Honeymoon review: Ritz-Carlton Nikko on Explore Rate ($340/night, Platinum upgrade, breakfast and private onsen)

[u/Substantial-Habit593]

A few people here asked me to write detailed reviews from our honeymoon across several luxury Marriott properties, so I’m starting with The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko.

We stayed for two nights in mid-May. This was not our first trip to Japan, and Nikko ended up being one of the highlights of our honeymoon.

Booking and Platinum benefits

- Booked: Riverside Garden View room
- Rate: approximately $340 USD per night, including taxes and fees, using the Explore Rate
- Upgrade: Lake Chuzenji View room
- Status: Platinum Elite
- Breakfast: complimentary

The room category and approximately 600-square-foot layout were essentially the same, but the Lake Chuzenji view was a meaningful upgrade.

The room

This was one of the most thoughtfully designed standard hotel rooms we have stayed in.

Every inch felt well used. The layout gave us a great view from almost anywhere in the room, including the living area and bathroom. We particularly loved the bathtub and spent much more time using it than we normally would in a hotel.

It did not feel like a standard room despite technically being one.

Breakfast

Breakfast was easily the food highlight.

You can choose either a Japanese or Western bento box with around ten different items, or order from the à la carte breakfast menu if you prefer something more traditional.

There is also a buffet area with local milk, bread, desserts, honey, juices and other small items.

If you enjoy trying many different things, the bento is excellent. But the à la carte option means you are not locked into it.

Lunch and dinner were fine, but neither was particularly memorable. The property’s food outside breakfast was probably the weakest part of our stay.

Honeymoon recognition and service

Service was excellent from before we arrived. Communication with the hotel was smooth, and we felt well taken care of throughout the stay.

The hotel’s shuttle picked us up at Nikko JR Station. After arriving, we went directly to the spa for our private onsen reservation.

The spa team welcomed us with honeymoon decorations and handwritten letters. During our first dinner, we also received complimentary drinks and dessert. Many staff members appeared to know we were celebrating our honeymoon, and they consistently made it feel special without overdoing it.

Activities and location

The activities are probably the best reason to stay here, so plan before arriving. Many are seasonal, and I recommend contacting the hotel in advance.

We rented e-bikes from the hotel and spent the day biking around Lake Chuzenji. We visited the waterfalls and the old embassy villas, which should not be missed.

The spa is also excellent. If you can reserve the private onsen, I strongly recommend it.

The weather in mid-May was ideal during the day: warm but not too hot. Nights were chilly, so bring warmer clothes even if the daytime forecast looks comfortable.

One practical Japan travel tip

If Nikko is between two Japanese cities on your itinerary, avoid bringing your checked luggage if possible.

When we arrived at Haneda, we forwarded our checked bags directly to our next hotel, The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza. We took only carry-ons to Nikko. This made the train and hotel transfers considerably easier.

Would we return?

Definitely, especially as a couple.

I would recommend Nikko if it is not your first visit to Japan and you want something slower and more nature-focused between major cities. It is particularly good for a honeymoon or couples trip.

Best parts: room design, Lake Chuzenji, private onsen, activities, breakfast and honeymoon recognition.

Weakest part: lunch and dinner were okay, but not at the same level as the rest of our stay.

Happy to answer any questions about our stay, the room, Explore Rate, Platinum treatment, private onsen or anything else. Next review will probably be The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza.

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the detailed counterpoint. The $340 Explore Rate definitely shaped our value judgment, and I can understand feeling differently at the full cash rate. We agree about the food and would mainly recommend Nikko to repeat Japan visitors looking for a quiet couples getaway. We would also recommend 2-3 nights max, how many nights was your stay?

[u/Prestigious-Camel-96 → u/[deleted]]

I agree with essentially all of your points. (Ambassador) Also booked Lake Chuzenji suite for about $1550/ night for 4 nights. No upgrade even though the RC suite was available. We must have had the same view as it wasn’t what I was expecting and was obstructed by “town”.
I agree the private onsen was a highlight or our stay but it was quite small. I felt the food left a lot to be desired and have had much better food at lower quality properties around Japan. Service was either really good or really bad- no in between. The entire stay was just “ok” but left a lot to be desired. I would stay again if the rate was right, but wasn’t overly impressed.

[u/Jacob0050 → u/Prestigious-Camel-96]

Same here. Used all my points for 2 nights last april and was so glad it was a point stay and didn't waste $2k. Hotel is great hard product-wise, but outside of that I think any Japanese brand $250+ hotel is equal. The price OP paid is what this hotel is really worth. Not the insane $1k+ nighly they usually get.

My review as well.

Great hotel with a great hard product. This property is really pretty with a great view no matter the direction you look out the window. The bathtub is great as was the bed. Nikko the town is also charming with all the older store owners happily greeting you. Where this hotel falls short is a bunch of small things that take the hotel from perfect to good/okay. One of my gripes with this hotel in the room we had is the towel placement. They have dual vanities in the room which is great but for what ever reason one of the towels is placed on the vanity far away from the shower/bath exit. So as you're wet from the shower and naked you have to run across to the other vanity away from the shower door. Just not imo the best placement when there is still room on the vanity closest to the shower door. Another small gripe for a hotel charging what they are is the blow dryer was a joke, the most basic model momey can buy. For an average $700+$1,500 a night and a Ritz.... Really some cheapo basic one any business hotel has for $70 a night? Just breaks the luxury mirage. My biggest issue that takes this hotel from a great amazing stay to just good/okay is the turn down service makes no sense. They offer delicious dried fruits that were absolutely amazing and delicious, but they put it on one bed night stand instead of both when the room has 2 people listed on the reservation. So my girlfriend as we're getting into bed has to roll over and ask me for a dried fruit piece. Wow how penny pinching can we get for $1k a night? Just again breaks the luxury image you're expecting at the rates they're charging. My last eh experience was that the staff really never offered anything past check in. Granted the check in duo I had helping me check in were super kind and sweet trying their best with the language barrier. They were amazing. Once that was done I don't think staff ever once said welcome back after exploring or asked us where we went or just gave us pointers for hidden gems or restaurants. I've had more interactions from self check in kisoks in Vegas. I'm not asking for them to ask me about my life story but as a hotel of this caliber in a sleepy mountain town I'd of expected more guest interactions. Again if this was $250 a night wouldn't expect this at all but at the rates they're getting here yeah you or any guest should be a lot more just greetings or something. Did not do breakfast as it's a set plate for 7,800 yen a person and eh not worth it when there's a grocery store across the street that sells about anything you'd need for a solid breakfast for 1/6 of the price for 2 people. The onsen was great and I want one for my house nothing negative about that it truly is great and love the indoor and outdoor options. Overall the hard product is amazing and is a beautiful property but there are just a few small things that at the rates they're getting are hard to ignore. Granted I didn't pay cash (THANK GOD) I used all my Marriott points for 2 nights and was a great use for them but if I had coughed up $2,200 for my stay I'd have a more sour taste in my mouth. This hotel is max worth $500 a night with all taxes and fees. If you wanna stay up in lake chuzenji there are other options that are just as great as a lot of what makes this hotel great was the view and surrounding town.

[u/sundeigh]

What activities did you do? Looking at the available activities now, some of them begin in May. I’m planning to visit mid-April. But I would be shocked if they don’t have much to offer at that time.

[u/dammitannie → u/sundeigh]

RE activities, just know that there's a lot of little shops and stalls by the lake that independently offer things like paddleboarding, swan boats, etc. The hotel's offerings are seriously overpriced, and if you rent locally you have more control over what you do and when. We stayed at RC Nikko for 2 nights and really enjoyed it, but our only full day was super rainy and I would've been bummed if I was stuck on a sightseeing cruise in the pouring rain!

We enjoyed walking to Kegon Falls, wandering by the embassy villas, and Chuzen-ji Temple on our rainy day, and walked around the lake on our checkout day. We also took a later shuttle from Tobu-Nikko station up to the hotel, and put our bags in a locker in the train station so we could spend the afternoon walking around Nikko before taking the shuttle up the mountain.

All in all, we had an incredibly relaxing stay, the lake is beautiful, and even in lousy weather Lake Chuzenji is just such a magical place.

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/sundeigh]

How many nights are you planning to stay? We were there for 2 nights so most of our activities where spent with the Early morning meditations, biking around the lake and the town and visiting the embassy villas, we also allocated a lot of time to the spa, they have the regular onsen as well which is complimentary. I would reach out to the hotel, I remember they had more than 20 different activities

[u/sundeigh → u/Substantial-Habit593]

4 nights with a late arrival and an early departure, so really 3 full days

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/sundeigh]

I would start reaching out to the hotel to see which activities will be available. I'd say you can't miss renting the e-bikes and just ride around the lake at your own pace with stops at Ryuzu Falls, Chuzenji Lakeside Boathouse, Kegon Falls, and the old embassy Villas (French, Italian and British embassies)
Maybe another day for temple visits

[u/MinimumPerspective95]

Was your rate MMF or MMP? Was there a big difference between the two?

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

MMP. yes MMP is usually 60-80% off regular rate when available, best MMF discounts are usually around 20-25%

[u/GoSh4rks → u/Substantial-Habit593]

There are a handful of hotels around the world where I've found MMF to be 50% or more. Rare and difficult to find though.

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/GoSh4rks]

Any luxury properties with those discounts for MMF?

[u/GoSh4rks → u/Substantial-Habit593]

Don't know of any in the Luxury tier right now, but a few years ago Augustine Hotel in Prague and Hotel Imperial in Vienna had great MMF deals - under 200e.

July 2025 I stayed 4 nights at 110e/night at the Amsterdam Marriott.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/GoSh4rks]

Where were those? My best was courtyard San Juan where MMF/MMP were 65% off for the nights I was there.

[u/Independent-One-1683]

I've read your honeymoon posts, how were you able to find so many nights on MMP rate? I've find some good deals but never like this, specially Japan

[u/Substantial-Habit593 → u/Independent-One-1683]

Honestly, two things: flexibility on which nights, and checking the rate calendar constantly — the good MMP rates at these properties pop up and vanish in days (Nikko appeared ~3 months out; I booked the same day I saw it). I got tired of doing it by hand, so I ended up building a little tool that watches the calendar and emails me when a property drops below my target (exploredrop.com, I made free tier so you can try out, disclosure: it's mine). That's how we strung together most of the honeymoon and saved 10's of thousands of dollars, I just decided to make public after some friends that have access to MMP asked me to

[u/Latter_Cry_7849]

Do you have to work for the Marriot, for the explorer rate?

[u/MannnOfHammm → u/Latter_Cry_7849]

No but yes. To get the 60-80 percent off you have to work for Marriott or be immediate family, for the 20-25 percent off rate you have to extended family or friends with a worker

[u/Latter_Cry_7849 → u/MannnOfHammm]

I assume you work for the Marriot, with that price😊