Ao no Kotei BIWAFRONT HIKONE

Lake Biwa feels especially close here—wide, calm, and right outside your window. This multi-use resort hotel opened in August 2023 on the lake’s eastern shore, in one of Omi’s leading resort areas, near the National Treasure Hikone Castle and Matsubara Swimming Area.

Operated by the Hotel New Awaji Group, the property is designed so guests can really settle into the waterside views. The front desk, which serves as the entrance to the hotel, is on the top floor. When the crimson doors open, the first thing you’ll see is a sweeping panoramic view of Lake Biwa. From the observation lounge, you can take in the lake scenery—an experience that quickly wins over guests and sets an uplifting tone for the stay.

The grounds are made up of a hotel building and a villa building, with 50 rooms in total. The main hotel building is 10 stories tall and offers 38 guest rooms. Every room has a lake view, with a beautiful panoramic vista filling the windows.

The villa building, which serves as the on-site glamping area, features 12 private, luxurious units, each with a deck terrace, living room, bedroom, and an open-air hot spring bath fed by the property’s own source. With Lake Biwa’s nature right nearby, you can enjoy a comfortable day in a fully private setting. Nine of the villas are also dog-friendly, allowing guests to stay with their pets—great news for dog lovers.

On the first floor, the hotel also has a large public hot spring bath supplied by water that rises from an on-site source Approx. 1,500 meters underground. In the open-air bath, you can soak while looking out over Lake Biwa and the Hira mountain range, easing away the fatigue of travel.