stargold

1. Unless it is high peak season, you can wait till you're in Tokyo to book your ticket.
2. If you would have already been in RC Kyoto for 2 nights, then I would recommend staying the last night in the RC too. No sense to move hotels just for one night.
3. There is a direct train from Kyoto Station to KIX which takes roughly 90 minutes - the concierge should be able to arrange tickets, or just buy them on the morning.
4. RC can arrange to send suitcases in advance (you would hand them over on the previous day, typically) so that you can travel to KIX suitcase-free and collect them from KIX. Ask the concierge for details. Fairly minimal cost considering the convenience.

JK

Thank you very very much stargold. This is incredibly helpful, and has settled it!

It's a mid-July stay, so I don't think we'll be in peak season. Although with the KIX flight at 10am, it is an awfully early start from Kyoto!

But I'm following exactly this - thanks for helping me settle it! Taxi from RC to station, and then one train all the way to KIX. Sounds all nice and easy!

Thanks again
/JK

BillBurn

For the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto I would recommend buying the tickets a few days in advance as it can't hurt. There are LOTS of train times to choose from. I recommend shipping your luggage from Tokyo to Kyoto rather than traveling with it as it makes the journey a lot more hassle free. Costs about $17/bag. The RC Tokyo just billed it direct to our room and took care of everything. The only catch is that you have to have your luggage ready 4PM the day before departure, so you have to have some kind of overnight bag in addition to your luggage.

For Kyoto/KIX, it takes about 2 hrs to go from the RC directly to KIX via train (less if by car but that will cost $$$) If you have an 10AM Intl flight, that means a 6AM departure if you want to arrive 2 hrs before your flight. Definitely doable as the train service is very frequent and punctual but you will definitely be up and out early. Google Maps has remarkably accurate travel estimates for all trips in Japan but especially ones involving trains so play around with that to see what might make sense.

That said, we faced the same situation on our just completed 5 day stay and decided to head to Osaka for our last night in Japan. We stayed at the St.Regis Osaka and it took about an hour to get to KIX from there. If you go that route I suggest taking the subway to Namba station and then the Nankai-Limited Express Train. Just remember that you have to buy an extra ticket for that train because all the seats on that train are reserved. Getting a reserved seat is a good idea because its a 50 min trip and the regular trains are often standing room only. We had our bags with us from the St Regis to KIX, but that wasn't too bad to manage. Many people recommend the Marriott Miyako as a good overnight hotel as it is right on top a train station with express service to the airport.

JK

Thanks BillBurn! Based on your additional information, I feel like staying at the RC that extra night just makes sense. I'm weighing a 1 hour journey from Osaka hotel to KIX, versus a 2 hour journey from RC Kyoto to KIX. If I were to travel from RC Kyoto to Osaka the day before, I'd basically be killing the latter half of my day in Kyoto, as well as only making time for dinner in Osaka. So with all that said, and knowing there is an easy direct train from Kyoto to KIX - it just seems more sensible to get 1 hour less sleep, but several hours more productivity, by staying at the RC Kyoto for that last night.

Particularly as it's still booked at the 60k points redemption rate! I do really want to see Osaka too - but no matter which way I cut it, I wouldn't be getting more than just a dinner there anyway. So Osaka can wait until next time.

Thanks again! Especially for the more detailed information on bag shipping costs. I think if I had more than 2 cases, I'd probably be inclined to take up that service - but I should be able to manage 2, and imagine the trains have luggage racks.

One more question if I may: do they have Uber in Toyko/Kyoto? Is it the 'done thing', or do people just to tend to hail a street taxi locally? I'm very worried about the language barrier!

txpenny

No Uber as of my visit last year. However we've never had an issue with taxis. Take a few business cards from the hotel (address is in Japanese and English) so you can always return. If you have internet access, all the mapping software will display a destination in Japanese that you can show the driver. It's easier than you think.

BillBurn

Staying another night in the RC Kyoto, if you can swing it schedule-wise, is well worth the early wake up. It is a world class hotel and Kyoto is an amazing city, so I think you are making a good choice by staying there another night. Only bad thing about leaving so early is that you will miss the RC breakfast. Some of the best baked goods you will ever have! Just make sure to check the train times as the direct train from Kyoto to KIX only runs every hour or so.

They have Uber in Tokyo but not Kyoto. That said we relied on the subway for almost all our trips in Tokyo as it is fast, clean, efficient, all the signs are also in English and Google Maps is amazingly accurate. The cabs are great (very clean!) and traffic is not as bad as you would suspect, but communicating with a cab driver can be tough.

FWIW, we didn't have any major language problems. A lot of people spoke at least a little bit of English and the Japanese are so polite and patient with clueless Americans. Google Translate is also your friend,the automatic camera translator was great for signs and placards!

nexusCFX

Uber does operate in Kyoto; It just hails taxis though, and there are taxis everywhere in Kyoto.

Aventine

I would spend the night in Osaka or you have to wakeup early and leave RC Kyoto to make it for 10am flight. The Marriott Miyako or St. Regis are both great options.

bhrubin

JK

WillTravel4Food

JK

musicscrip

chunkalunk

Thanks for the feedback. Currently have a City View King booked. Do you think the same holds true, that a City View Double Room is bigger than the King?

BillBurn

I can't say for sure, but from looking at the floor map on the door of our room, it did appear as though all of the Deluxe Kyoto and Garden doubles are bigger than the same category King rooms.

One thing of note is that I too made a points reservation for a "Deluxe Double, City View" but if you look at the website they don't even offer Deluxe Double City View rooms, just King rooms. The lowest category of double appears to be Deluxe Kyoto and that should be a larger room. Also, from my perspective my kids room seemed a lot bigger, but if you go by the website the difference between a Deluxe King and a Deluxe Kyoto Double is only 64 sq/ft so YMMV. FWIW. if you look at the website, the picture they have of the Luxury Double, River View is what my kids room looked like, minus the river view.