Originally Posted by OsakaWino

Of course, of the PH, RC, and FS, the FS has the least foot traffic in the immediate area (unless you count all the schoolgirls). The PH faces Ninenzaka, one of the most heavily pedestrian-traffiked areas in the city. Add to that the fact that the PH is actively working to attract non-guest clientele to the Bistro and the Afternoon Tea, and it is not surprising that the serenity of some of the public areas suffers.

Afternoon Tea at upscale hotels continues to be an incredibly popular trend in Japan (the HR has also started an Afternoon Tea), so I would expect the PH Living Room and lobby to be extremely busy on Sundays and holidays for the foreseeable future; hopefully a bit less on weekdays unless it catches on with the Asian instagramers. One problem that often occurs with hotels' afternoon tea is that when it is busy the customers waiting for an afternoon tea seating take up seating in the lobby, so there is no place for guests checking in to sit if they have to wait for their room.

We're checking in tomorrow for a 2-night stay and I'll report back on what the lobby situation is like on a Sunday afternoon.