Hiz Hotel Kyoto-Nijo Castle

For three of us, the room at HIZ HOTEL Kyoto-Nijo Castle was more than spacious enough. We liked the design, and were pleasantly surprised to find a washing machine. The bathroom was modern and comfortable, and the location was central with easy train access. The receptionist wasn’t very chatty, but check-in went smoothly, so that was fine. A fantastic stay!

Our room had a nice little kitchen with a stove, microwave, dishes, cutlery, and pots, plus a washer and hanging rack for drying. The bathroom was nice too, with a traditional Japanese shower that we enjoyed. The room was clean and fairly spacious, and the beds were comfortable. There’s no housekeeping, but we didn’t need it. The hotel sits in a quiet residential neighbourhood, about a 10-minute walk from the local train station and from both Family mart and 7-11.

The canal with willows at the end of the street was lovely. It’s around the corner from the tube stop, city buses, and simple places to eat, and it was easy to walk to places. The location is useful and the rooms are reasonable for a relatively inexpensive stay. As in many ordinary Japanese stays, the beds were hard and the pillows weren’t very comfortable. The shower had the usual good water pressure. There wasn’t much of a kitchen, and having no knives of any kind would be a problem if we wanted to cook or eat in.

It’s more of a condo or Airbnb-style rental, as others have said, with no room cleaning or other services. We rented LUUP e-bikes to get around, and there are loads nearby; everything feels close that way. The bike lanes and considerate drivers made it feel very safe. On busy streets you’re expected to ride on the sidewalks, which are wide and have separated bike zones. Our room was a bargain, clean, bright, airy, and spacious, up on the top floor. The beds were comfy, with a separate sitting area and heaps of storage. We were pleasantly surprised by the complete kitchenette and laundry.