During COVID, Kyoto has been a dream. For years I've avoided the usual tourist traps, particularly around Higashiyama, thanks to the horrible crowds, but I could really fully appreciate the beauty of those sites during the pandemic. It's probably the only good thing that has come of it. Enjoy it while you can. We probably won't see this sort of miracle again (if we're lucky) any time soon. I'm glad I had occasion to visit frequently during this clusterF.

Sashi Ko Japan

Efficient check-in, spacious room, very nice location. Tokyo tower experience shouldn’t be missed. Great place to stay. Very close to Kyoto station, including all the bus stations. Hotel staff are friendly and speaks good english.

Lita United States of America

Kyoto itself had a lot to offer and it was a great place to have as a base for traveling to other cities (get that JR pass and take the bullet train to many destinations). We stayed at Hotel Gimmond. An older hotel but the staff was wonderful. It was a short subway ride to Kyoto station. Reasonable price. There were 6 of us so we needed two rooms. 812 & 816. 816 had more room and was at the end of the hall. Bathroom was subpar. It's old and has some wear and what looks like mold, but doesn't wipe off. It's embedded or painted over. Not great, but not a deal breaker. The rest of the place was well maintained but dated. Beds were comfy. Pillows had a buckwheat side and were surprisingly relaxing and comfortable. We noticed a smokey smell and told the staff. It was taken care of promptly. To keep out noise and light, there was a sliding panel that closed off the window area. Eat where the locals eat. Transportation is efficient.

Maureen United States of America

Lots of cultural sites. Nice entertainment sites too. Hotels on the expensive side (especially for a Saturday night), still they are usually booked. Subway is not that extensive, the bus routes are and a day pass is only 500 yen. It is worth it. If you have a JR pass, you may want to book a hotel close to the station, it is a very good location. On the other hand, if you do have a JR pass, it may be cheaper if you stay in another close-by town/city and visit Kyoto by train for free. Walk and explore the areas by the river. Nice cafes and restaurants.

from Ontario, Canada Canada

The hotel was exactly as promised. The staff was excellent, the room was clean but being so close to the Kyoto station made a world of difference. You can pretty much get anywhere on their train system but it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out. I must say that the room was tiny. It was fine for sleeping but too cramped for just relaxing. But I re-iterate it was exactly as promised and you can expect no more. Had I to do it over I would have paid more for a larger room. The Japanese people could not have been more friendly, helpful and gracious. Don’t expect to find American style sushi in Japan. Sashimi seems to be the rule. Although after a few days you can only see so many Buddhist / Taoist temples, and there will be a LOT of walking! For some unknown reason they seemed to like building their places of worship up a mountain.

Love Kyoto, Have visited Japan 10 times and always include time in Kyoto. We found this gem of a place to stay and will most certainly return. We were a group of 8 aged 60-70s in 4 rooms. We were all very happy with the facilities. We booked a goodwill guide to help us get around on one day. The other days we got ourselves around ok. Always include a trip to Nara. This time we also visited the bamboo forest area and went on the romantic train. Don't miss the golden pavilion it's a must see in Kyoto. There are so many temples, shrines its hard to decide which to incude. Also go up on the rooftop of the JR station. There is a great moving electronic light display beside the escalators. We went up all the levels of escalators to the roof top.

Judith Australia