Originally Posted by
ordogg
Thank you all for the advice. I ended up redeeming a 5k MP award NRT-ITM (able to snag lie flat seats on 773ER) (we arrive NRT on a TPAC 2 hours earlier), and then plan to take bus from ITM to Kyoto Statiion and taxi to HR Kyoto - I will share how it goes next week. Thanks for all the help!
Have done that route, it's straightforward. The bus arrives at the rear of Kyoto station, on the side where the shinkansen tracks are, and there is a taxi rank about 150 yards away max.