4-Star Hotels in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

The Urban Hotel is really good. There's one on Shijo and one on Gojo, and I've stayed at both. They're excellent. When I come to Kyoto, I usually choose this brand. They are very clean, and both locations have a large public bath, which I really love.

Service did not get full marks from me. I booked a double room. Front desk offered me 2 twin beds put together to make up a double bed. They claimed room had more sunlight compared with my double bed booking. Other than that, I had no other issues. There is a free coffee area that is opened until midnight. Free sake tasting from 1pm to 9pm. Do feedback to the front desk if it runs out. Amenities are self service beside the front desk if you require more.

Excellent location, right across from Kyoto Station, yet the soundproofing in the room is fantastic! The room isn't huge, but it has three single beds with thick, clean bedding. The breakfast is mainly Japanese and not super extensive, but overall good. They also provide toiletries, which is a nice touch! Fantastic value for money!

I stayed for 4 nights from January 4 to January 8, 2026. From the hotel, you can walk to Nijo Castle in about 10 minutes. There are many small convenience stores nearby (7-Eleven and the like), as well as two large supermarkets — Life is open until midnight, which is a huge plus. You can buy nice gifts for friends and family late in the evening without wasting daytime hours. The transportation access is great too: within a few minutes' walk there's a subway station and a JR line (convenient for coming from the railway station), and right next to the hotel there's a bus stop. This is important because Kyoto's sights are scattered all over the city, and you often need to use public transport or taxis. Speaking of taxis. Twice I asked the reception to call me a taxi, and both times the staff helped me — a huge thank you to them! It was especially important on the first day: thanks to a taxi, I made it to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in time and explored it without rushing. Check-in was very quick, and the staff explained where everything was. The room was quite spacious — or maybe it just felt that way. I comfortably unpacked my suitcase and took out everything I needed without feeling cramped. The room had all the essentials, and there were kettles near the elevator that you could take to your room if needed. I did, and had some tea before bed (on the first floor, you can grab a free tea bag if you don't have your own). The air conditioner worked for both cooling and heating — which was very useful on some evenings. Honestly, I only used the hotel to sleep, and it was perfectly fine. Every morning, breakfast is served on the first floor. To be honest, I expected something simple since the room rate was quite affordable. That's why the breakfast was such a pleasant surprise! My eyes wandered every morning at the variety of delicious food! A huge selection. Every day I had rice with various toppings, amazing salmon, cod, and various vegetables (the okra here was especially good). There's a small smoking room on the first floor with good ventilation. My overall impression of the hotel is extremely positive. I will definitely stay here again on my next visit to Kyoto.

Service: The room was incredibly spacious and clean, and the staff even helped lay out the futons. The service was very warm and welcoming. Shopping: The first floor has a great selection of souvenirs and pastries. They're affordable and a bit more refined than what you'd find at Don Quijote. Plus, hotel guests get a 10% discount. Unique Experiences: You can experience a traditional tea ceremony in the lobby on the first floor, and there's a really comfortable communal bath on the basement level. Location: It's super close to Kyoto Station, just a few minutes' walk. There's also a large temple nearby. Food: There are tons of dining and shopping options around. Right across the street, there's a Kobe beef restaurant, and just a short walk away, you'll find a popular fried beef cutlet place with a long line. There are also izakayas and more. Shopping (cont.): It's also very convenient for shopping. Just a few steps away is a large multi-purpose commercial center with everything from clothing brands like Uniqlo and GU, shoe stores like ABC Mart, to stationery, cameras, electronics, and headphones.

We stayed at Hotel Gracery Kyoto for two nights and overall had a very comfortable stay. The hotel has two sections, and we stayed in the South building. The room was very clean, and the space was used efficiently, which is typical for Japan. The bathroom layout was a bit unusual. The toilet and shower are separate, which is convenient, but the toilet cubicle itself is extremely small. The shower is positioned in an odd space between the bath and what seems to be the shower floor, and the shower head cannot be adjusted up or down. That said, the water pressure and temperature were excellent, which made up for the layout. Bottled water was provided on the first day, which was appreciated. The TV, however, was very limited with only Japanese channels and no access to Netflix or other streaming services. The location is excellent. The hotel is right by Nishiki Market and surrounded by shops and restaurants, with multiple subway lines nearby. There are also many fantastic local restaurants in the area, which we highly recommend, especially when the market gets overwhelmingly busy. The hotel provides a wide range of amenities in the lobby, including face wash, toner, lotion, razors, combs and mouthwash. While convenient, the large amount of individually packaged items does not feel particularly environmentally friendly. We checked out the breakfast one morning but decided not to purchase it as it was 2750 yen per person, and there are plenty of better and more affordable options nearby. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and we also appreciated that the hotel offers free umbrella use on rainy days, which was a thoughtful touch. One downside was the room cleaning timing. We left early in the morning and only returned after 3pm, but the room was still being cleaned when we got back. We were asked to wait around 30 minutes, which was quite inconvenient after a long day when we wanted to rest, shower and freshen up before heading out again. Overall, a clean and well-located hotel with a few minor design quirks and service timing issues, but still a very pleasant stay.

Superb experience in Nohga. Everything here has been curated very carefully, you can tell the people or group behind this whole hotel concept really put in so much thought for their guests. Absolutely loved my entire stay here. I eat breakfast at their bakery every morning. Love their customisable bagels, mortadella sandwich, salted bun and cinnamon mochi donut. Chocolate mochi donut was a little too sweet. Americano and matcha latte were great. Thoroughly enjoyed their rooftop bar every night (opens till 12am). Awesome vibes, very romantic atmosphere. Staff are sweet, gives heat packs and blankets to keep us warm. Warm cocktails are a must during winters. You can order any random cocktails and they all taste so good. The distance from the train station to this hotel is quite a distance but I think the overall experience you get in this hotel makes the walk a worthwhile one. Def recommending this hotel to my friends who wanna come to Kyoto.

The hotel's location is absolutely fantastic, right outside the Hachijo East Exit of JR Kyoto Station. It's perfect for summer as you don't have to walk in the sun at all – just cross the street from the hotel, and you're in a shopping area that leads directly to the subway. You're completely sheltered from the sun. The Aeon Mall is also super close, just a 20-meter walk to the left at the traffic light, you can't miss it. Isetan Department Store is very nearby too. The room was spacious, and the service was superb. They even have ice and water stations available.

Choosing this hotel for my Kyoto trip was a brilliant decision! The overall ambiance is elegant and thoughtful, but I especially want to rave about the self-service drink machine in the lobby – it was such a delightful little bonus during my travels. The machine itself is sleek and blends perfectly with the hotel's style. The drink selection is incredibly diverse, from ice-cold sodas to warm beverages, and the cooling works really well. Coming back after a long day of sightseeing and grabbing a refreshing drink was incredibly therapeutic. Operating it was super easy with a quick QR code scan, fast recognition, and instant dispensing after payment. Being able to grab a drink 24/7 was a lifesaver; no more having to trek far just for a late-night beverage.

The hotel boasts an excellent location, just a few minutes' walk from Kyoto Station (depending on your luggage size and amount). It's incredibly convenient for exploring various attractions from Kyoto Station, which also offers a wide array of shopping and dining options. The hotel's service and cleanliness are outstanding. You can pick up disposable amenities yourself from the right-hand corner of the lobby, facing the front desk. Both the hot spring bath and the laundry/drying room are located on the 10th floor.