TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ is honored to announce that we have received the “Travel & Hospitality Award 2025,” an international honor bestowed upon establishments that provide outstanding service in the global travel and hospitality industry!!
All of us on the staff are deeply grateful for this prestigious award, which would not have been possible without the warm and continued patronage of all our guests.
＼ Click here for details ／
We also received comments from the Travel & Hospitality Awards secretariat!
TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ, set within the serene grounds of the centuries-old Hōrin-ji Temple in Gunma Prefecture, has been honoured with the Traditional Boutique Hotel of the Year – Kantō Region by the Travel & Hospitality Awards, the world’s largest independent awards programme. This prestigious recognition highlights the property’s remarkable ability to blend cultural heritage, modern comfort, and personalised hospitality into a singular, memorable stay.
The judging panel at the Travel & Hospitality Awards evaluates nominees on excellence, guest satisfaction, and overall distinctiveness. TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ impressed with its consistently outstanding online reviews, where guests praise the tranquillity, cleanliness, and atmosphere of the temple grounds, as well as the warm, attentive care of its hosts. These genuine guest experiences strongly showcased the hotel’s reliability and quality — key strengths noted by the Awards programme.
Equally significant was ZENSŌ’s ability to offer a truly unique stay experience. As a contemporary interpretation of the temple-stay tradition, ZENSŌ invites guests not just to visit a temple but to live within its rhythm. Activities such as zazen meditation, morning chanting, and hands-on retreats — even creative experiences like wood-fired pizza-making — create a rare, immersive connection to both culture and place. This imaginative and heartfelt approach to temple hospitality reflects exactly the kind of originality and authenticity the Awards seek to honour.
Superb service also played a defining role in the win. ZENSŌ’s philosophy of “pausing, reflecting, and reconnecting” is carried through every detail, from the thoughtfully designed spaces to the personalised hosting that makes each guest feel genuinely welcomed. The Travel & Hospitality Awards highlighted how these elements work together to elevate the boutique experience beyond accommodation — transforming it into an unforgettable retreat.
This award positions TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ as one of the region’s standout destinations for travellers seeking meaningful, culturally rich, and aesthetically refined experiences. It validates the dedication of the team and affirms the property’s growing reputation as a sanctuary for mindful travel.
About Travel & Hospitality Award
The “Travel & Hospitality Award” is a global award that recognizes establishments and companies from around the world—including hotels, resorts, tour operators, and unique experience providers—that have achieved the highest standards of service and customer satisfaction through a rigorous judging process.
In the past, world-class luxury hotels such as the “Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok” have been selected, and receiving this award is considered a testament to “world-class, outstanding hospitality.”
Reason for the Award and Future Aspirations
The Travel & Hospitality Award is judged not only on the luxury or scale of a facility but also with a strong emphasis on “innovation” and “quality of customer experience.”
We are incredibly honored that TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ was chosen from among countless other lodging facilities. We believe this is in high recognition of the following points, which offer a “unique and exceptional value” to travelers worldwide:
- A tranquil and refined space that reflects the Japanese spirit of Zen.
- A unique lodging experience that allows guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life to restore mind and body.
- Heartfelt hospitality that blends tradition with modern comfort.
Encouraged by this award, all of us at TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ will redouble our efforts to provide every guest who visits with an unforgettable time, offering peaceful tranquility and the vitality for tomorrow.
We sincerely ask for your continued and unchanging patronage.
October 30, 2025
TEMPLESTAY ZENSŌ
Shunko
