Hotel Fine Garden Kyoto Minami

The hotel has a 1990s upscale feel throughout. Our room had karaoke, a PlayStation, a jacuzzi, a full bath, a vanity, and a massage chair. There was also an air humidifier, and the bed had controls for the lights, air, and more. The bathrooms were nicely styled. Staff spoke excellent English and gave us a map of the area. I came here on my honeymoon, and it’s easily the best hotel I’ve stayed in. It outdoes Tokyo hotels in its price range. It may not be a “4 star hotel,” but I don’t put much stock in those ratings anyway. The walk from the station takes 15 minutes. I’d stay here again on a future Kyoto trip.

We were delighted with the place. Our room was by far the biggest and best of the whole trip, and the top-of-the-range massage chair was wonderful. There were loads of freebies too, including designer creams and toiletries. With free parking, the location works perfectly if you have a car. If you’re coming by train, it’s a 1-kilometer walk to the metro station. There are plenty of local bars and restaurants. For the price, it felt like a 5* Las Vegas hotel. The one disappointing part was breakfast. It comes through a hatch into your room and was pretty awful unless you’re Japanese.

The spa bath and massage chair made the choice easy for us. We’d booked online through a hotel aggregator, knowing it was a love hotel, and those features mattered more than any awkwardness. Simply amazing.

The staff were lovely, and breakfast was a nice touch: a traditional Japanese meal, free and brought right to our room. The room itself was big, cozy, and clean.