Kobe

Photo of Kobe
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Photo of Kobe
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Photo of Kobe
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About Kobe

Nestled on a hillside facing the sea, in the shadow of the Mount Rokkō range, Kobe is one of Japan's biggest port cities, blends mountain views, sea breeze, and international flair into one vibrant destination. Whether you're here for the famous Kobe beef or the sleek waterfront vibes, this city delivers. Hotel options are just as diverse—stylish boutique stays in Kitano for culture lovers, luxury towers in Harborland for epic views, or budget-friendly bases near Sannomiya Station for exploring. Kobe’s got the perfect stay, whatever your travel style.

Kobe blends maritime charm with cultural gems, offering waterfront parks, trendy Harborland, and attractions like the Kobe Port Tower, Kobe City Museum, and the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum. Highlights include the historic Ikuta Shrine, the vast Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and the quirky Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum. Just outside the city, Mount Rokkō offers breathtaking views, easily reached by cable car or hike. Back in town, top off your visit with regional dishes and the famously tender Kobe beef.

The Best Places to Stay in Kobe

For great value

  • Maiko Villa Kobe is an enormous coastal hotel, just outside of central Kobe. Pick this place for an affordable holiday with family, or for a business trip. There's a swimming pool with shallow kids' area, five dining options, and multiple events spaces — including a karaoke room. Excellent value for money.

For traditional charm

  • Hotel Wakamizu is just five minutes from the train station in Takarazuka. Pick this place for the restful hot spring baths, the traditional Japanese interiors — think tatami matting and futon bedding — as well as the classic cuisine. Meeting spaces and a banquet hall also make this a great business trip choice.
  • Nakanobo Zuien- Immerse yourself in Arima Onsen’s timeless charm. Spacious tatami rooms, sliding doors, and serene ambiance set the scene for an authentic ryokan escape, complete with natural hot springs and refined local cuisine. Adults-only tranquillity.

For a central stay

  • Kobe Kitano Hotel has 30 traditional rooms tucked within a red-brick building in a downtown location. Interiors channel classic British style, whilst the French restaurant specialises in gourmet cuisine. A boutique choice within easy reach of many Kobe highlights.
  • The Oriental Hotel is the oldest in the city, and has welcomed guests for over a century. Elegant rooms and suites fuse the charms of a bygone era with contemporary comforts. A chic hotel with ocean views and impressive shared spaces, just next to the Kobe City Museum.
  • Hotel La Suite offers luxurious rooms and suites with waterfront views from floor-to-ceilng windows and private terraces in Harborland. Expect exceptional French and Japanese cuisine at two glamorous restaurants, a pampering spa and a superb location. Very romantic.

For a rural retreat

  • Arimasansoh Goshobessho offers sumptuous private villas alongside a tranquil stream. Inland from Kobe, this rural retreat offers a brilliant chance to reconnect with nature whilst staying with friends and family or hiding away as a couple. Feast on gourmet Japanese cuisine, enjoy long leafy walks or soak in the hotel's hot spring bath. Villas feature traditional Japanese woodwork, contemporary design and forest views.
  • Tucked in the hills above Kobe, Spa Terrace Shisui is a tranquil ryokan blending tradition and comfort with tatami rooms, private baths, and sweeping verandas. Soak in open-air hot springs, indulge in spa rituals, and dine on seasonal Japanese cuisine.

For an apartment

  • If you'd prefer a self-catering option, we suggest that you visit our online partner Booking.com.

Travel information

  • Fly to nearby Kobe Airport or to Osaka's Kansai International Airport, an hour and 20 minutes away. Alternatively, catch the fast train from Tokyo; you'll be in Kobe in under three hours.
  • Kobe is best navigated by public transport, but you may want to drive if you're exploring beyond the city itself. Contact our online partner Rentalcars if you would like to hire a car.
  • Travel during the summer, spring or early autumn, when temperatures range between 20 and 30°C degrees. Winters are cold and less appealing for exploring.

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The best hotels in Kobe

Maiko Villa Kobe

Maiko Villa Kobe

Kobe (Tarumi-ku)

Maiko Villa Kobe is a great value hotel in a coastal location a short distance outside Kobe. Choose from Western and Japanese-style accommodation, dine in five restaurants, and relax in the swimming pool. Families are well-catered for, and banquet spaces make this an excellent events venue.

  • Families - Big rooms offer space for families, who will also appreciate the kids' swimming pool and multiple dining options
  • Sights nearby - Admire the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the world's second-longest suspension bridge
  • Value chic - Well-priced rooms, most of which have ocean views and pool and garden access
  • Great walks - Wander along the coast at sunset and take in the splendid ocean views!
from $80 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Kobe Kitano Hotel

Kobe Kitano Hotel

Kobe (Chuo-ku)

Kobe Kitano Hotel enjoys a splendid downtown location & features elegant, British-inspired interiors. Feast on gourmet French cuisine at Ash, explore Kobe on foot or by bicycle & enjoy relaxing massages. A red-brick boutique hotel channelling old-school charm, perfect for couples or families.

  • Local exploring - A boutique pad in the centre of the city, well-placed for discovering many of its key sights on foot or bicycle
  • Museums - The Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum & Kawasaki Good Times World both house fascinating collections
  • Romantic Break - Elegant interiors channel old-school charm, perfect for a romantic getaway
  • Sights nearby - Wander through Kobe Chinatown, stroll around the waterfront Meriken Park or visit the historic Ikuta Shrine
from $207 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Hotel Wakamizu

Hotel Wakamizu

Kobe (Takarazuka-shi)

Hotel Wakamizu is located in Takarazuka, just a 5 minute walk from the train station. The hotel offers both Western and Japanese-style rooms (think tatami woven-straw flooring and futon bedding). Enjoy traditional kaiseki cuisine at the Sumire lounge and relax in the onsen. A classic, unfussy stay!

  • Business meetings - The banquet hall and meeting rooms make this an excellent base for business trips with the feel of a traditional onsen ryokan
  • Total relaxation - Relax with a range of aromatherapy treatments, or with long soaks in the open-air baths, drawn from natural hot springs
  • Museums - Tezuka Osamu World, a museum dedicated to the life of the famous manga artist and animator, is 12 minutes' walk away
  • Golf - Play a round at one of four golf courses, all within a 15-minute drive
from $209 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Spa Terrace Shisui

Spa Terrace Shisui

Kobe

Ryokan in the hills above Kobe boasting Japanese and Western style rooms, complete with tatami mat floors and spacious verandas; the best rooms feature private baths. Plus there are indoor and outdoor hot spring fed onsens, a spa and a restaurant serving authentic cuisine with ever changing menus.

  • Total relaxation - Soothing soak in the hot spring-fed onsens ensure a relaxing and healing stay
  • Country Escape - Situated in the countryside outside Kobe. Book here for a rural getaway
  • Spa - Offering an original healing treatment which uses Italian essential oils combined with native Arima products
  • Great walks - Take in the stunning mountains and valleys of the countryside surrounding Kobe
from $259 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Oriental Hotel

Oriental Hotel

Kobe (Hyogo)

Kōbe'S oldest hotel, the Oriental has been in operation for over a century. Effortlessly elegant throughout with the glamor of an era gone by and touches of contemporary style apparent in the design. A selection of exemplary restaurants and spectacular sea views make this a hard property to beat.

  • City Style - A stylish stay with a long history, impressive shared spaces and chic rooms and suites - many with harbour views
  • Great walks - Climb to the top of Mount Rokko and admire city views, or take a leisurely stroll through Meriken Park
  • Local exploring - A glamorous Kobe landmark in the historic Kyu-Kyoryuchi area, perfect for exploring the city
  • Museums - View the Namban art at the Kobe City Museum, just next door to the hotel
from $382 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Nakanobo Zuien

Nakanobo Zuien

Kobe (Hyogo)

A traditional hotel in Arima Onsen. Spacious Japanese-style rooms feature tatami mat flooring and authentic sliding doors alongside hints of modern Western influence. Enjoy delightful local cuisine in the renowned restaurant, and relax in the hot spring baths. A blissful adults-only stay.

  • Short break - Itami Airport is a 25 minute drive from the hotel, and the nearest station (Arima Onsen) is a 4 minute drive
  • Local exploring - Discover Arima Onsen's 1000 year history, with temples, shrines and hot spring sources to visit
  • Traditional - Guest rooms are designed in traditional Sukiyazukuri-style, find tatami mats, Japanese style seating and authentic sliding doors
  • Private Onsen - Take advantage of the private open air bath or the private family bath via reservation. Several rooms include their own Onsen
from $473 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Arimasansoh Goshobessho

Arimasansoh Goshobessho

Kobe (Kobe)

This stylish hotel offers private villas set alongside a quiet stream in Kobe. Guest accommodation combines traditional Japanese woodwork with contemporary furnishings and forest views. After dinner, soak in the hotel's hot spring bath, drawn from natural sources in Arima.

  • Families - With self-contained villas available which can accommodate children, this hotel is a great option for families
  • Romantic Break - With a romantic natural setting beside a pretty stream, book this hotel for tranquil couples' getaway
  • Foodies - Foodies are spoiled for choice by the gourmet Japanese cuisine on offer at this hotel
  • Sights nearby - Take the Arima Onsen Cable Car for great views over the region; the cable car station is a short walk from the hotel
from $386 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia
Hotel La Suite

Hotel La Suite

Kobe (Chuo-ku)

A luxurious property situated on the waterfront overlooking the harbor. Elegant rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, chandeliers and soft hues. The glamorous restaurants serve Japanese and International cuisine and there's a spoiling spa. A chic & romantic base for city exploring.

  • Other Activities - Climb the Port Tower or admire the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge - the world's longest suspension bridge - and its museum
  • Romantic Break - Sumptuous suites with jacuzzi tubs, massages and delectable cuisine make this a romantic choice for couples
  • Local exploring - In a striking harbourfont location, perfect for exploring both on land and at sea
  • Great walks - Take a stroll through the landscaped Sorakuen Garden or nearby Meriken Park
from $543 for 1 room, 1 night including taxes & fees
Check availability on Expedia