CANDEO HOTELS Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku

I didn’t expect how great the stay at the hotel was going to be. The front part of the hotel is the old Japanese style building, with the traditional seating areas. The rooms and onsen are located in the back modern building. It’s a perfect mix of the old and new without having any downside. Great location, walking distance to bars, restaurants, markets, malls. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Breakfast bento boxes were a great touch. Would highly recommend to everyone.

Perfect for our family of 3. Love the spa area, in room robes, the indoor gardens and the Japanese bento box breakfast. The breakfast room was so cool. Low tables, tiny door ways and the cutest bento boxes! Breakfast was expensive but worth it to wake up with on our first morning in Japan. The room was an descent size and the third bed/sofa was bigger than expected. Linens were good quality. Overall atmosphere starting with the entrance and common areas offered the perfect serene vibe. Felt authentically Japanese. We would definitely stay here again.

This hotel is fantastic - I have no idea what some reviews are complaining about. I stay in 15+ hotels a year and this will be one of the few I remember. Amazing combination of an old house turned into the lobby/common areas with a modern hotel in behind it. The staff is great, the breakfast is uniquely Japan, and the onsen is a fantastic bonus that I enjoyed every night of my stay. The location is also perfect, we never had to walk more than a couple blocks to find the right train to explore the city.

I was booked to stay for 3 nights but checked out after the first night due to the poor condition of the room. There were stains on the bedsheets and shower screen, hair on the shoe brush, floor, toilet, and what looked like shaved beard in the sink. Both basins had visible mould. The mattress was very uncomfortable and sank when I lay down. On top of that, there was a loud mechanical noise that came on and off throughout the night, making it hard to sleep.||The TV didn’t face the bed, which seemed odd, so I asked if all rooms were like that. A staff member told me yes, but I later found out this wasn’t true. This gave the impression they were unwilling to help or find a solution.||I paid $287.72 AUD for that one night, and ended up relocating to another hotel the next morning — a much better one, which was impeccable and cost $292 for two nights. You can get far better quality for your money in Kyoto than what this hotel offered. Very disappointing experience and would not recommend.

Don’t book this hotel. The some of the staff are extremely rude and didn’t room up our room after we told them 3 times. There are way better options to stay in Kyoto that will actually value you as a guest. The staff members name is Shanti, an Indian lady that is making Japan look bad. we had to call the manage because she was being disrespectful.

I booked the top-tier King Room with Private Spa for several nights, spending over ¥140,000. While the room was fine, the service I received was frankly unacceptable and completely out of line with what one would expect from a hotel in this price range. In the lounge area — which requires you to remove your shoes — I respectfully followed that rule and took mine off. Not being familiar with every nuance of Japanese custom, I placed them on the wooden step near the tatami, thinking it was appropriate. It wasn’t on the carpet or inside the space — it caused no harm whatsoever. Instead of handling this minor misunderstanding with basic professionalism, a front desk employee decided it was appropriate to walk all the way over, stand over me, and belittle me in front of other guests by “correcting” me in a tone that felt patronizing — as if I was a misbehaving child. Not only was this unnecessary and humiliating, it was poor problem-solving and completely inappropriate customer service. I’m a tourist. It’s only logical that I might make a small mistake. This is not a shrine or a private home — it’s a hotel, and I am a paying guest. If a Japanese guest had done something minor like this, I highly doubt they would’ve been publicly scolded in the same way. There’s a big difference between upholding tradition and weaponizing it to put someone in their place. If your staff lacks the basic empathy and professionalism to guide international guests with respect, they have no business working in hospitality. This experience was not only embarrassing, it ruined the atmosphere of my stay. I won’t be returning, and I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to any international travelers looking for respectful treatment.

Feels traditional but has all the modern aspects you want in a hotel. Very clean and good size rooms. Onsen is lovely. Good location to get to good Kyoto site seeing places. Feels and smells luxurious. Helpful front desk staff, can leave your bags as check in is only at 3pm.

I stayed in Candeo Hotels Kyoto for three nights, and I had a lovely time. The hotel was in a great location, and made me feel comfortable throughout my stay. The hotel looks very nice; with an old townhouse converted into the reception, dining, and lounge space. The hotel rooms are in a nearby block that is accessed through the back of the townhouse via a courtyard. There is a lift to access the upper floors. The hotel has a utility room with coin-operated washer and dryer machines, and gender-seperated spa on the 2nd and 4th floor. The hotel has two common areas called The Lounge and The Library. Both are accessible by stairs, and are shoes-off with tatami mats. The lounge is a seating area, and it's where breakfast is served in the morning. There is a small bar where a self-serve wine pouring machine can be used for a price. There are also glasses for any drinks. The Library has bean bags and free tea and coffee served 24/7. Downstairs is the main floor of the original house, and there is a shop where you can buy things like snacks and drinks including beer. The staff were friendly and helpful. All the staff I spoke to could speak English, which made communicating easy. They would always greet me from the reception whenever I walked in or out of the hotel. If I woke up late for my breakfast reservation, they would call my room and offer a later time. On the day of checkout, they were more than happy to ship my luggage to my next hotel, and filled in the forms for me. They really went above and beyond. I booked an Executive King Room. The room was decorated in the usual modern and contemporary style of Candeo hotels. The room felt warm and inviting. The room was made up of a bedroom living area with a sink, a toilet room, and a shower room. The room had an extra large double bed, a nice sofa and a flat screen TV with the ability to connect to local TV and streaming services like Netflix. The room was nice, though it could use some TLC as there was some wear and tear, including a towel rack that was falling out from its fitting. The room has a mini-fridge, though it was a pain to use as it would power down when you left the room, meaning nothing would be cold when you returned to your room. My room came with breakfast, which was served in the lounge area upstairs. Generally this space wouldn't be accessible for anyone in a wheelchair, as there is only a staircase and the staircase is very narrow. I'm not sure if the hotel offers an alternative place to eat for customers with disabilities, so I would inquire ahead. The hotel offers a Japanese or Western-style breakfast, which must be ordered at the reception before. Both breakfasts are served like a bento. Personally, I wasn't a big fan of the breakfast, but this was more of a personal taste issue. If you like Japanese-style breakfasts, you'll love this. There is also a room in the lounge where you can get free tea, coffee, juices, and other drinks. The men's spa is on the fourth floor, and follows the standard Japanese protocol. There is a small changing area with lockers, a water fountain, a toilet, sink, and amenities. Inside the spa is two large hot baths; one enclosed and another semi-open air, with a small cold bath. Near the entrance is also a small sauna. There are also rows of showers with stools, buckets, and toiletries. I usually went in the evening, and it was dark and usually quiet. The hotel was in a nice location in downtown Kyoto, and gave me easy access to so many nearby attractions. The nearest subway was a short walk away. There were plenty of places to eat and drink nearby too. Overall, the hotel was in a great location, the hotel was modern yet traditional, and the spa was great. The service here is amazing, and the staff did such a wonderful job. If you're looking for a hotel in downtown Kyoto, consider the Candeo.