The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko

Only the price of the stay makes it a 5 star hotel! Fabulous grounds and rooms over Chuzenji lake but the service was dismal. Rooms not ready at check-in but what’s worse is that one of the rooms given had marks of someone having sat on the bed as we walked in. Allocates time slots for breakfast with a few seats at the grilled counter of the teppanyaki restaurant with additional fragrance of the grilled fish from the night before and facing a wall with that. Sharp fish bones found in 2 of the savoury cakes during our afternoon tea. Stupid seating arrangements at the Lake House restaurants with a very uncomfortable sofa and no stock on the only Italian wine we ordered. We have been clients of RC Tokyo for 17 years with no problem at all but the RC Nikko is a disgrace to the Japanese welcoming tradition. It comes down to the hotel management and this GM should be fired! There is a management problem at every level and it generally comes down from the top! Stay away!

I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Nikko recently and honestly, it was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve ever had. The location alone makes it worth the trip — right on Lake Chuzenji, with the mountains and waterfalls of Nikko all around. It feels super peaceful and completely different from the city vibe of Tokyo. Rooms The rooms are huge by Japanese standards and beautifully designed. Think modern but with lots of Japanese touches — sliding doors, deep soaking tubs, and big windows that frame either the lake or the mountains. Mine had a lake view and waking up to that every morning was amazing. Food Food was excellent. Breakfast had both Japanese and Western options (the Japanese one was really special). Dinner was pricey, but the kaiseki course was worth it for the experience. If you want something lighter, there are cafés around the lake too. Onsen & Spa This is where the hotel really stands out. The onsen (hot spring) is incredible — both indoor and outdoor baths with natural hot spring water. Sitting outside in the hot bath while looking at the mountains was pure magic. Service super professional, but also warm and friendly. They remembered small details about preferences and made everything feel easy. Special thanks to Alex, Marek and Tiff. Overall If you’re heading to Nikko and want to splurge, this is the place. It’s not cheap, but it feels like an experience rather than just a hotel stay. Perfect for a co

The hotel property is amazing. But don’t like the area. Everything closed around 5:00 pm. There was no restaurant s in the area and shopping, so we have to eat at the hotel.

I would tell everyone traveling to japan to go to Nikko and to stay at this property. It is magical!!

Amazing hotel and enjoy it