Originally Posted by
Nagasaki Joe
I don't know what the PH Kyoto onsen set up will be like, but Suiran only offers onsen access in the spa (you need to get a treatment to use it) and I believe the Presidential Suite (and possibly other suites?) also has a private open-air onsen, so its not readily accessible to all guests. Of course, Suiran has no pool either, but you wouldn't expect one there anyway. It also has a super tiny fitness room, which I wouldn't have expected either. That said, I'd say its main draws are its location and temple-like grounds. Frankly, the standard rooms are below what I would expect from a Category 8 hotel. Other than that, it's perfectly charming hybrid ryokan-hotel. If the PH Kyoto can offer an onsen that is accessible to all guest for free or at a nominal cost, that's a significant amenity, since Japanese guests are far more likely to use it than a pool.
Every room at Suiran which is deluxe or above has a private open-air onsen. The base two categories don't. Agreed on the base rooms quality given it's a cat8, I would never stay in them.
The post I responded to said that there's no pool and no onsen, so I don't understand your closing sentence. My comment was that having neither would be such a glaring omission for a luxury hotel. However, at 30k points dumped in from Chase UR and not being a Hyatt elite, I can personally forgive it. But if I was paying 100k yen like I do at Suiran and the RC it would be a deal breaker.