M’s Hotel Kyoto Station Taruya

The location was good, and the woman at reception was really friendly. Still, we left disappointed. At midnight, the fire alarm sounded, though it turned out to be false. I didn’t see staff guiding anyone out, and the emergency door on the third floor wouldn’t open. People panicked when they realized we were stuck. I had to get out of the shower and go outside in my coat, soaking wet, and nobody explained anything beyond saying it was a false alarm. On our last day, we needed help sending our suitcase to our hotel in Tokyo. Because of the language barrier, we asked reception, but the staff member was rude and didn’t help us.

We could leave our bags before check-in, which was handy, and there’s a washing machine and free water. The room was small but clean, and the staff were nice. It’s around a 13-minute walk from Kyoto Station. A great hotel.

The place feels modern and new, and the nearby park is nice. Public transport is great too. The rooms feel cramped, though; I’m not used to spaces this tiny. And, as seems to be the case all over Japan, the toilets are better than the ones in America.

There’s a 24-hour laundry room with a water dispenser and microwave, and you can send luggage with Yamato Transport. The rooms were clean, the service was friendly, and getting to and from Kyoto Station was convenient. I’d recommend it.