Hotel IL Verde Kyoto

The way the rules are applied here can end up inconveniencing the person right in front of them. In Japan, meiwaku is about not causing trouble for others, but sometimes the system seems to produce the opposite result. Japan is known for excellent hospitality, which made this hotel's poor service stand out. I wouldn't recommend staying here. The smell from a business next door was extremely strong and unpleasant. It seemed to be fermenting wood with chemicals, and it lingered. My room faced that building, so the odor came straight through the window. I told the front desk and asked if anything could be done. They just said “No.” There was no air purifier in the room, and nobody offered one. The hotel clearly knows about the issue but does nothing, and I don't understand why they'd put an extended-stay guest beside it. If the hotel were upfront about the problem, I could have cancelled without charge or chosen not to book. Instead, it felt deceptive. Breakfast was frustrating too. On the first morning I asked for a bowl for cereal and yogurt. The employee didn't understand and insisted there were no bowls, even though I was using a translation app. Eventually another employee understood and found one. The next morning I arrived five minutes before breakfast and asked if I could sit and have coffee while I waited. I was told to stand until the exact start time, even though the breakfast area is used as common seating for the rest of the day. During my six-night stay, the front desk staff were rigid and unwilling to solve problems, with “No” as the default answer. They seemed unprepared for international guests. The hotel advertises mountain views, but my room faced a brick wall. It was cleaned only twice in six nights, which was fine, but the bedding wasn't changed and used towels were folded and put back. Wi-Fi barely worked in the common areas, and there were only two hangers in the room.

Cheerful staff, clean comfortable rooms, a nice breakfast, and good value. It's a fun little hotel. Coffee and soft drinks are included and available 27/7, and the coffee is reasonable. The free guest happy hour is fun too. There's a limited selection, but it's nice to sit and have a couple of drinks or make your own cocktail variations with what's available. Mix yourself a Purple Snow.

The worst problem was the moldy smell from the air conditioner. It was extremely noisy at night too, making it hard to sleep, and the small room made the smell overwhelming. The hotel generally felt dirty. Bedding was worn and the sheets weren't clean, and the bathroom toilet had yellow stains. Outside, a persistent bad odor came from the building next door all day and affected every hotel guest. The front desk staff were unfriendly and unprepared, and even simple requests became a problem. One male employee was rude, which shocked us because we'd never experienced that elsewhere in Japan. If you care about your health, stay away. There are plenty of better-value places in this area.

The room was clearly smaller than rooms in other business hotels, but it was clean and comfortable, with a double bed. Check-in went smoothly, and the customer service felt like good omotenashi. Most guests were foreign tourists, so the front desk staff were bilingual. I found the hotel near Keihan Shichijoji station while moving from Osaka to see Kyoto and the fall foliage. It was about a 10 min walk. During high season, it's not the cheapest option, though it's fairly close to Kyoto station and other tourist areas. I'd highly recommend it if you're travelling alone or as a couple. The standout perk was an hour of all-you-can-drink for adult guests from 4 pm to 9 pm. There was a great selection of local draft beer, hard liqueurs, wine, and mixed drinks, served at the lobby and dining tables, where as many as 40 people were enjoying happy hour. Snacks were available to order for a nominal charge.