The oldest hotel in the world

Hoshy Ryokan photo
Choose a hotel for holidays or for a getaway it is not an easy task, since many factors must be taken into account: price, location, services, amenities ... Fortunately, the hotel offer is very diverse in almost every corner of the world So it is not difficult to find the right accommodation for each person and situation. Even, throughout the planet you can find hotels that offer much more than a place to stay: hotels in castles, in caves, on the water ...

Today in Hard Hobbit To Break We want to tell you about one of those hotels that have a special charm, in addition to being listed in the Guinness Book of Records. We are referring to Hoshi Ryokan, a traditional Japanese accommodation that is considered to be the oldest hotel in the world. Would you like to discover more details? Well, we recommend that you be very attentive to what we tell you next!

The Ryokan

As its name indicates, the Hoshi Ryokan is a Ryokan, that is, a type of traditional Japanese accommodation that was created to accommodate short-term visitors. Nowadays, however, these hotels are being used as lodgings of luxury and they are usually visited by western tourists. Among its main characteristics we highlight the system of doors and sliding walls of the rooms, which facilitate a flexible division of space; and the tatami covering the floor, which allows sound insulation. Ryokan should not be confused with Minshuku, lodgings that have similar but more modest characteristics.


Hoshy Ryokan photo1

A family business

Undoubtedly, the most famous Ryokan in Japan is Hoshy Ryokan, which was inaugurated in 718. And, as we have mentioned before, it is considered the oldest hotel in the world. In fact, this is the case in the Libo Guinness World Records. In addition, it is important to note that since 2006 it has also been included in the well-known book for being the company with the longest uptime. Interestingly, since its inception it has been a company family and today it is in charge of the forty-sixth generation.

Hoshy Ryokan photo2


The rooms

The hotel was founded by Garyo Saskiri, a disciple of a Buddhist teacher who is believed to have installed the accommodation in this place thinking that there were miraculous sources in the area. The hotel is located in the Awazt Onsen area of ​​Komatsu, in the Ishikawa Pre-invoice. Despite accumulating 1,300 years of activity, the accommodation offers all the mod cons of a 21st century hotel. In fact, over the centuries it has been remodeled on several occasions. Thus, in its 100 rooms, which can accommodate up to 450 people, you can find satellite TV, a private bathroom with a bathtub, green tea bags, tatami floors, large windows facing the garden and a Japanese futon. Of course, you should know that the hotel hides a private villa with five rooms and hot springs.

Hoshy Ryokan photo3

Beyond the rooms

In addition to offering great rooms, the hotel offers public hot spring baths, a restaurant serving traditional Japanese cuisine, car parks, free shuttle service, a sauna, karaoke, a gallery with a ceramic exhibition and a beautiful garden. It is also important to note that the Hoshy Ryokan is located in a natural area that is worth visiting. For this reason, the hotel offers excursions in its vicinity, in addition to other activities, such as the tea ceremony.

We stayed at the oldest hotel in Japan - and the world - which has been operating since 705 AD (March 2024)


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