Sekia Wagaya Hotel

We tried two room types, and both had a tiny kitchen with basic cookware and utensils, handy if you want to cook. From a high floor you may even see Kyoto tower and Kyoto Research Park. The location is superb if you want a break from tourist crowds after a day out. A 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are within 200 meters, a large supermarket is across the street, and there are many good ramen options nearby, including one that's a Michelin gourmet destination. Bus stops are easy to reach, and the train station is within a kilometer. The problems were the kitchen sink sometimes smelled of leftover food, and the Wi-Fi on the 2nd floor was so weak I could barely browse. The bigger issue came when we extended our stay and had to switch room types. The receptionist the night before was kind and said we could pick up the new key after check-out because the room was already clean and vacant. But the next day another receptionist insisted we check out at 10AM, move all our belongings to the common corridor, then wait until 3PM to check in. The 3PM rule is meant to leave time for cleaning and a buffer in case guests extend past 10AM, but since the room was ready and there'd be no impact on anyone, an early move seemed reasonable. This staff member showed little empathy and made me wait through an hour-long discussion, even after I explained the earlier agreement, before reluctantly allowing the room change. Her lack of hospitality made it feel like admin bureaucracy mattered more than empathy, efficiency, or the customer experience.

The staff are really friendly, though their English isn't very good, so communicating takes some effort but is still possible. The room is very big. There's a bus right outside, but getting into the city takes about 30 minutes.

The road is quite noisy, and the windows don't block much of it. Apart from that, the View Apartment is a pretty nice place to stay, with polite people at the front desk.

Delicious. When we checked in on Tuesday, the man at the front desk was really nice and gave us lots of useful information. The elevator was good, and there was no mischief.