This hotel offers an excellent stay for travellers seeking a convenient and comfortable base for their Kyoto adventures. The prime location, attentive staff, and essential amenities create a pleasant experience that outweighs the drawbacks.
Location: (Rating: 5/5) Situated directly across from Kyoto Station, the hotel provides easy access to the city's major transportation options, including the Shinkansen, local JR trains, subways, and buses. The underground passage, filled with restaurants and shops, offers additional convenience and protection from the elements.
Room: (Rating: 4/5) The Double-Room, while small at 140 SF, offers limited space for luggage but boasts cleanliness and modern amenities. The air purifier, compact shower, and bathroom ventilation ensure a comfortable stay. However, the thin walls may result in some noise from neighbouring rooms, and the small window offers no views.
Amenities: (Rating: 5/5) The hotel provides all the basic amenities, with the standout feature being the fabric freshener spray that keeps clothes smelling fresh after a day of travel and dining. Coin laundry facilities and a microwave for heating up meals add to the hotel's convenience.
Staff: (Rating: 5/5) The polite and friendly staff, although limited in English proficiency, can communicate effectively using simple vocabulary. The room service is highly efficient.
Value for Money: (Rating: 5/5) While the room size might seem expensive, the prime location, excellent service, and timing during the Cherry Blossom season justify the price.
Recommended For: This hotel is ideal for solo travellers or couples who prioritize location, need essential amenities, and don't plan on spending much time...
Read moreConsidering I visited in the middle of peak cherry blossom season, this hotel wasn't overly expensive compared to others in Kyoto, even though I booked relatively late. The rooms are compact and functional without being attractive, which is typical of a mid-range Japanese hotel and there was no view out of the window. That said, I was staying in a mixture of hostel dormitories, Air B'n'B properties and cheap hotels, so this was one of the better places compared to the rest of my trip around Japan. The really good things to note are that the staff are extremely polite and helpful, as you would expect in Japan and the location is fantastic as it's literally opposite the main entrance to the JR station - just cross the road or use the subway to enter the station from the hotel. There are also buses to most major sites from right outside the front door, including places like Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavillion. Nearby you have a range of affordable izakayas, restaurants, convenience stores and shops, including the amazing Yodobashi Camera and Electronics, second only to the flagship store in Tokyo. It's not particularly close to some of the key sights like Nishiki Market, the Gion district, Ninen-zaka, Sannen-zaka, Teapot Lane and the temples such as Kiyomizu-dera. However, these can all be easily reached by the regular buses from outside your hotel. I did walk back to the hotel on foot late at night and on a warm evening it's doable but it took a...
Read moreI had a very pleasant stay at Hotel Hokke Club Kyoto. Upon check-in, I was delighted by a thoughtful perk: every guest gets to choose two small gifts from a selection that included moisturizing masks, hair bands, lotions, bath salts, and more. This added a nice personal touch to the experience.
I booked a small double room for under $80 USD, which, while not cheap, is relatively affordable for Kyoto. The room was compact but well-designed, offering enough space to comfortably access the bed from both the side and bottom. The bathroom, though small, was functional, featuring a bidet (common in Japan), a deep but short bathtub, and plenty of amenities. The hotel also provided pajamas, slippers, a hot water kettle, tea, glass cups, and reliable Wi-Fi, making the stay even more convenient.
The room had windows that could be opened or closed for ventilation, and both the AC and hot water worked flawlessly, ensuring a comfortable environment. While breakfast was available, I opted not to try it due to its price of around ¥1600 and my past experiences with underwhelming hotel breakfasts.
The only downside was the early 10 AM checkout time, which led to a bit of a rush for the elevator in the morning. However, this was a minor inconvenience compared to the overall quality of the stay.
For travelers seeking a comfortable and budget-friendly option in Kyoto with thoughtful amenities, I highly recommend Hotel...
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