JW Marriott Hotel Nara

Rooms and decor

The JW Marriott Hotel Nara is Nara's first international luxury hotel — a modern 7-floor building in dark brown and cream, designed in a Kengo Kuma style that blends Japanese minimalism with real Japanese Hinoki pine. You enter through a 30-metre Zen garden with standing stones and a koi pond, into a lobby that runs 6 metres high under a Hinoki ceiling, with tatami panels set against marble tile. The Deluxe King costs around $270 a night and measures 42 sq m, the largest room type in Nara. It has a 200x200 cm King bed, four down pillows, 400-thread cotton sheets, a Bose sound system, an iPad that controls the lights and curtains, and a 55-inch Samsung QLED. The big marble bathroom holds a 60 cm-deep jacuzzi, a rain shower and a Toto Washlet, and the windows look onto the JW Garden, a 1,200 sq m Zen garden.

Food and amenities

Dinner at Silk Road Dining is a Pan-Asian buffet at about $60 a head, with A5 Wagyu grilled to order, soft-shell crab tempura, sushi cut fresh by the chef, Cantonese dim sum, Indian curry, Italian pasta and Western roast across 5 live cooking stations. Breakfast is a $30 buffet with Eggs Benedict made to order, a Japanese sashimi set, a smoothie bar and 50+ items. The Lounge & Bar on floor 1 pours craft cocktails around $12, using spirits from the local Nara Yamato distillery and sake from area brewers.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits in Sanjo-Omiya, between JR Nara and the NARA Convention Centre. It is a 15-minute walk from JR Nara and a 20-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara, and a free shuttle runs to JR Nara and Nara Park every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 21:00. Nara Park itself is 2 km away — about 8 minutes on the shuttle, a taxi for roughly $7, or a 25-minute walk. One thing to plan around: Sanjo-Omiya has no local restaurants, so you walk over to Sanjo Street for those.

Things to know before booking

This is the most expensive hotel in Nara, from roughly $270 a night, and the location is built for travelers who do not mind a shuttle to the deer — if you want to step straight out into Nara Park, a hotel closer in suits you better. The payoff is space and service: the largest rooms in the city, a 25-metre indoor pool on floor 5 (water at 28C, a 6-metre ceiling, free cold towels and orange juice), Spa by JW at about $122 for 90 minutes using Subtle Energies oils from Australia, and a Technogym fitness centre open 24 hours. Marriott Bonvoy members get a welcome amenity, a 4 PM late check-out and a free upgrade, and Platinum members get the Executive Lounge with free breakfast and an evening cocktail hour.

Our take

The JW Marriott Hotel Nara is the best choice in the city for travelers who want true international service. It opened in April 2020, has rooms from 42 sq m, runs Silk Road Dining, Spa by JW and a 25-metre pool, and layers Marriott Bonvoy benefits on top. The 9.4/10 score from 2,500+ reviews backs up the JW brand quality. The price may look high for Nara, but you get a big room and renowned service — best for luxury travelers, honeymooners, Bonvoy members, and anyone here for the NARA Convention Centre.