染 SEN 七条平安 Shichijo-Heian

Very poor customer service. Several weeks after I'd booked, and much closer to my departure, they told me the website price had been quoted incorrectly. To keep my booking, I'd have to pay over 300% more, with the cost jumping from 24 000 Yen to more than 84 000 yen. I wrote back to say I wasn't happy, and received an automated message saying my booking had been cancelled. I would not recommend this place.

The room had the essentials covered for a good stay: dishes, a microwave, kettle, and drum-style washer. Kyoto Station and Kawaramachi are each around a 10-minute taxi ride away when traffic isn't heavy, and there's pet boarding nearby. It's a high-quality, hands-off kind of lodging, perhaps because Kyoto is so competitive. My one serious complaint was seeing what looked like a part-time cleaner leave luggage by the entrance before checkout. It wasn't cleaning gear, and it was extremely unpleasant to find while we were still in the room. I don't know who the bags belonged to, but that shouldn't happen. I hope they fix it.

We really enjoyed the catered sukiyaki, the meat was surprisingly high quality and delicious. Breakfast was a DIY hot sandwich with generous fillings, something kids would like too. Inside, it stayed quiet despite the high school just across the way. There were so many nice touches: a touch panel instead of keys, a handwritten note, a pretty garden, a restful room with a low table, a sunken kotatsu, and a bath that smelled of cypress. Definitely coming back. Thanks so much.

Umekoji Park is close by, so it's easy to take the dog for a walk, and Kyoto has few places to stay with pets. I'd recommend this one. The traditional townhouse has charm, while the new facilities make the stay comfortable, and there are lots of things provided for dogs. I especially liked the clean, wood-scented bath, possibly cypress, which opens onto the courtyard and feels airy when you open the door.