Originally Posted by
r0m8470
How does this compare to the Mitsui? We are planning a trip to Japan, with a stop in Kyoto in mid March. On all our previous visits, we stayed at the west and central side (HR Kyoto and The Mitsui). In both places, we were treated extremely well. We got upgraded to a suite at the Mitsui (lowly Plat,and no SNA used - for 2 nights!), and while no upgrade at HR (Koyo season), we were very happy with our stay.
The locations works for us since we don't plan on exploring the Higashiyama area this time - and choose to concentrate on Arashiyama and its outskirts. The cash rate and points are always high here, comparable to PH Kyoto, but seems more bookable. We like big breakfast at both the The Mitsui and HR Kyoto, and reading above, seems like it is quite simpler here.
The website mention free transportation - from where is that? Arashiyama station or Kyoto station?
Free one-way transfer to/from Kyoto Station. FWIW, one time I went Roku -> Suiran -> Mitsui, and since I hadn't used my free transfer they told me not to worry about the taxi to Mitsui, they'd paid it.
I am a many time guest and they've always treated me well. I would not want to stay in a room below the YUZUNOHA category here as the onsen bath is the differentiator, and in the past I always gambled and won with upgrades, but with post-COVID travel demand I don't do that anymore. YUZUNOHA should be your baseline for booking.
For context, during my stay last month they upgraded me to the presidential suite. My prior visit in January was an upgrade to the TOGETSU suite, and in November 2019 which was my last pre-COVID visit, I got the GYOKUTO garden suite. So they are very good with elite guests and especially loyal guests.
The hard product is older, Mitsui definitely wins on the furnishings throughout the room. But in my experience the property in is in good condition despite the age. It's very like Conrad Tokyo in that regard, if you've ever stayed there you'll know the hard product is getting quite old but it's maintained so well that somehow it's still viable.
And of course the actual draw is location which can't be beat with respect to exploring the western side. If you want to actually have a peaceful experience in the bamboo grove, staying here to wake up and get over there for sunrise is the best way to do it. If it's chilly out you can run back to your onsen bath after. However, I wouldn't base myself here for an extended period if I was intending to see all of Kyoto. Last month with my family I had us here for 2 nights which was very good, and then we just moved over to The Chapter to save costs because it has a great location and it was 14k a night and we were out of the hotel all day anyway going around the city or going on day trips to other cities.
So it really depends on what you're planning to do, and also how you're planning to pay. Suiran is pretty bad value of points to cash because you don't book into the YUZUNOHA room (can email and ask to pay to upgrade), and the cash rates with deals like breakaway rate are not very expensive. Mitsui has decided to price itself in-line with the RC but you can see from my posts about staying at Mitsui that I don't think it's worth that at all. But it makes it a good value on points (although I would then say why not just redeem at the RC?)