Hoshinoya Nara Prison, a luxury hotel created by reviving the former Nara Prison, a national Important Cultural Property, has been chosen for "Best of the World 2026: 20 Best New Hotels" (the world's 20 best new hotels), announced by the global media outlet National Geographic. It is the only accommodation in Japan to make the list. Hoshinoya is a brand whose properties each offer an extraordinary stay built around an original theme.
From the notable hotels that have newly opened or been reopened around the world, National Geographic has selected, for the first time, 20 properties whose stay itself offers an outstanding experience and becomes a "travel destination worth visiting from around the world."
About National Geographic's "Best of the World 2026: 20 Best New Hotels"
National Geographic, one of the world's leading nonfiction media outlets, shares the diversity of nature, history and culture and also works to protect cultural heritage. "Best of the World" is its annual global feature in which its editors and explorers choose the best travel destinations in the world to visit.
"20 Best New Hotels" is the outlet's first list of its kind. Twenty properties were chosen from among noteworthy newly opened and reopened facilities around the world, including sustainable resorts that take care of the environment and unique accommodations that revive historic architecture. Beyond offering a luxurious stay, the selected hotels are highly regarded as a new benchmark for "experiential travel," where guests can feel a deep connection with the local community and nature, and where the stay itself becomes a "travel destination worth visiting from around the world."
The list is available on National Geographic's website: Best of the World 2026: 20 Best New Hotels
Why Hoshinoya Nara Prison Was Selected
Hoshinoya Nara Prison was highly rated for its ambitious "conversion" (architectural revival) project. The former Nara Prison, an Important Cultural Property built in the Meiji era, was turned into a luxury hotel while skillfully preserving its imposing historical design. A stay with a special storyline that lets guests experience cultural heritage firsthand was also a major reason the hotel was chosen as a "destination worth visiting" for travelers around the world.
A summary of the National Geographic article reads as follows.
In Nara, Japan's first capital, this property, a magnificent revival of a historic building, offers visiting guests a unique experience that immerses them deeply in Japanese history and culture.
(From National Geographic's "Best of the World 2026")
About Hoshinoya Nara Prison
The former Nara Prison was built by the Meiji government as a matter of national prestige. It still shows the red-brick construction and radial layout of its day and is designated as a national Important Cultural Property. Hoshinoya Nara Prison is a luxury hotel that breathes a modern spirit into the building while protecting its historical value.
The hotel's concept is "Important Cultural Property at Dawn" (明けの重要文化財). The stay weaves in the Western culture that blossomed in the dawn of the era when the former Nara Prison was born and Japan was beginning its path as a modern nation, creating the joy of a trip immersed in the depth of history and an extraordinary experience away from everyday life. Through the rare experience of "staying" in an Important Cultural Property, and through learning at the museum on the same grounds, the hotel proposes a new form of heritage use that carries history from the past into the future.
Guest room: a suite made by connecting 9 to 11 solitary cells and other rooms
Courtyard: a modern walking path combined with the historic architecture
Hoshinoya Nara Prison Facility Information
- Opened: June 25, 2026
- Address: 18 Hannyaji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
- Phone: 050-3134-8091 (Hoshinoya General Reservations)
- Rooms: 48 (check-in 3:00 PM / check-out 12:00 PM)
- Rate: From ¥147,000 per night per room (tax and service charge included, meals not included)
- On the same grounds: Nara Prison Museum by Hoshino Resorts (day visits available)
- Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/hoshinoyanarakangoku/
