Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki
by the TopOfHotel team
Super Hotel Lohas is the best-value budget chain in Nara — a natural rooftop onsen, a free breakfast, and a 2-minute walk to JR Nara.
Super Hotel Lohas is the best-value budget chain in Nara — a natural rooftop onsen, a free breakfast, and a 2-minute walk to JR Nara.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki is a budget chain hotel just a 2-minute walk from JR Nara Station East — about the most convenient spot in Nara. The entrance is modern and minimalist, all hinoki cypress tones and yellow-cream, with an eco-friendly design that runs to recycled floor tiles and solar power. The lobby is laminate-floored with cream sofas and a self-service kiosk that hands you a room key in about 2 minutes. The Double runs ¥9,500 (around $65) including the free breakfast and onsen, and at 16 sq m with the bathroom it is small even by Super Hotel standards — but cleverly packed. You get a 140 x 195 cm Double bed with Sealy "Super Hotel Original" pillows (pick from 7 types in the lobby), 200-thread cotton sheets, a 32-inch Sony TV, free 200 Mbps Wi-Fi and a Daikin air purifier. A free yukata for the onsen and Pola amenities round it out.
Food and amenities
The headline draw is the natural onsen on the 9th-floor rooftop, fed by real hot-spring water trucked 60 km from Yoshinoyama and certified heavy on magnesium and salt. Men's and women's baths are separate, each with two indoor baths (a large one plus a cold pool), a small outdoor bath with a city view, and a 90°C sauna; it is open 15:00–02:00 and 05:00–10:00, free for every guest — just throw on the yukata and take the lift straight up. The free breakfast runs 6:30–9:30 in the 2nd-floor restaurant, a Lohas-style health spread of more than 30 items: Yamato pork sausage (Nara's famous pork), an organic salad bar, five kinds of bread baked on-site, miso soup, rice, onigiri, onsen eggs, Lavazza coffee and fresh-pressed juice. Every dish lists its calories and organic ingredients.
Location and getting there
You are a 2-minute walk from JR Nara Station East and about 12 minutes from Kintetsu Nara, which makes this the easiest base going for day trips. From JR Nara you can reach Kyoto in 50 minutes or Osaka in 50 minutes for roughly $6 each way. The trade-off is Nara Park — it sits 1.7 km away, about a 22-minute walk or a quick ride on bus #2, so the deer and Todai-ji are not right outside.
Things to know before booking
The rooms are genuinely tight at 16 sq m — a desk, a bed and the TV fill the floor, so this is not the place to unpack a big suitcase. The unit bathroom is a cramped 3 sq m with a short tub, and most people just use the shower. If you want a bit more room, ask for the Double bed rather than the 110 x 195 Single. And remember the onsen closes between 02:00 and 05:00 and again midday, so plan your soak around the 15:00–02:00 and 05:00–10:00 windows.
Our take
Super Hotel Lohas JR Nara Eki is the best-value budget chain in Nara. A real rooftop onsen fed from Yoshinoyama water 60 km away, a free Lohas health breakfast, a 2-minute walk to JR Nara, and dependable Super Hotel standards add up fast. The 9.0/10 score from 3,800+ reviews backs it up, and from around $63 a night with breakfast and onsen included, it is the cheapest chain stay in town — an easy pick for solo travelers, backpackers and day-trippers coming over from Kyoto or Osaka who want a genuine natural onsen close to JR Nara.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The rooftop onsen is a genuine natural hot spring, with the water trucked 60 km from Yoshinoyama — the real thing, not the fake mineral baths a lot of budget hotels run.
- Breakfast is free and Lohas-style, built around health food — Yamato pork, an organic vegetable salad bar and bread baked on-site, with more than 30 items in all.
- It is a 2-minute walk to JR Nara Station East, which makes it the easiest base in town if you are running day trips to Kyoto or Osaka.
- It is a Super Hotel, so you get consistent Japanese chain standards for cleanliness and service across the board.
- The hotel is eco-friendly and energy-saving — recycled floor tiles, solar power, and a Japan Green Hotel award to show for it.
- The rooms are very small at 16 sq m — a desk, a single bed and the TV fill the whole space, so there is not much room to spread out.
- It is 1.7 km from Nara Park, about a 22-minute walk or a ride on bus #2, so the deer and Todai-ji are not right on the doorstep.
- The unit bathroom is a cramped 3 sq m with a short tub, so most people find it easier to just use the shower.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Nara
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Insider Tips
- The rooftop onsen is open 15:00–02:00 and again 05:00–10:00 — the outdoor bath is small but looks out over the city, so go up early.
- Free breakfast runs 6:30–9:30; head down before 8 AM to catch the hot dishes fresh.
- Since rooms are only 16 sq m, ask for the Double bed (200 x 140 cm) rather than the Single (110 x 195) for more room.
- Use JR Nara to reach Kyoto in 50 minutes or Osaka in 50 minutes for about $6 each way — the most convenient option around.