5 Recommended Accommodations and Hotels for Enjoying Kansai: Perfect for Girls’ Getaways and Couples to Experience Something Extraordinary!

“Hokansu” is a term coined by combining “hotel” and “vacation” in Korea.

Unlike touring tourist spots or dining at restaurants, the essence of Hokansu is to enjoy the stay itself, such as meals, spas, saunas, and activities at the accommodation.

In this article, we will introduce 5 recommended accommodations and hotels for Hokansu from the Kansai area.

* The budget for each is the lowest price when reserved for one room (2 people, 1 night) (as of June 2023).

1. CONTEXTED Osaka

CONTEXTED, operated by us, is located in Terada-cho, where one out of every five houses is a long-established town with a good old atmosphere. CONTEXTED Osaka is an art-themed house that has been fully renovated from a long-established townhouse built about 100 years ago. Within walking distance, there are shopping streets and public baths, and a little further away, you can enjoy exploring the surrounding area, including the East Central Wholesale Market and Osaka Ikuno Koreatown. Also, each house has a kitchen and basic cooking utensils and tableware installed, so you can get ingredients from nearby Korean supermarkets and cook your own meals.

CONTEXTED Osaka consists of three separate long-established townhouses, “Chu SORA,” “Ten TEN,” and “Gen GEN,” each of which can accommodate a maximum of 7-8 people. If you rent all three houses, you can accommodate up to 23 people.

Overview Budget: From 17,000 yen per room per night Address: 1-6-3 Ikuno Higashi, Ikuno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 544-0025 Access: Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Terada-cho Station on the Osaka Loop Line Official Website: https://contexted.osaka.jp/

2. Glamping villa Sameya AWAJI (Hyogo)

“Glamping villa Sameya AWAJI” on Awaji Island is a whole-house rental of a traditional Japanese house where you can have a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea.

On the wooden deck with a beautiful view of the sea, there is a swing and sofa for a great sense of liberation, and you can also enjoy BBQ. In addition, there are facilities such as a pizza oven, a TV with karaoke, home theater, shisha (water pipe), tent sauna, and even a children’s pool (reservation required in advance) on the property, so you can enjoy various activities on the premises alone. Families with children and even those staying with dogs are welcome as there are cages and food bowls for pets.

Overview Budget: From 70,000 yen per room per night Address: 105 Nakatsugawa-kumi, Sumoto, Hyogo 656-2532 Access: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Sannomiya Station on various lines Official Website: https://sameya.net/

3. Kiraku Kyoto Honmachi (Kyoto)

The Kyoto sightseeing hotspot, the dry landscape garden. “Kiraku Kyoto Honmachi” is a unique whole-house accommodation with a dry landscape garden inside.

Beds are set up like islands floating in the dry landscape garden, creating a unique space for you to relax. The floor on the 2nd floor is partially transparent, allowing you to look down at the dry landscape garden from above.

Furthermore, there is an open-air bath in the back garden. The atmosphere of an old-fashioned Kyoto townhouse and sophisticated modern interior blend perfectly, allowing you to fully enjoy an extraordinary atmosphere just by being indoors.

Overview Budget: From 70,126 yen per room per night Address: 5-187-1 Honmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 605-0981 Access: Approximately 3 minutes on foot from Shichijo Station on the Keihan Main Line Official Website: https://www.nazuna.co/property/honmachi-gochome/

4. L’Hotel du Lac (Shiga)

“L’Hotel du Lac” means “Hotel by the Lake” in French. This accommodation is located in the Biwako National Park, surrounded by beautiful nature with a lake and mountains.

There are a total of 15 guest rooms, including “Lake View Theater Rooms” with large windows offering a panoramic view of Lake Biwa and “Terrace Lake View Villa Suites” with wooden terraces located in the forest on the property. These rooms are designed to provide a constant view of the beautiful Lake Biwa even while staying indoors. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the villa to Lake Biwa, so taking a stroll by the lakeside might be enjoyable.

For those traveling with dogs, there is a “Dog Villa Suite” available for one group per day. The property also features a summer-only pool and tennis courts, making it a great choice for those who want to enjoy sports and activities.

Overview Budget: From 43,890 yen per room per night Address: 2064 Oura, Nishi-Asai-cho, Nagahama-shi, Shiga 529-0721 Access: Approximately 5 minutes by car from JR Kosei Line Nagahara Station, approximately 15 minutes by car from JR various lines Maibara Station, approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Hokuriku Main Line (Kosei Line) Omi-Shiotsu Station Official Website: https://www.lhotel-du-lac.com/

5. Hatago VISON (Mie)

“Hatago VISON” is an accommodation consisting of four buildings with a total of 40 rooms located within the commercial resort facility VISON. Each of the four buildings is equipped with restaurants, bars, Japanese confectionery shops, and miscellaneous goods shops on the first floor, allowing you to enjoy shopping and dining without leaving the premises.

Each building has its own unique concept, and you can enjoy interiors supervised by popular brands. For example, “Hatago 3” features the Nordic-style design of “minä perhonen” textiles on chairs, lighting, cutlery, and more. It matches the wooden interior perfectly, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

In “Hatago 2,” you can enjoy original works by craft artists not only in the rooms but also in the hallways and lobby, and some of the furniture and miscellaneous goods are available for purchase at the shop on the first floor of the accommodation.

Overview Budget: From 32,000 yen per room per night Address: 5 Vison San Sebastian Street, Taki-cho, Taiki-gun, Mie 519-2170 Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from JR Kisei Main Line/Meisho Line and Kintetsu Yamada Line Matsusaka Station Official Website: https://vison-hotels.com/hatago/

Conclusion

“Hokansu” allows you to enjoy various experiences and activities within the accommodation itself, providing a sense of novelty and escape from daily life. You don’t need to travel far; even accommodations close to home can offer plenty of enjoyment.

When you’re looking for a little change in your routine or want to try something new, why not consider enjoying “Hokansu” at one of the accommodations introduced in this article?