, we felt that French-Japanese dining experience would offer a nice contrast. And how right we were. The sprawling property is nestled along the north shore of beautiful Lake Biwa, with not much around it. It's definitely a place that will reduce your blood pressure - it really is that tranquil of a setting. From the mountains and forest behind the property to the beautifully manicured lawn in front (along with a pool and tennis court), the grounds are definitely first rate. Each room is wood cabin style individual units, and are charming and provides a sense of (European) place that's reminiscent of somewhere like Lake Como or Lake Garda. Inside, you're treated to separate living room and bedroom as well as a bathroom on the first floor, with a small loft with an additional bed on the 2nd floor (feels more like an attic - you can't stand straight given the very low ceiling.) It's not particularly spacious.... Our Villa Suite room was listed as 60m², but it felt a bit tighter than that, especially in the living area. The furnishings are somewhat low-budget; the dining chairs, for instance, are of the cheap and plastic (and very uncomfortable) variety. Outside of our cabin was a large patio; a perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon reading a book or observing the monkeys that frequent the property grounds (depending on the season that you visit.) Overall, it's a nice, charming environment, but not the most spacious or comfortable accommodations. In contrast to the cabins, the main building is contemporary in structure, design and adornments. Almost Mediterranean in feel. In the common areas (including the dining room) there are floor-to-ceiling windows that give it an airy feel while allowing everyone to enjoy the gorgeous property grounds as well as Lake Biwa itself. Dinner and brunch were both very delightful. It's European-inspired Japanese fusion cuisine that relies mainly on local ingredients, and the result is terrific. The Fermented Japanese Turnip with Tofu Skin was a highlight, as was the lightly seared Cod with Tom Yum Kung sauce. Dessert dishes were also creative and incredible, especially the amazing Chestnut Ice Cream. Brunch was a hearty and immensely enjoyable affair - it's made-to-order a-la-carte dining with an expansive menu... and it's all-you-can-order. We had everything from a pastry basket to curry rice to Omi Beef Steak over rice (cooked in a hot stone pot) to Grilled Scallops to Sweet Almond Tofu. Each serving is quite small, so you can really enjoy a wide variety of dishes on offer. We really enjoyed our stay at L'Hotel du Lac. It was a perfect ending to a multi-day trip through the Hokuriku region of Japan, and we enjoyed the food in particular. For those that are based in Europe, or have opportunities to visit European countryside results, I'm not sure that I'd recommend that they visit L'Hotel du Lac given all of the wonderful things that Japan has to offer. However, if you know what you're getting into, and it's what you are looking for, then L'Hotel du Lac will almost certainly fit the bill.

Moins