As always, my top priority when staying at a hotel is getting a good night's sleep. Since I'm very sensitive to noise, I specifically chose this hotel for its quiet location, tucked away from the hustle and bustle. And it truly lives up to that 'quiet yet convenient' reputation.
The hotel is very close to the subway station, making travel incredibly easy, yet it's set back from the main road. My room faced a residential area at the back, which was exceptionally quiet. For those who prioritize window views and want to wake up to a beautiful scenery every day, this might be a bit disappointing. However, if your main goal is a good night's sleep, then this is definitely a highly recommendable option.
The curtains are double-layered, but given the early sunrise in Kyoto during summer, the room still gets quite bright in the morning. If you're sensitive to light, I'd suggest bringing your own eye mask.
I stayed in the most basic room type, which was about 20 square meters. To be honest, the two beds took up most of the space, with just the aisle remaining. However, this is quite common for city hotels in Japan, so it was entirely within my expectations. The two single beds were pushed together. If you wanted them separated, one bed would have to be pushed against the wall. For couples, having them together is perfectly fine.
What surprised me was how spacious the bathroom, laundry area, and toilet were. While not necessarily essential for me, I believe this would be a huge plus for many long-term travelers or families.
I found the overall soundproofing of the hotel to be quite good. I had requested a top-floor room in advance, and the hotel did its best to accommodate my request. Check-in was very smooth, and the staff were friendly and provided satisfactory service.
Originally, I considered booking a family room, but then I worried that family rooms might be more likely to be surrounded by families with young children, leading to a higher probability of noise. So, I ultimately chose the smallest room type. This way, at least the chances of having a large family next door would be lower. However, if you're not as sensitive to noise as I am, I would actually recommend the family room.
That's because the family room isn't much more expensive, but the size is almost double. In a city like Kyoto, where space is at a premium, this combination of space and price offers exceptional value for money, and I would highly recommend it.
Regarding breakfast, I didn't opt for the breakfast package when booking, but I did pay extra to try it once. To be honest, if you compare it to the luxurious breakfasts at many four or five-star hotels in China, it's not in the same league. Here, it's a semi-buffet style where you choose a main dish and then complement it with items from the self-service area.
However, considering that for most people traveling to Kyoto, breakfast isn't usually the most important experience of the day, if you're not specifically looking for an incredibly lavish or high-end breakfast, the quality here is perfectly adequate. The environment is clean, the ingredients are fresh, and the overall experience is quite good.
Overall, this is a hotel I would happily stay at again. It offers convenient transportation, a quiet environment, and attentive service, making it especially suitable for travelers like me who prioritize sleep quality above all else.
Original TextTranslation provided by AI
