Kyoto Tokyu Hotel Premium Twin Room
Although it's the first day in Nagoya, I plan to visit Ise City in Mie Prefecture and then head to Kyoto for accommodation. This is because my itinerary for the first and second days involves a Starbucks tour spanning Mie, Shiga, and Kyoto.
While staying in Kyoto, I will enrich my second-day afternoon schedule by including visits to two afternoon tea spots in Kyoto. Now comes the time to decide on the hotel.
Since I will be heading back to Nagoya for the second night's stay, it would be convenient to choose a hotel near Kyoto Station. Traveling from Kyoto to Nagoya takes about 30 minutes by Shinkansen.
Traveling from Ise to Kyoto takes approximately two hours via the Kintetsu Limited Express. Considering various factors, I decided to choose a hotel near Kyoto Station.
After reviewing several options, I finally settled on Kyoto Tokyu Hotel. I have stayed at Tokyu Hotels twice before in Nagoya, and I am familiar with this Japanese hotel chain, having stayed at other group hotels like Excel Tokyu and Tokyu Rei multiple times during my trips to Japan. However, the location of this hotel is somewhat inconvenient.
It is about 2 kilometers from Kyoto Station, a 20-minute walk, and a 10-minute walk from Gojo Station on the subway. However, the hotel compensates for this by offering a free shuttle bus service.
The shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes, taking about 5 minutes to travel between Kyoto Station and the hotel. The service operates from 8 AM to 8 PM. I plan to use the shuttle bus three times: during check-in, for an evening outing, and during check-out the next day. Transportation costs will only incur when returning from the evening outing.
The hotel is an older building, standing 8 stories tall with a low and wide structure. Inside, there is a beautiful Japanese garden that exudes Kyoto's charm.
I reserved a Premium Twin Room, which includes access to the lounge. The Premium Lounge offers beverages, and during the evening hours, alcoholic drinks and snacks are available. I plan to check it out after checking in.
My room is on the 7th floor, with views of Nishi Honganji Temple and Kyoto Tower. Since I checked in at night, I could only see the top of Toji Temple's five-story pagoda and the candle-like light of Kyoto Tower.
As expected of a premium room, the bathroom and room conditions are excellent, and amenities like the tea table and vanity are well-equipped. The bedding is also top-notch. The highlight of this hotel is undoubtedly the breakfast.
In the morning, I opened the window, hoping to see the interior of Nishi Honganji Temple, but was greeted by a parking lot view instead. 🤣 Still, Kyoto Tower in the distance reminded me that it was indeed morning in Kyoto.
Breakfast offers a choice between a buffet and a Japanese-style meal. Staying true to Kyoto's essence, the Japanese-style breakfast is presented in a kaiseki format, so I opted for it. There were more guests than I expected.
The meal is served directly to your table, starting with warm green tea. You can request refills for the green tea, freshly cooked rice, and rich miso soup. The meal includes seven types of obanzai (Kyoto-style side dishes), along with oden, grilled fish, and rolled omelet, all neatly arranged. The rice and miso soup were perfect.
After checking out, I enjoyed the view of the flowing garden while waiting for the shuttle bus. The shuttle drops you off at Kyoto Station's Hachijo Exit, directly connected to the Shinkansen entrance. Thank you.