Kyoto is fabulous.... shame about the hotel!

Advantages: Location
Disadvantages: uncomfortable, not very clean, dated decor

...I stayed in this hotel for 2 nights on a short break to Kyoto when we were on holiday in Tokyo last year. The location is excellent and is only a few minutes walk from the beautiful Gion district. The rooms are very small but I have to say this is standard across Japan in the lower priced hotels especially in the main Cities. The room wasn't comfortable and I wouldn't like to have stayed here for any longer than 2 nights. The decor was very dated and there was a lack of air conditioning which wasn't much fun as it was extremely hot when we stayed there. The room did have everything you need, it was just a little cramped and not very welcoming. The standard of cleanliness wasn't great, it wasn't really dirty, but it certainly could have been better. One little detail that I did like even though it is very small is that they left...

lacedcandy 04.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Karasuma Kyoto Hotel

Hotel Alpha Kyoto

Advantages: Great location
Disadvantages: Cannot think of any

...I just got back from Kyoto and I stayed one night in Hotel Alpha Kyoto. My Japanese friend booked this hotel for me from a japanese discount website and it costs us 9450 Yen for two people (which is about £45). This is considered an expensive rate for this hotel because if you stay during off-peak season, you can even get a room for two without breakfast for 7000 Yen. However, I stayed here during Obon festival (peak peak period). I have checked the hotel website and the price is almost the same so that means you can book directly with the hotel to get discounted rate. Location: Only 1 minute away from Kyotoshiyakushomae Station (this is on the subway Tozai line) or 3 minutes away from Keihan Sanjo station. If you are coming from Osaka and you did not take the shinkansen or JR train, you are definitely on Keihan line that takes you...

dance 15.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Hotel Alpha, Kyoto

Loved the city, but not the hotel

Advantages: Great location
Disadvantages: Not as clean as it should be, dodgy decor

...On previous visits to Japan I've been lucky to find some good value and good quality hotels. I'd never stayed in Kyoto before and having looked at the options online I chose to stay at the Karasuma Kyoto hotel. The reasoning for my decision was that it wasn't the most expensive hotel (although still £75 a night) and in a good location. I'd read that the interiors were dated, but that's fine with me as long as things are clean. Sadly it wasn't as great as I had hoped. Location The hotel does score some points here. It's two stops north on the Karasuma subway line from Kyoto station. If you arrive via the subway be sure to exit the station by South Exit 6, it comes out right in front of the hotel, you'll see it directly in front of you with the Starbucks at the front, just as in the photo. Being very close to Shijo dori you...

non_sense 27.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Karasuma Kyoto Hotel

Konichiwa Kyoto

Advantages: It is a fascinating city which presents many of the contrasts of Japan
Disadvantages: This review is very long - but there is so much to Kyoto that I've only given you the main sites

...Warning: many of you may want to scan this review, as it is far too long. Kyoto has a great deal to see though... Kyoto gives its name to possibly Japan's most historically and culturally rich prefecture (kyoto-ken), and is contained within the Kansai region. The city itself which was then known as Heian-kyo, was used as the country's capital before Tokyo and shares this privilege with nearby Nara which predates it. Along with Osaka, Nara is also well worth a visit if you are interested in learning a little about Japan's history or seeing many of its most beautiful shrines and temples; many of which are national treasures, UNESCO sites or important cultural properties. The earthquake devastated and recently rebuilt Kobe is also an easy distance (all are reached within half...

ickkate 27.08.2004 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

Kyoto, the OLD capital of Japan.

Advantages: Cheap area, gorgeous attractions and temples, good for short visits!
Disadvantages: Limited activity so best for -5 day visits.

...I visited Japan at the end of this July, and have only just returned. I must say it was the holiday of a lifetime. Flights cost £900 each via British Airways. We visited Kyoto for 3 days. We got there via Shinkansen from Tokyo, and stayed at the New Miyako hotel, just over the road from Kyoto station. Kyoto was absolutely gorgeous and very easy to navigate around. You can get just about anywhere you want to from Kyoto Station. There are buses, subway trains etc. 220 yen is all you need for a bus ride to anywhere along the Kyoto bus lines. That works out at around £1. You just hop on the bus and pay when you get off. We visited Toei movie land which was a bit of a dissapointment. www.eigamura30.com. Looking at brochures we expected amazing movie scenes etc but it left a lot to be desired. A lot of it was shut off, and most...

Jellypigs 18.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

  Key to Kyoto

Advantages: Enormous temples, exciting centre & good wooded walks.
Disadvantages: Disappointment if you let the guidebooks build it up too much & expensive.

..., autumn is probably best for crowds – avoid “Golden Week” (being the 27th April to 6th May) which is a national public holiday and the most popular time to travel for the Japanese. Kyoto is not cheap. Approaching it on my usual frugal budget I found life pretty hard. Eating at cheap places like McDonalds or ramen (noodle) houses, staying at a hostel, taking fewer snacks that you might ideally want, generally scorning public transport and taxis and passing a few temples by in the name of economy. To convert the prices that follow a pound is currently about 195 yen, as opposed to the 180 yen it was when I went to Japan 6 months ago. A daily budget would be hard pressed to fall below Y4000, and could easily be four times that for the hotel alone if you wanted it to be. For reliable information on all of Japan and all...

Hmatt 08.10.2002 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto (Japan)

Good affordable hotel in convenient location

Advantages: Location
Disadvantages: Lack of character

...I stayed in Kyoto Dai-Ni Tower Hotel, Kyoto, last Christmas with my partner for 2nights. Its one of the Tower Hotel group. Tower Hotel is the main one located in front of Kyoto station, the hotel attract visitor for its tower view around Kyoto and public bath facility. If you stay in one of their hotel you get free ticket to the Kyoto Tower and Discount coupon for bath. Dai-Ni Tower is just around the corner virtually 2min walk from station and Its slightly cheaper than the main one. If you want to stay in Kyoto for a few days and trying to see all the main temples and main tourist place with guided bus tours leaving from Kyoto Station this hotel is convenient. Most of the tour leaves pretty early in the morning so you don't want rushing around Kyoto using underground to get back to the main station in morning hour. Even if you decided...

A3formatRed 20.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto Dai-Ni Tower Hotel, Kyoto

Kyoto Station - A Must See

Advantages: Excellent view of Kyoto, including the Tower! Good change from all the temples...
Disadvantages: Sticks out amongst 'traditional' surroundings, shops aren't anything special

...For many, Kyoto Station is the first thing that you will see when you reach Kyoto. A futuristic, elaborate building, it's the last you'll see of its kind in this city, so enjoy it. Kyoto Station, in the south area of the city, is the main JR station where you will find the Bullet Train ('shinkansen') and trains out of the city, as well as to other areas within Kyoto. (Note: If you are here to travel, unless you have a pass, it's well worth checking that you can't reach your destination via another rail network that isn't JR, e.g. Kyoto-Osaka with JR costs around 800 yen, with Hankyu it's a mere 390 yen).) The building itself is worth a visit though, built opposite Kyoto Tower, which offers a view of the city for a price, you can get just as good a view (and including the Tower too!) for free from the Station. On entering...

folore 31.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of Kyoto Station, Kyoto

Hotel International

Advantages: Location, breakfasts
Disadvantages: Poor rooms

...I recently went on a cultural girlie trip with a friend to Paris. I was left to do all the booking. I was looking for a reasonable hotel, near a metro stop, which included breakfast. I came across the Hotel International on various travel sites and it seemed fairly highly rated so I booked us in for three nights. LOCATION: The hotel is located 6 Rue Auguste Barbier in the 11th Arrondissement. The nearest Metro stop is Garcourt which was a two minute walk away and it was a five minute walk to Republique which gives good links to other lines. It's not really central enough to avoid the Metro and walk to the attractions but it was located so close to a stop that it seemed ideal. PRICE: Prices vary depending on size of room and season. There are singles, doubles and triples available. We paid Euro254 for the whole time...

tartlette83 17.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hotel International, Paris

Norbreck Castle Hotel

Advantages: Out of the town
Disadvantages: Too many people!

...I'm glad that I did not get to read any of the reviews before I went to this hotel, or see the Holidays from Hell programme the night before! The hotel can be found along the seafront, about three miles from the main centre of Blackpool, heading out towards Fleetwood. It is now under the Britannia hotels group and it is easily accessible by tram and bus. We used the trams the whole time instead of me driving all the time. My husband, my two youngest children and myself went last week for a couple of nights, after finding an advert which gave a special price of £35 per person dinner bed and breakfast per night. The two children were included free of charge, including their meals. The advert did state that the hotel was ungoing a £7million pound upgrade, and that some services may not be available. This did not deter us as we...

sarah110 18.10.2004 · Read review
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Review of Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool