@
saaveraward
Your review is not far from mine. As Spire, on award stay during cherry blossom time (so hotel was sold out all days and I followed booking and saw that sometimes a room opened up at 300€ price level and went again), I was upgraded to 8th floow exec sort of standard type of room, based on pictures and size (not that big), facing town and not castle view. We got lounge access too but it was completely useless: you could get a fresh orange juice, coffee, tea and some peanuts, meeh, open only afternoon hours. Got many stickers also for discounts in breakfast and dinner, used only once the breakfast buffet with discounted price but it was pretty lame and skipped other days. Location is great for the Nijo castle but not much else. I found also the shuttle to kyoto station convenient but not very practical for shutteling multiple times.
I don't think I go back, unless with good points burning ratio when cash price is high. Nothing wrong with the property per se, but the overall value perception was rather low. Well a cash stay might be justified too when cash price is low, at least the property is much more stylish than a regular HI or HIX