Glansit Kyoto Kawaramachi

The traditional shower was a highlight, with wooden walls that smelled lovely, plus a full set of face wash and lotions. The private room had a comfortable office chair and soft ambient lighting, and drinks were available in the lounge during the stay. The location is decent, too. I ended up here after missing the last train to Osaka following the Kurama Fire Festival. I checked in at 1am and still paid over 105K JPY for the night. Even on regular dates, it costs about 50% more than other hostels, but doesn’t offer a good coworking area, so the value felt poor. The lounge is very small. I didn’t have my passport with me because my main hotel was in Osaka. I showed my National Identity card, but the woman at reception said, “No Passport No Room.” She didn’t offer ideas or seem good at resolving the issue. Fortunately, I’d kept a digital passport copy on my phone. I was also surprised that pyjamas cost extra, especially since I’d never needed them before that night. I asked for a basic capsule for one night, but was told there were no regular capsules left and was sold a Private Room. After entering the dormitory, I saw at least two regular capsules available. The late check-in and very early checkout were difficult, and even after paying a premium I couldn’t sit in the lounge or get another cup of green tea after checkout. They also wouldn’t let me use a toilet then, saying it was cleaning time. I found that uncomfortable, especially since other hostels in Japan have let me use the lounge and toilet after checking out.

For my first capsule room in Japan, this was a really good experience. Everything was clean, including the shared areas, and there’s a pantry with a coffee machine and coin laundry. The staff were very kind and helpful, even though their English wasn’t very strong. There’s an extra ¥200 per night accommodation tax, but the hotel was still great value. I’d definitely come back to Kyoto and stay here again.

I left my credit card and room key in the shower and went back for them less than a minute later, but the hotel had taken them. The front desk eventually returned my card, then charged me 3000 yen for taking it and the key, and wouldn’t refund me. Apart from that, it’s a great spot.

In the middle of the night, a drunk local guest urinated outside the cover of my capsule. I tried to report it, but the manager wasn’t there, and I was told to wait. I thought about calling the police. The manager said that wouldn’t change much and would just waste my time. I felt the staff handled the situation badly. We agreed that the other guest would pay for the two nights I was staying. I said I’d try to find somewhere else for the second night, but never confirmed that I had found a place. Finding reasonably priced accommodation overnight in Kyoto is difficult. Even so, the accommodation cancelled my reservation and left me without a place for that second night. That wasn’t what we’d agreed. I had trouble communicating with the staff in English. There are many foreign guests, and it’s frustrating when you’re dealing with something serious and can’t have a proper conversation. The incident and the unhelpful response affected my whole experience in Kyoto. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.