Hospitality and hot springs at Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

IN 1300 years of operation, this hotel has hosted everyone from samurai to sumo. It’s so ancient it pre-dates the Kingdom of England.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, in Japan, is the oldest hotel in the world. Picture: Supplied

THIS Japanese hotel has been “inn style” for quite some time.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, a small property located in the town of Hayakawa, about 110 miles southwest of Tokyo, has been open to guests for about 1,300 years. Not only does this mighty age make it the world’s oldest hotel, but it also makes it a striking — and everlasting — piece of world history, reports the New York Post.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan was founded in the year 705AD — roughly 225 years before the establishment of the kingdom of England and approximately 300 years before Vikings made their way to America, according to Fortune.

A man named Fujiwara Mahito founded the inn in the second year of the Keiun era. Since then, 52 generations of his descendants have kept the stay in the family.

And they’ve attracted all types of guests during all its years of operation, including Japanese politicians and, yes, samurai.

The hotel last underwent a renovation in 1997 and today has 37 rooms. The guest accommodations are both cozy and traditional — some come with tatami mats and open-air baths — but we reckon the price to stay must have been much cheaper 1,000 years ago. Today, rates begin at $381 (A$526) per night.

The amenity of note is a naturally flowing hot spring, which has been a lure since the property’s long-ago debut. (Samurai are said to have soaked in the mineral-rich waters.) There are now six baths there, according to its website, the bulk of which are located outside.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is 13 years older than the world’s second-oldest hotel, which also stands in Japan, according to Thrillist. Called Hoshi Ryokan, it’s located near the Sea of Japan some six hours away.

But the third-oldest wasn’t founded until hundreds of years later — in 1120. Zum Roten Baeren, which is what is now Freiburg, Germany, was constructed before that city was established. And since that time, it’s survived devastating world events, from the Black Plague to two World Wars.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.