Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma — Hotel in Kyoto

I’ve made more than 60 trips to Japan in the last 20 years and this is about the worst experience!

I had booked 2 rooms and they came back to ask if I wanted a connecting room. I thought that will be nice so said yes. Unknown to me, what they meant by connecting room is another room attached to the one I booked.

When we checked in we found that we have 3 rooms and the “connecting “room” was at an exorbitant price. We tried to explain that they got it wrong but no one spoke English at this hotel. Google translate helped but that didn’t do any good. So in the end we gave up and had to pay the ridiculously expensive “connecting” room. So 3 rooms for 2 guests!

I’m never staying at this chain ever. My advice is book what you see on Agoda and avoid communicating with the property when they suggest anything. Their definition is highly suspicious! Worst experience in my 20 years of travel to Japan.

24Nov2024 Response: that’s not true! Your staff asked in an email if I would like interconnecting rooms since I originally booked 2 single rooms. Interconnecting room is when there’s a door connecting the two rooms that I’ve booked. If it’s unavailable, that’s fine which is what I said in my email. But you made me paid $500 a night for another room. I suggested that we cancel the single room and both of us take the “interconnecting room” but was rejected by your staff. Do you want me to publish the email exchanges? At...

Not impressed by the service.

Was extremely tired so I asked for an early check in when I arrived around 1ish p.m. The receptionist told me they will charge 1k for an hour, totally fine with it. But I guess the staff was processing the request quite slow and the English proficiency is so-so, and told me even less than an hour they are still charging the same price. I ended up got to my room only around 1.25 p.m., half and hour gone. I’ve asked to speed up the process please but I guess communication was an issue and wasn’t smooth.

Worst hotel service I had. I was trying to call a taxi leaving the hotel. I tried checking the hotel address with the lady receptionist but she wasn’t very friendly and helpful and seemed busy with her own stuff. In the end she raised her voice and asked can she call a taxi. Sure - she came back to me saying I need to wait for 20 mins, which is not very useful. At that point I told her which is why I was trying to call one myself. The English is also not great and caused lots miscommunication. The way I was being treated making me feel uncomfortable to stay here.

Not recommended this hotel for this...

stayed here for 2 nights, family trip and booked 3 rooms. had a twin bedded room, room size is usual for Japan standard, clean, quiet, had a good night sleep. check in located on 2nd floor, with quite a lot of amenities provided at the lobby, including bath salts, tea, facial products and masks for ladies. also many pamphlets, maps for tourists, bus guide etc. we also asked the front desk for recommendation for dinner and they gave good recommendations nearby for tonkatsu and ramen within walking distance and even printed out map for us. most of the front desk staff speak english, language is not a problem. location is very near to train station, shopping area, nishiki market, even walkable to gion and pontocho area. also a family mart nearby. we also utilised their washing machine and dryer, no problems with that, no queue at night. i signed up for their membership prior to making a reservation and they gave back 500yen each room for each night upon checking out which is a bonus. overall hotels in Kyoto area is pricier than osaka, but this hotel is worth the price. enjoyed...