I can not say anything negative about this Ryokan. My daughter and I arrived at the JR Hikone station and went to the Tourist Information Office to get directions to our Ryokan. The staff phoned our host and we were advised he was coming to pick us up. After our arrival we were given afternoon tea and a snack which was a very nice surprise and a lovely treat. We then wanted to see the castle so we were shown to the ticket booth to purchase our tickets. We decided on the ticket for the gardens, castle and museum. We returned back at our Ryokan just after 5 pm and was asked if we wanted a bath, which we decided to have early then put on our you katas that are supplied for us and relax in our room overlooking the beautiful gardens and pond. Dinner was about 12 courses and each course was well presented and delicious. There was quite a lot of fish in the course so please advise if you would like something else when you book as they will cater for all tastes. We retired to our room after dinner and relaxed before retiring. We woke up to such a lovely morning with the birds and turtles greeting us. I wished I could have stayed here for longer! You really have to experience this Ryokan. There is a lot of history about this Ryokan that takes you back 300 years or more. it is the "oldest inn" in Japan so for the experience of a lifetime you should not miss out. The cost is quite expensive but I thought it was well worth it. We did not want for anything and we were treated like royalty. I am wanting to return again so my husband can experience this as well. When it was time to leave we were driven back to the railway station for our train onto Gifu. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience.
The smal Ryokan is located right next to the castle of Hikone and located in a magnificent garden. The rooms are located over the water of the small lake, which is part of the garden and you can overlook the garden from your room.
The food served is as well excellent and you will be amazed what kind of dishes you will get served!
Even the WiFi works perfectly and much faster as in most of the big hotels I have stayed in Japan ;-)
The price you pay per night is high, but worth the experience and unique location!
We will never forget the unique experience of staying at this family owned ryokan. Although we had already been to several ryokans before, we were overwhelmed by the beauty and serenity of Hakkeitei. The pavilions are over 300 years old and nicely located by a small lake, just below Hikone-jo castle. The ryokan has two large rooms directly by the water and three smaller rooms with lake views in the main pavilion. We stayed in Ukimido room which is partly built into the lake and has large windows with beautiful views on two sides. Although some other top class ryokans may be more luxurious, Hakkeitei is unique in the sense that the buildings have remained largely unchanged over time and only few concessions to modern life have been made. Hence you get an authentic flavour of traditional Japan. Since we were the only guests during our stay, we were served dinner and breakfast in the other large room, called Matsu no Ma. The quality and variety of the food, which was prepared by the owner himself, were excellent. At the end of the kaiseki dinner the owner even thanked us for having eaten all the dishes they had served us. The owners are of extreme friendliness and take great pride in welcoming their guests and doing everything to make their stay as pleasant as possible. Japanese hospitality at its perfection!
80 km north-east off Kyoto, a night at this ryokan must be one of the most beautiful experiences in your entire life. Any of the two big rooms they offer - "Ukimido" or "Matsu no Ma" - will do. A visit to the quaint Hikone castle will add the cherry to the cake.