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| We are pleased to announce that L'hotel du Lac and Ryoka Kurashiki joined The Ryokan Collection this year. Now totaling 30 Japanese ryokan and small unique hotels, The Ryokan Collection continues to offer unforgettable experiences of Japanese traditions and the spirit of hospitality to international luxury travelers.
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| L'hotel du Lac (Oura, Shiga Prefecture) |
Nestled on the shores of Lake Biwa, in the midst of a lush forest, sits L'Hotel du Lac, waiting to welcome you to an expansive, natural world with spectacular views of the beautiful lake and islands floating serenely in the distance. In spring, cherry blossoms line the lakeshore boulevard that passes in front of the hotel a?? one of the most spectacular blossom-viewing places in Japan.
Wine and fine cuisine draw people here too, and since it reopened recently after a major overhaul, L'Hotel du Lac has quickly gained a reputation as a premium dining destination, with an enviable wine cellar selected by award-winning sommelier Shinya Tasaki and exquisite French and French-Japanese fusion cuisine to match.
The hotel has also become known as a casual getaway for sophisticated people with a taste for luxury. Carefree and family friendly, L'Hotel du Lac has accommodations ranging from casual freestanding villas among the trees to premium suites in the main building, with all the comforts one would expect from a premium Japanese boutique hotel, including big, relaxing ofuro baths, a shochu bar, and plenty of omotenashi hospitality and tender loving care from the friendly staff. The lobby welcomes guests to the spacious world of the hotel, its huge, two-story windows offering broad vistas over the lake and mountains. The hotel occupies 140,000 square meters of lakefront land, and opened under new management in 2010 after a thorough renewal.
L'Hotel du Lac is somewhat secluded, but that's part of its appeal. There is a lot to do in the neighborhood, though. Lake Biwa, Japan's biggest lake, is a popular vacation spot for people from all over Japan. L'Hotel du Lac has its own beach out in front of the hotel, and tons of water sports like boating, swimming and fishing to go along with it. The surrounding area abounds in natural beauty, and there are dozens of historical sites to visit nearby, including ancient castles and battlegrounds. The nearby Oku-Biwako Parkway is beautiful at any time of the year, and the pretty Chikubu Island, visible from the hotel, is reachable by ferry from Imazu Port.
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| Ryokan Kurashiki (Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture) |
Overlooking the Nakabashi Bridge at the center of the Bikan Historical Quarter, by the banks of a pretty, willow-lined canal, sits the beautiful Ryokan Kurashiki. Situated at the center of the waterways and streets of the city of Kurashiki's lovingly preserved Bikan quarter, Ryokan Kurashiki is an oasis of elegant calm in the bustling, history-steeped district.
The ryokan was originally the home of a wealthy sugar merchant who outfitted the house with exquisite craftsmanship and fine antiques. The ryokan itself consists of several buildings joined together into a single unit with old kura, or traditional warehouse buildings (the "kura" in Kurashiki), plus newer structures. The whole place was thoroughly renovated a few years ago and now boasts all the modern conveniences one expects in a fine hotel, including modern fixtures and flat-panel TVs, but it retains the essence of the Bikan quarter and its aura of solidity, wealth and luxury. Inside the ryokan, the crosshatch design on the kura outside repeats itself in the corridors and entranceways, in the tile walls and distinctive white namako joints (so called because the joints reminded people of namako, or sea cucumbers).
Overseeing the operation of the ryokan is the okami (proprietress), who is both knowledgeable about the area and fluent in English. She and her staff understand the needs of foreign visitors, having hosted numerous foreign celebrities in the past, and their local knowledge and connections in the community can open doors to a host of unique experiences.
With Ryokan Kurashiki as your base, you can explore the fascinating Bikan area and beyond, or simply stay at the ryokan, and let Okami and her friendly staff show you the timeless essence of Japanese hospitality.
The neighborhood is home to a number of excellent museums, including the Ohara Museum of Art (Japan's first museum of Western art, founded and bequeathed by businessman, philanthropist and Kurashiki native Magosaburo Ohara), the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft, the Kake Museum of Art, the Japanese Rural Toy Museum and many others. Other attractions include numerous parks, gardens, historical homes, shrines and traditional factories. Around the corner is a sake brewery, and Achi Shrine is a lovely old structure perched on a hill overlooking the city and the tile rooftops of the Bikan Quarter.
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