Is Nikko a nice place to visit during winter?Nikko is pretty nice around the year, but I would not call winter the best time of the year, unless you hope to see winter scenery in the Okunikko region.
Any recommendation for hotels as this is my first trip to Nikko?
I enjoyed my stay at the Nikko Kanaya Hotel, one of the oldest Western style hotels in Japan:
http://www.japanican.com/hotels/ShisetsuDetail.aspx?st=3316007