Originally Posted by jpdx

Just finished a short stay here. Very pleasantly surprised.

We came from Osaka; took the train to Katata station, then shuttle bus to the hotel. Most hours of the day, there is one train that goes through to Katata in about 45 minutes, plus several more options that require a switch in Kyoto and take a bit over an hour. The through train aligns poorly with the shuttle bus (which departs the station at :40), so we took a connecting option. The shuttle bus ride to the hotel takes about 10 minutes. I couldn’t find information on taxi pricing, but taxis were readily available at Katata station, and due to the short distance I can’t imagine it’s very costly.

The hotel is a reflag and pretty thorough remodel – a fair bit of money must have gone into remodeling the lobby and rooms. The location is quite nice, with a great view of Lake Biwa. Cross the street and you’re on a pedestrian/bike path along the lake. A mall with plenty of dining and shopping options is a 10 minute walk away. There’s really no need for a car. The hotel contains an onsen and sports facilities – these haven’t been remodeled, but are ok.

We were upgraded to a lake view room on a high floor. It’s large and very modern. There appear to be onsen rooms and suites, but of course unlikely to be given as upgrades on a Saturday – I was pleasantly surprised that we got what we did. Golds/Plats receive access to a lounge area in the lobby with snack items during the day, and free flowing drinks plus a small buffet, along with some hot items (brought to the table) in the evening. Pretty decent quality, and a pleasant experience. Breakfast is also included, served in the 12th floor restaurant – it’s a great space with a fantastic view of Lake Biwa, and the spread is excellent (salads/fruits/pastries/cold Japanese and Western items/hot buffet/ramen station/eggs, waffles, pancakes made on demand and delivered to the table). It was busy and we had to wait half an hour, but were offered the option of receiving a call when the table is ready.

Overall, it was a great stay, and excellent value on a rate of less than $100. This was the reason we came here in the first place – Saturday nights in Japan can be 2-3x as pricy as weeknights, and staying in Osaka would have been much more expensive than this little detour. We’ll be back!