M's Hotel Kyoto Station Kizuya

There weren’t many staff or amenities, but we were happy with our stay and the staff we met were friendly. Check-in and check-out were quick, and entering with a code gave us more peace of mind. It’s in a great spot near the mall, train station, and lots of coffee shops and restaurants.

Being close to Kyoto central train station is the hotel’s main advantage. Our room was very clean on arrival, but the quality felt well below what I’d expect from a good three-star hotel. There was no bedside reading light, and one twin bed was pushed against the wall, which was inconvenient. We couldn’t get separate blankets, so we had to share the hotel’s standard one. Some rooms look straight at a neighboring building wall about two meters away, with no view. We could clearly hear traffic and people outside, and the sound isolation seemed poor. At sunrise, the sun shades directed the morning light right at my face, which wasn’t pleasant. The smoking room also doesn’t seem well isolated, since its smell sometimes reaches the lobby.

For the price, the stay was okay, but the laundry machine was broken and couldn’t finish drying. I paid over 800 yen for clothes that were still partly damp.

The room was quite spacious compared with Tokyo rooms. Check-in at 4 pm was quick. You don’t get a key or card, just a receipt with the main door code, room number, and room code. Before check-in, you can enter using the code emailed to you and leave your luggage until 4 pm. There’s a small rack with a “bike lock” to secure your bags, and you take the key with you. It’s a neat little hotel close to Kyoto Station. Enjoy your stay 😃