Kyoto Kamanza Hotel

Room 203 was huge compared with the other places we stayed during our Japan trip, and it was clean, with comfortable beds. The hotel is about a 20-minute walk from the main hub and Nishiki Markets, and roughly 10 minutes or less from a train station or bus stop. We used those connections for a 35-minute trip to Inari Shrine and a bus ride of around 20 minutes to Hokan-Ji temple.

The front desk made check-in and checkout easy, helped us find places around the city, and was especially helpful arranging to forward our luggage to another hotel. The room was cozy, and the beds had proper comforters, which we hadn’t found at most of our other hotels. There was some hair in the bathroom when we arrived, but the rest of the room was spotless when we checked, so it may have been a small oversight. We liked this lovely boutique hotel in a quiet neighborhood. After long sightseeing days, there were plenty of transport options to get back, and the peaceful setting made it easy to rest. The travel guides came in handy when we had free time in Kyoto.

The room was spacious and really nice, and the quiet location was convenient for walking to the train station. The staff were friendly and helpful, too. This was our favorite hotel in Japan, and we’d definitely come back.

The property is cute and very well located, which made us want to love it. But the room’s cleanliness was a basic expectation that simply wasn’t met. The toilet was visibly dirty and had hair left behind. What looked like blood was on the sheets and pillows. A hotel room should feel fresh and sanitized when you arrive, and once that sense of cleanliness is gone, charm and location can’t make up for it. I’m sorry to say this place could be wonderful, but until housekeeping standards are taken seriously and applied consistently, I can’t recommend it. We felt uneasy instead of cared for.