Which to choose · Nara
Shisui or the JW Marriott, Nara?
Shisui, opened in 2023, has 43 rooms in the Yoshikien garden on the western edge of Nara Park, with its lobby and restaurant in the governor of Nara's 1922 residence and Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji and Todai-ji around it. The JW Marriott, opened in 2020 on Omiya-dori beside the Nara Convention Center, has 158 rooms, an indoor pool and a spa. Shisui is the park on foot and a hot-spring bath in some rooms; the JW Marriott has the pool, an Executive Lounge and a shuttle to the stations.
Noboriojicho, Nara Park, Nara
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Opened 2023 · 35 rooms
Omiya, Nara
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Opened 2020 · 142 rooms
In short
Choose Shisui for Nara Park and its temples around you, a 1922 governor's residence and, in some rooms, a hot-spring bath of your own; choose the JW Marriott for an indoor pool and spa, three Japanese dining rooms under Azekura and an Executive Lounge.
A first visit to Nara
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
It is on the western edge of Nara Park, with Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji and Todai-ji around it.
A family
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
An indoor pool with jacuzzi, and Deluxe Rooms with two double beds.
An onsen
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
The Deluxe ONSEN rooms and the Junior and Presidential suites have their own hot-spring bath, some of them open-air.
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Choose Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara for
- Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji and Todai-ji around it, and Kintetsu-Nara station 10 minutes' walk
- Deluxe ONSEN rooms and suites with their own hot-spring bath, some of them open-air
- Counter sushi in the old residence's storehouse, and Suiyou's Nara cooking traced along the Silk Road
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Choose JW Marriott Hotel Nara for
- An indoor pool with jacuzzi, a steam room and sauna at Spa by JW, and a 24-hour gym
- Azekura's separate kaiseki, sushi and teppanyaki rooms, and Silk Road Dining's open kitchen
- Corner junior suites with Executive Lounge access, and a shuttle bus from Kintetsu-Nara and JR Nara stations
Side by side
- Where
- Noboriojicho, Nara Park
- Omiya
- Opened
- 2023
- 2020
- Last renovated
- –
- –
- Rooms
- 35, 8 of them suites
- 142, 16 of them suites
- Room sizes
- 40–46 sq m
- 36 sq m
- Restaurants and bars
- 2
- 3
- Pool
- –
- Yes
- Hot spring
- Yes
- –
- Awards
- 1 MICHELIN Key
- 1 MICHELIN Key, Forbes 4 stars
- Design
- Taisei Corporation (Kansai); Kengo Kuma & Associates
- Yamashita Sekkei; G.A. Design
- Airport
- Osaka Itami (ITM), 47.8 km
- Osaka Itami (ITM), 45 km
- Brand
- The Luxury Collection
- JW Marriott
- Booked through us
- Marriott STARS
- Marriott Luminous
The rooms
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Which to book. For a private hot-spring bath, book a Deluxe ONSEN or Deluxe Open-air ONSEN room or a suite; the Standard and Superior rooms have none.
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
The first room
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Standard (King or Twin)
40–41 sq m · garden view
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Deluxe Room (King or Two Doubles)
36 sq m · city view
The largest suite
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Presidential Suite ONSEN Hot Spring
98 sq m · garden view · hot-spring bath
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Presidential Suite
172 sq m · corner room, Executive Lounge access
Dining
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Restaurant Suiyou · all-day restaurant
Sushi & Bar Shousou · sushi counter and bar · former storehouse
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Azekura · Japanese restaurant
Silk Road Dining · all-day restaurant
Flying Stag · lobby lounge and bar
The spa and the pool
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
SUI Spa, with treatments using traditional Japanese and Chinese herbs, and a fitness centre with cardio equipment and free weights; the Deluxe ONSEN rooms and the suites have their own hot-spring baths.
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Spa by JW, with Aromatherapy Associates treatments, a steam room and sauna, plus an indoor pool with jacuzzi and a 24-hour fitness centre.
Where they are
The two stand 2.8 km apart, as the crow flies.
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
In Yoshikien, on the western edge of Nara Park
Kintetsu-Nara station
10 min on foot, 10–15 minutes; about 5 minutes by taxi
Kyoto
35 min by train, Kintetsu line to Kintetsu-Nara
Osaka Itami Airport
65 min by bus, Nara Kotsu airport bus, booking required; 47.8 km
Kansai Airport
80 min by bus, Nara Kotsu airport bus, booking required; 77.6 km
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
In central Nara, beside the Nara Convention Center
Kyoto
30 min by train, just over 30 minutes
Osaka Itami Airport
60 min by car
Kansai Airport
77 min by car
The building
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Kengo Kuma & Associates set the overall design direction and interiors, around the Yoshiki-en temple garden. The governor of Nara's residence, built in 1922, holds the lobby, restaurant and lounge, its classical roofed gate kept as the main entrance, and the residence's storehouse is now the sushi bar. Opened in 2023.
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Developed by Mori Trust as the core of Nara Prefecture's Omiya Dori hotel and exchange centre redevelopment, with Marriott running it under a long-term management agreement; basic design by Yamashita Sekkei, design and construction by Taisei Corporation, and interiors by G.A. Design. Opened on 22 July 2020, on six floors above ground. The spa draws on Nara's Tenpyo-period temple architecture, and an artist-in-residence programme shows work by Nara artist Chiharu Yoshina.
Booked through us
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara
Marriott STARS
A room upgrade on arrival when one is available
Daily breakfast for two
A US$100 hotel credit each stay
Early check-in and late checkout when available
On the hotel's flexible public rate.
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
JW Marriott Hotel Nara
Marriott Luminous
A room upgrade on arrival when one is available
Daily breakfast for two
Early check-in and late checkout when available
Some hotels add a US$100 credit; most do not.
Still deciding? Tell us your dates and what matters most, and we will say which we would choose, and book it at the hotel’s own rate with the perks above.
Questions
The Deluxe ONSEN and Deluxe Open-air ONSEN rooms, the Junior Suites and the Presidential Suite. The Standard and Superior rooms have none.
From Shisui, Kintetsu-Nara station is 10 minutes' walk, with Kyoto 35 minutes and Osaka 45 by train. The JW Marriott runs a shuttle bus to Kintetsu-Nara and JR Nara stations, and Kyoto and Osaka are just over 30 minutes by train.
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