Hotel Mondonce Kyoto Gojo

The rooms are well equipped and great. I loved the washer-dryer with the bathroom ventilation. I washed my clothes after showering at night, and they were dry by morning.

The hotel is made up of self-contained apartments and is in a good location, but our room was tiny. The beds felt like cardboard, so hard and painful on my back and shoulders. I asked if anything could be done, and the person at reception handed me a doona to put under the sheet. It didn't seem like they were very interested in our comfort.

We were two adults and two teenagers, and the quieter, somewhat residential neighborhood gave us a local feel. There are little shops tucked around, and it's walking distance to Nishiki Market and lots of places to eat and shop. The hotel was clean and modern. Staff were friendly, and there were small amenities downstairs like combs, cotton, and razors. Our room had good space, a large closet, and a washer with detergent. There's no drawer space. You hang clothes in the bathroom and dry them there with the fan dryer, and hangers are provided. The kitchen had a fridge, microwave, hot water boiler, utensils, and stove. The AC worked well and the water pressure was great. Entry is by keypad, and they accepted our luggage when we shipped it from Tokyo. The closest subway is about four to six blocks away, while buses are closer. It wasn't too bad, but we were there in summer and it was hot. All four of us found the beds extremely hard and difficult to sleep on. The building didn't feel very secure since you can walk in and take the elevator to any floor. The neighborhood felt safe, but that still stood out to me. The hotel can't ship your luggage, though there's a Yamato transport place two blocks away where you can send it.

If you like staying somewhere that feels like home, this is a good option. The large room had wooden floors, two beds, a full kitchen, and a washing machine. There were basics like soap, cotton, a razor, and earplugs, and there are tatami room options too. The pleasant, helpful staff tried to sort out bike parking, even giving up their own staff parking for us, which I appreciated. Normally, though, there isn't bike parking. The self-service luggage room at reception was flexible. There's no daily room cleaning, which I don't mind, but you'll need to sort the rubbish like a local. I liked having sorted bins and do that at home anyway. You can leave used towels outside and get fresh ones from baskets if needed. Check-in at 3pm was tough, with little chance of getting in early. There's no lobby, so if you arrive early, there's no toilet to freshen up in before heading out.