Rakuten STAY Nikko Hoden

Just a tip for those like us who are new to "no-receptionist check-in" stay-in/hotel/motel, make sure to check your email for the Room Number and Security Code. We got our "room information" via email, sent two days before the start of our stay. I highly suggest to arrive at location and check-in as early as allowed to give ample time to rectify any issues, and to pre-register/check-in. For example, in our case, we booked this December 2024 and it's snowing in Nikko, we arrived at our room around 6:30 PM and it's really cold. Without the room code, or if there was an issue, we could have been stranded out in the open. This place is walkable from the two train stations: the JR Nikko Station and the Tobu Nikko Station. It is a lot closer to JR Nikko Station, by about 2 min walk so it's still a good 10min-15min walk from either stations. If you have a lot of luggages (or really heavy ones), I recommend to book a taxi to get to the location since the path/road has a lot of uneven areas. There is a nearby 7-Eleven that is open 24hrs, it's a decent store and have available food, drinks and other essential amenities. The place is clean, great onsen, decent kitchen, nice shower. My only complaint is the isolated toilet, as there is no separate faucet that has "warm" water for washing hands. In our room, the "faucet" is built to the toilet bowl, and water pours down during the flush but it is so cold, and the faucet stops after the flushing stops.

Rakuten Stay Nikko Hoden was a great hotel. Our room was beautiful and comfortable. We loved the private onsen and the kitchen was a great plus! We will definitely stay here again when we return to Nikko!

Don't be afraid to book this place. Unlike the previous reviews which I also read, we didn't get stranded outside and check in was a breeze! Make sure to check your email the night before you arrive! A key code and check in instructions are all there. It took 5 minutes to check in on the tablet once inside since I filled out the registration (link found in the email) prior to arriving. The link will ask you to for the names and a picture of your pasport of each guest. Providing your pasport is not unusual in Japan. Every hotel will ask you to make a copy as required by law for security reasonsI liked the spacious studio apartment for my family. Lots of room/space to unwind after a busy day. The bed comforters were very warm- a plus for the chilly autumn nights. A quick 10 min walk to JR Nikko station, 13mins to Tobu Nikko. Welcia and 7-11 were very close by and was great option for food to bring back to our place to eat or cook. Only downside was that they didn't provide any laundry detergent and the dryer function on the washer/dryer machine didn't work. We ended up buying some detergent from Welcia and found a clothes rack in the closet to hang our clothes on to dry.