Keihan Kyoto Grande Hotel

We stayed here before going on to Osaka, where we booked a five-star hotel. Its service wasn’t even close to what we got here. When we return to Kyoto, we’ll come back to this place. It’s wonderfully central, with a quick walk to trains and buses that can get you pretty much anywhere. The service goes the extra mile, and the inclusions, even pajamas, added to the good value. Breakfast was very good, and complimentary hot and cold drinks were available from 2 pm to 10 pm.

The breakfast was the best hotel breakfast we’d had in a month of travel, including on a Princess cruise. The breakfast staff were amazing, and the beds were comfortable. Maintenance was immaculate, the air conditioning was quiet, and room service was unobtrusive. Faultless. It’s 300 m from the Shinkansen, which was a bonus. We could open the windows for fresh air and kept the air conditioning off throughout our three-day stay.

The room and bed were spacious, and both the room and bathroom were clean. Kyoto Station is across the street, with the bus terminal right next door. There’s private access to the mall, which has Don Quijote and a &-eleven among other stores. I’d definitely stay here again.

I didn’t feel this hotel was worth the money. The biggest problems for me were the Wi-Fi and breakfast. They said each room had its own Wi-Fi, but none of the offered networks worked. Video calls kept freezing, so I had to give up, and a portable router from reception wouldn’t even turn on. As a vegetarian, I could only eat bread and salad at breakfast, while the savory options were for non-vegetarians. There were some useful things: the hotel is in a prime spot next to the station and easy to reach from the subway. On my 13th-floor room’s floor, there was a coffee machine with lots of options, a microwave, and toiletries available around the clock. The view from the 13th floor was great, and they also provided an extension board for extra sockets. I stayed in a superior room on the 13th floor, and it still didn’t feel worth the price. The interior could have been better, and there’s a small step to get to the couch that I stumbled over every time. Toiletries weren’t kept in the room, so I had to fetch them from my floor or the first floor, which was annoying. Water bottles were only available during limited hours, and you had to pick them up on the first floor. They also wouldn’t book a taxi for me. There are plenty of hotels nearby, all within reach of the station. I can’t say if they offer better service, but I’d definitely look for one that costs less.