Kyoto Tower Hotel

The breakfast buffet on the third floor was a real highlight, with a good mix of Japanese and Western food in a pleasant restaurant. Reception on the eighth floor was efficient, and hotel guests get half-price entry to the Kyoto Tower observation deck. There were also some thoughtful touches in our standard double room, including Japanese pajamas, an air freshener, and USB outlets by the bed. The room itself was disappointingly cramped. The Japanese-style futon was nice, but there was no wardrobe, desk, or drawers, and the little round table wasn’t enough for organizing our things. The bathroom was very clean but tight too. We chose the hotel for its landmark setting and handy spot next to Kyoto Station, which made getting around easy. Overall, the location is a good reason to stay, though the lack of space and storage was inconvenient.

The ticket information cost us a star. We were first told that elementary and junior high school children could enter free, but then had to pay for our 11-year-old. I’ll update this once I find out the amount. Hotel guests do get a discounted Kyoto Tower ticket, listed at ¥400 for adults instead of the usual ¥900. Our room had plenty of room for two 28-inch suitcases, plus a table, two chairs, and a counter under the TV. The beds could all be moved around, which made it easy to arrange the space how we wanted. It was much more spacious than the triple rooms we’d booked in Tokyo and Osaka. They also left a card wishing us a happy wedding anniversary, a sweet personal touch. The buffet breakfast stayed exactly the same during all three nights. The hotel is directly opposite Kyoto Station, and there’s an underpass to reach it when it’s raining.

The staff were really nice, and the cleaners did a brilliant job considering the state of the place. Those things, along with the location, lifted my rating a little. My room smelled like sewage, the bed was dirty, there were stains everywhere, and the duvet had been held together with tape. There also seemed to be far too few elevators for such a big hotel, and the breakfast was really lousy.

The location’s great, right by a mall, the train station, shops, and plenty of dinner places. But everything serving food seemed to open around 10 or 11, so there weren’t breakfast options nearby. The room was really, really small for two, and the air conditioning barely worked. Thanks, and goodbye.