So just finished a 4 night stay at the hotel so thought I would update this thread. Sorry for the lack of photos (not much different to the photos above).

Only an Accor Plus Silver so didn’t expect anything except drink vouchers so think of this as a review for the average joe blogs rather than someone with status.

Let’s start with the positives:

1) Location

So I’ve stayed at a number of hotels in Kyoto over the years though tended to prioritise staying around the station area so I often used Kyoto as a base for Kansai rather than Osaka. This was the first time in who knows how long I strayed from the usual. Since this was a Kyoto focused trip, the locations was actually very good. The hotel was right next to Keihan Sanjo station which meant if you were flying in from Itami, you could Monorail through to the end of the line, then change to the Keihan Railway and exit right next to the hotel. Also was next to a Tozai line station which gave easy access to the subway.

Being near Sanjo meant a lot of shopping strips nearby if that is your thing. Teramachi etc. is nearby

Also ~20 minutes walk out to Higashiyama area means that for temple hunters, Kiyomizu is within walking distance

Finally, for Arashiyama, for those interested, a bus leaves about 3-5 minutes walk from the hotel which is equally as handy

2) Amenities

Unlimited Nespresso coffee in the foyer is always welcome for those who need a caffeine hit at varying times of the day

3) Interior Decor

If looks at important to you, then the Bamboo forest is lovely in the foyer

Neutral:

The breakfast I would say is mediocre at best. Perhaps the word I would use to describe it would be “functional”. It has some cereal, some hot dishes, some Japanese dishes and some bread. The made to order is only sunny side up eggs or an omelette with cheese, mushroom and ham. The breakfast does it’s job but it’s nothing elaborate like the higher tier hotels around Asia. Heck, I’ve had much more variety at the Sakura the Terrace south of Kyoto Station which has been my go to for years.

Below Average:

The room. Where do I begin with this one. If I could provide one criticism, it would be “looks over functionality”. I’ve stayed in many a Japanese business hotel over the years with 18m2 rooms so I expected the superior room at 24 - 26m2 to at least be remotely functional. The room has a rather awkward tatami area by the window for aesthetic. There is a little coffee table. There is no desk if you need to work. The coffee table though is low to the point that you can’t stick your legs comfortably under it and effectively is an aethestic white elephant.

We ended up getting a king bed which was two doubles jammed together. While an oversized king is nice… there was ZERO room to open a suitcase in the room unless you used the small tatami alcove. You couldn’t even walk comfortably between the end of the bed and the wall without scraping the TV.

Bathroom was nice.

Oh if you like firm beds, this is not the hotel for you. The bed was soft and probably would drop you to the fourth dimension if you fall too hard onto it.

Overall, I think for the cost this hotel charges, I’m not sure it is entirely worth it. It is aesthetic over function (or even luxury). I only stayed since I have a handful of Accor points to burn.