GRANBELL HOTEL KYOTO

Location is amazing. Staff was friendly- they don’t go above and beyond but they were lovely. Rooms were small, very small. The smallest we stayed in while in Japan. It’s impossible for a couple with two suitcases. The bed frame is also this leather type material that is peeling off and left little pieces all in the bed. It was not ideal. For a night in Kyoto, it’s a fine choice or if you are more of the backpacking type and have lighter luggage.

This was my favourite hotel on my recent trip to Japan. The room was huge by Japanese standards, the bed was large and very comfy like sleeping on a cloud. The staff were super lovely and helpful. The onsen was quiet and empty when I went down. Very clean and a lovely addition to enjoy after a cold snowy day walking around Kyoto

The hotel was very clean and centrally located. The staff was helpful and pleasant. Snacks and water available in the lobby 27/7. I would have given it 4 stars but the rooms were small and what I disliked the most was the breakfast. It was the same thing being served each morning. There was no coffee machine for anything but but dripped coffee.

Very convenient hotel, having ideal location walkable to many of the points of interest, shops, restaurants, and train stations in Kyoto. The beds were not as comfortable as we would have liked them to be for a 4 nights stay but with a couple extra pillows they did just fine. Rooms are a bit on the smaller side. Everything else was great, and considering how much there is to see in Kyoto this was a wonderful home base, and a great value. Despite being so close to the action it was very quiet and calm. I would maybe pay a bit more attention to the type of rooms available next time we look at booking.

Location is amazing, right in the heart of the action (read: the chaotic tourist crowds). It’s also a 5 minute walk away from bus stops and the train station. The room and shower were clean and comfortable, which is really all I need. The public bath area looked quite nice, but I didn’t use it since I’m not used to it. Overall, solid stay for the location alone.

Generally a fine hotel, good location, rooms are small but otherwise comfy. They have nice snacks and drinks in lobby. Service is poor though, they only clean room once every 3 days and charged us 1000 yen for a missing hotel key, which is unheard of...doesn't feel like a 4 star hotel so go in with low expectations

Great location for sightseeing. The room is small which is typical for Japan. They provide free facial products, toothbrush, brush, razor and cotton balls in the lobby. We stayed 4 nights and room cleaning is provided for 2 days of your choice. They provided towels daily. There is also free coffee, tea and snacks in the lobby. There is also a washer and dryer in the basement. Easiest time to get a free machine is early in the morning. (30 min for washer and 30 min for dryer). There is only two washer and two dryer available. We never got a chance to use the onsen.

We spend for a king size bed we spent $263 per night for two night nights. For the price, I was extremely happy with the cleanliness of the room, onsen and hotel. The staff was extremely helpful, speaking great English. The rooms are small and the beds were a tad too firm but equal to the price of the hotel. I used the woman’s onsen once around 9 pm Monday and I was the only person there. The location was perfect for exploring the market and catching trains and buses. A great budget hotel!

This place was amazing!! Staff was attentive and accommodating. Room was immaculate and amenities plentiful. Breakfast, coffee, tea, bar, laundry, public bath... I highly recommend this hotel! Easy to get to on the public bus from Kyoto train station. Small places to grab a bite and food was fantastic no matter where we went. Please give some love to this hotel, it's a real gem!!

We loved the Kyoto Granbell Hotel. It was perfectly situated down a small street a couple short blocks away from the main Gion thoroughfare. You are a 2-minute walk from the Gion Subway station and all of the shops on that main street between the river and the Yasaka Shrine. The hotel has a modern, yet distinctively Japanese ambiance to all of its details. We stayed in a Japanese style room and found it a little smaller than we would have liked with the bed up against a wall so the 'interior' person had to enter and exit from the alongside if the 'exterior' person was in the bed. That having been said it was charming. We took advantage of the Japanese bath in the basement which was a lovely relaxing experience. (Men and women separated.) We also bought tickets to the in-house Maiko show in which a local "Geisha" in training came to perform for us. This was one of the highlights of the trip and give you intimate and direct access to one of the major, unique cultural pieces of Kyoto. The breakfast for us vegetarians was sufficient though we only had the buffet once, choosing to explore some of Kyoto's restaurants in the mornings since breakfast wasn't included with our stay. We'd definitely stay here again. It was clean, modernly Japanese, and you can't beat the location to have direct access to Gion, right on the edge of modern Kyoto.

On the recommendation of a friend we ended up here for two nights during our trip to Kyoto. By American standards, the rooms are quite small. The King bed took up about 1/3 or more of the room and it was difficult for two people to move around without constantly getting in each other's way. The shower and toilet are compact with a separate sink in the main area of the room. No iron, so use that cozy bathroom area to steam your clothes and get those wrinkles out. There was a small couch and table in a smallish sitting area and we were able to connect to Apple TV and keep up with news back home. I may not be giving it the most ringing endorsement but overall this place was great. When traveling, what's the point of just staying in your hotel room?! GET OUT! The location could not be beat - walking distance to a ton of bars, restaurants, and the Nishiki Market really made for an easy time packing in a day full of activities. Cabs and public transit were super accessible for places we wanted to go outside of walking distance. The price was on point compared to similar hotels we looked at. And for relaxation, please partake in the public bath. Don't be creeped out - I felt completely comfortable in the buff sitting in a hot pool with other naked fellas. There are separate ones for men and for women! Great for a couple nights accommodation and would recommend for your stay in Kyoto!

The rooms are about half the size of American hotels but the place is clean, they accommodate English-speaking guests and they are centrally located in Gion. Decent price especially during peak foliage in late November. They do charge by the person occupancy so just a heads up. Credit cards including Amex are accepted. Rooms are clean, they offer free toiletries including a brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, hair ties, hairdryer and other usual items. Beds are comfy and on the firmer side. The rooms come with a mini fridge and hot water maker. They have a microwave near the ice machine and the vending machine. Free coffee at the front lobby. The twin beds can fit two people if you don't move around a lot when you sleep. Breakfast buffet at an additional cost and they have a full bar. About 1.5 miles from Kyoto station and a $10 cab ride if you don't want to walk. Shops and restaurants are just around the corner as is the local train station which is about 2 blocks away.

This is a lovely newer hotel that has all the true simple pleasures of a Japanese Hotel with some of the modern conveniences. The staff are beyond friendly and anytime we had difficulty communicating I pulled up translator and all was beyond great, again! I recommend this place not only for the staffs professional demeanor, but also the cleanliness of the spa as well...

Fantastic location very close to the train station. The hotel is new as of this year and the staff is very friendly. Our room in the 4th floor is slim and very well organized. There is a fancy closet shower and tv with Apple TV!!! Very small rooms but comfortable. The public bath house is also nice. Lockers before entering.

This is the last of 3 nights for me and my husband as we continue our honeymoon in Japan. Granbell Hotel Kyoto is a trendy, modern hotel perfectly situated in the Gion district. There are plenty of restaurants and bars (not to forget tea shops) within walking distance. The staff is very professional and were quick to help with taxi service as well as place a takeout order. Twice a week, there is a Maiko Show hosted in the restaurant lobby. If size matters, this venue isn't for you. My double bed room is just shy of 200 square feet. We have 3 large suitcases so getting ready is eventful. It's really a great, clean space for 2 people who simply need to shower and sleep. Amenities include public spa and bike rental. Great value, great hotel!

Loved, loved, loved this place! As an interior designer I value form and function equally -most places only get one right or completely miss the mark, Granbell Hotel Kyoto was spot on. 1)The location was great, close to the train, landmarks and other places of interest. 2)The hotel lobby and rooms are immaculate, chic and contemporary with beautiful elements of Japanese tradition. No, the rooms aren't huge, but most places in Japan aren't very spacious, everyone already knows that. I almost forgot, the bathrooms are like mini-spas with heated toilet/bidets. 3) Front desk staff, super friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and kind! Thank you for such a wonderful stay! Arigato gozaimashita! 4) Complimentary bottled water and coffee in the rooms as well as in the lobby. Free WiFi. 5) Beautiful public bath and garden in the basement level, though tattoos are forbidden. 6) Restaurant/bar, I didn't have a chance to eat there, so I can't rate it.

Super small room, even for Japan, but very comfy bed and strong AC. Lobby is hipster cool if you are claustrophobic. Free bottled water placed in your fridge each day, and staff is very accommodating. Highly recommend the meiko (geisha apprentice) show add-on for 3500 yen. It was a unique experience... not only did she perform, but we got to ask her questions as well.

This hotel looks lovely and is well situated. However we had a lot of issues with this property. 1) the rooms are the smallest I have ever experienced. The sink was literally next to the bed. At over $300 a night, it's ridiculous to not have a place to put your luggage. 2) we booked 2 rooms for our family of 4, max capacity was 2 per room and yet they still insisted on charging for the "additional guests." 3) check in failed to mention our breakfast was free so we did not partake as we might have since it was already paid for. 4) a surcharge for every hour for a late checkout. It's usually yes or no, not we charge you by the hour. Ugh! Basically, the communication was terrible, the rooms are closet sized and the manager Sakura made no attempt to make any of this right. Am sure there are lovely hotels in Kyoto who care about its guests and not out to use unclear communication to over-charge its guests (on top of its already hefty room rates) at every opportunity!

I'd definitely stay at Granbell Hotel Kyoto again! It's a bit modern, yet it has heir Japanese Onsen. Super duper clean, and although our room was small, it was set-up perfectly with outlets, switches, tv, bed, etc just perfectly. We didn't get the breakfast since we wanted to venture out more. It was literally a few minutes walk from the train station, 5 min walk to Yasaka Shrine, 2 miles from Kiyomizu-dear, and less than 10 min walk to Potoncho Alley and Nishiki Market. Staff was simply the best. Thank you!