APA Hotel Kyoto Ekihigashi — Hotel in Kyoto

Love APA hotels. Always affordable and conveniently placed next to stations and the sites. The Nara APA looks almost identical to the APA I stayed at in Tokyo.

For the most part, it's quiet. There was some construction and I could hear that. Loud cars can also be heard. I was on the second floor. Would stay higher.

I speak intermediate Japanese. The staff helped me improve and didn't do the thing where they switch to English automatically and continue trying to speak English when I was speaking Japanese. I really appreciated that. They held my luggage all day and my room was ready by the time I told them I'd be back. Love that!!!

Like other APA, there is no individual temperature control for rooms. It is centrally controlled. There is a fan ac unit on the ceiling. I had a harder time with the fan for the AC in this hotel as compared to Tokyo but I didn't complain. It wasn't too much of an inconvenience. Probably user error.

I didn't like the step up into the bathroom. The step to get into the bathroom is challenging to impossible for people who need mobility accommodations. My hotel in Tokyo did not have a step up and it did have a handle bar by the toilet. So, I think those rooms have to be requested. This room cannot accommodate a wheelchair.

Like with other business hotels, the room is small by American hotel standards but it's not so small that it makes it difficult to use. There is a mirror to help with makeup and a counter in front of it for work. Small fridge is great for storing snacks and drinks. I recommend travelling with a small bag so you can leave it on the edge of your bed, that way there is more room to get around. Like with other APA, it has hooks and hangers for clothing.

Lots of plugs, but they are designated for specific things. They are labeled in both Japanese and English. If you speak a different language, you might accidentally fry your electronics.

You might need to get lucky to get a good view. Mine is of the wall of the building next door. That's ok though. I was just here to rest up. Wasn't looking for a view.

Hair dryer works well even on thick, long hair.

Very clean room. Smells good.

I don't think the toilet seat was heated. If it was, it wasn't hot enough. But it is a bidet.

Love the deodorizer spray that's included with the room. It's a life saver because my airline lost my bag which had all my toiletries and medicine in it. So, I've had to wear the same clothes multiple days. No smells thanks to this amenity.

As someone with mobility issues, the shower is difficult to get in and out of.

Very close to a Lawson and Family Mart. Two stations are a short distance (under 15 minutes walk, with luggage) away: Shin-Nara and Nara. Nara station has a rapid express line to/from Kyoto for about 800 yen. Highly recommend.

Great distance from shops, shotengai, and Nara Park, museums, shrines, and temples. It's possible to walk to most sites within 35 minutes, even with my limited mobility issues. The street the hotel is on can be very crowded until about 7pm (November). Many restaurants with a variety of foods nearby. Google maps will recommend walking a snakelike path to the shrines. Take it if it recommends that over trying to stick to the main road. You can't cross at certain spots otherwise, so you'll waste a lot of time trying to find cross walks.

If you plan to walk to shrines, etc. before sunrise, or you're going to return after dark, be prepared to use a light. Street lights are limited and the sidewalk can get very dark and a little spooky. I felt mostly safe, but definitely safer in some areas of Tokyo because it was better lit.

This APA offers breakfast and other meals. I did not eat at the hotel but it was always busy when I walked by it.

My only complaint is that the pillows are very flat and hard. I had a similar experience at a lot of Japanese hotels I stayed at last time but had forgotten. I wish I'd...

I'm trying to control my disappointment but after coming from a literal five-star hotel in Tokyo to this hotel in Kyoto, the difference was absolutely stunning. The room is literally the bed and a shelf which you can't even call a desk. That's it. No dresser, no nothing. You literally are expected to store your clothing under the bed. There's even a little sign that says store your clothing under the bed. To be fair it seems clean, but also it's one of those hotels where the power shuts off when you take your room key with you out of the slot on the wall. So every time you come in you have to put your key in and turn on the air conditioner manually. This is Japan in the summer and the air conditioning does not stay on when you leave the room. No room service, no cleaning service. Not even a way to ask them to empty the garbage pails. Again as a positive it's also very inexpensive. I'm paying for one week here would cost me one night in the other place. Let me put it this way- I have to spend a few days here. I'm supposed to go back to Tokyo and stay at another APA hotel, I am absolutely going back into booking.com and looking at other higher rated facilities. I'm going to try and attach a picture to this review, if successfully you will see a picture of the bed. That's the...

NOT RECOMMENDED

The ceiling was low, the bed was so big that there was no space to walk, and the bed was right up against the window with the curtains covering the bed. It was really stuffy and not a comfortable room at all.

The breakfast is OK but if you are alone, the lady changes attitudes towards type of guest. Sometimes they FORCE you to the counter saying "1 person goes to counter!" and sometimes they say very politely "Can I escort you to the counter?" and if the person refuses, she lets her/him wait for a table. For my case, even there were many tables the lady forced me to the counter with NO OPTION. I am very annoyed by looking at this old lady attitude.

The cleanliness is not good enough. When I pulled out the footrest cover, there was small fly(??). Also in the bathroom when I came back from sightseeing, there was an insect dead on the drain. These were shocking to me as I never had such experiences in other hotels.

They have a small public bath. Nothing special but the water quality looks bit dirty when I tried it at 15:00 (right after checked in).

The only good thing about this APA is location and the service. The front is effective and they take good care of...