Hotel Gion Ichirin

The hotel is in a great location, and the room and bathroom were clean, with the bathroom well supplied. We got complimentary drinks in the room, plus coffee and croissants in the lobby, and the laundry on the fourth floor was convenient. But the room was small and had no window, and the staff could be abrupt. At 2:30, while I was taking a phone call in the fourth-floor lounge, I took a small orange juice from the fridge. A staff member suddenly came in, spoke Japanese, and gestured that I couldn’t take anything before 3. I tried putting it back, but she told me to keep it. The whole thing felt bizarre and, honestly, cheap for a hotel charging $400 a night over a mini juice. We also tried to add one night, but were quoted $400, while comparable hotels nearby were charging $150. We changed hotels. That encounter was jarring, and I wouldn’t stay here again despite the place being nice and clean.

We spent six nights here as two adults. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the rooms and shared spaces were clean and updated. We appreciated the free lounge drinks and snacks from 3-8 PM each day, free drinks in the room fridge, a microwave and noodle cup soup in the room, and a softer, more comfortable bed than we’ve had at other hotels in Japan. There was an ice machine and water on the fourth floor, free water bottles in the lobby, and private hot baths and saunas to rent on site. The main problems were the cleaning rules. There were no blackout curtains, and daily room cleaning wasn’t offered; cleaning was only every other day if requested strictly before 10 AM and if staying at least four days. What we found hardest to understand was that the bathroom wasn’t cleaned at all during our weeklong stay. The instructions said guests should be out from 10 to 3 if cleaning was happening, which we understood. But after being out all morning, we returned to the lobby around 1 PM and staff stopped us, saying we couldn’t enter our room until after 3. They didn’t say whether anyone was actually cleaning it, and we had to sit in the lobby for an hour until our next activity. We also reported a problem with the toilet controls at the start of our stay and were told there was no issue. On the last day, we were given a sheet explaining that there was a problem and to use a reset button if it happened. They say the cleaning limits are for environmental reasons, but still provide free plastic water bottles and wrap q-tips individually in plastic, so I don’t believe the environmental explanation. We enjoyed Kyoto and many parts of the hotel, but can’t recommend it given the cleaning rules and what’s offered. If you don’t care for room cleaning during a hotel stay, it might be perfectly fine for you.

We found the weekday prices hard to beat for a hotel in such a convenient spot. Many popular sights, shops, and restaurants are within walking distance, and we enjoyed the included lounge too. The rooms were comfortable and well cared for, with great amenities. Staff were attentive and helpful throughout our stay. We had a really nice time here and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Kyoto.

The Gion neighborhood location made it easy to walk to good food and drinks. The room was a big plus after staying in Tokyo and Osaka, with plenty of space, and both the bathroom and sleeping area were fantastic. They also provide water bottles, which we appreciated, and all the staff were great. This hotel was wonderful, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.