It’s interesting that the breakfast has not substantially changed since the pictures posted earlier in this thread. However, please, do NOT compare it to the Regency one - Regency’s was completely not memorable, and to the point where I had bones in my fish, which is a profound no-no in Japanese breakfasting.

I am absolutely and completely wowed by PH Kyoto’s service, location, everything. I am fairly tough to please - especially as the room rate increases and the hotel level increases, I demand progressively more, and do not hesitate to complain over the smallest things (not for compensation - just to hopefully help improve service for subsequent visits). I ripped Seragaki apart because of idiotic things like the welcome attendants constantly offering us to pick up our baggage and help us check in (this is three days into the stay), constantly forgetting stuff for a baby (forks, chair, you name it), etc etc etc. - some were minor issues but I feel were worth mentioning to the AGM.

For PH Kyoto, my complaint machine is coming up completely empty. It is a feeling I’m completely unaccustomed to.

- The AGM stayed back a day to welcome us - was supposed to leave on vacation but stayed to say hi
- We were not asked our names on arrival. The moment we drove up we were greeted by name as the opened the car doors.
- It was no problem to get four breakfasts to the room. It was a little bit hectic because there was SO MUCH FOOD, but everything was done.
- Our preferences were remembered from the first go, without any mistakes. Number of juices, customisations for eggs Benedicts, etc.
- they not only brought tools (forks and plastic cups etc) for a baby, unprompted, but also baby chair, towels, bathrobe, shampoos, etc. - the last hotel I saw go to these lengths was The Savoy.
- the less obvious, more subtle things. When opening bottles(btw, the free Kyoto water is great - and is in glass bottles!), the staff remove the metal shavings and leave the cap. When we inquired about where we can buy the Hirano glass teapot that (it turns out) was custom-made for the hotel, they left us a teapot in the room to admire after breakfast - they obviously replaced it with a clean one, but one wasn’t initially in the room.
- F&B is pretty good. We ordered a lot of in-room (easier with kids...) and it was very good.
- we stayed in the Ninenzaka house (corner suite). I’ll be honest - I don’t like it, and it being the corner suite doesn’t help. People keep taking pictures of you since they can totally see you from the street just outside. I would reject the 3rd floor room in the future.
- The architecture and the location of the hotel are out of this world. From the (dark) corridors reminiscent of the hisashi corridors in a Japanese home to the roofing done in a style similar to the neighbouring houses, to even the roof line being generally of a similar slope as the surrounding hillside, this is an absolute masterpiece - I can only guess the horse trading and the back room dealings that the permits would’ve required, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous property well integrated into the surrounding area. I don’t think it’s going to pay itself off for many, many years

All said, I am unusually completely and totally blown away by the property. Service is impeccable (more so considering the comments upthread, and that the property is relatively new). I’ve already booked our next stay. This is so much better than the Regency that there’s absolutely no reason to even compare them, though I do like the Regency too (but it’s a more “regular” hotel).