AKARI Kyoto Gion

The location was PERFECT! Great for exploring Gion and only about a 20 min walk from Kyoto Station. Train station about an 8 min walk away. The staff was very friendly and there was always juice/water available in the dining area. The room was quite spacious.

It was nice and at a good location

I thought I had seen that laundry was available onsite, but unfortunately it was not.

location honestly could not have been better in the Gion district. Easily walkable to all the major sites in the historic Kyoto Gion district. The price is pretty much unbeatable for where you're staying. If you're looking for a budget stay in the Gion district, this is the perfect choice for you. There was a bit of an odd smell in the room, but could be because the hotel is a little older. We didn't need it, but luggage storage also wasn't explicitly offered so I am not sure they have it if that's a big deal for you! If you're looking to NOT stay in the Gion district and prefer to be on the other side of the river by shopping areas, I would not recommend this as it's 20+ min walk or a bus to get there!

The staff were very welcoming and explained all charges accurately. The property itself is in an excellent, safe location that allows for easy access to the historic streets of Gion as well as modern shopping in the heart of Kyoto. We were located right by a bus stop that took us straight to Kyoto Station whenever we wanted to take a longer trip to visit other landmarks, all for aout 200 yen (a little over $1 USD). The closest train station was about a 15 minute walk away, but so long as you like taking a stroll through the streets of Kyoto this will not prove to be an issue. As everywhere else in Japan, there are countless convenience stores nearby as well for when you get hungry or need a quick meal. ALSO, this hotel has potentially the comfiest bed I've ever slept on in my life. I was elated to come back to the room each night and get a healthy amount of sleep to propel my travels for the next day. Overall, I was happy to have this hotel be my home base for my stay in Kyoto. I'd stay here again! The only thing I wasn't a fan of was how thin the bathroom door was inside the room. You could hear...everything. Which isn't a huge problem depending on who you are staying with, but it would have been nice if the bidet had a "privacy" button on it nonetheless.

The breakfast was bad, the worst Japanese breakfast I’ve ever eaten, that’s the only complaint I have about this place. Rent the room without the included breakfast and eat somewhere else

This property is absolutely wonderful. You are located right in the center of the historic district, surrounded by beautiful temples, traditional craft shops, and charming art studios. It is an incredible place to stay if you want to be within walking distance of everything Kyoto has to offer. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the local culture and atmosphere! The bathroom was a little small, but I like that it was clean.

Warm and comforting experience with lovely staff. Very comfortable beds - a treat after rock-hard beds in other hotels on this trip. Plenty of free self-serve amenities, including free water. Good location for exploring Gion. For exploring the rest of the city, it was a little out of the way - 20min up to Higashiyama train station for most of the farther trips.

N/a

Staff was helpful and friendly. The location was perfect. Near a lot of great places to see and visit. Very clean. N/A

The room was comfortable. The staff was great. The location is close to train station. The 'western' breakfast was lacking. We had bread/toast w coffee or tea.

Good location and bed was comfortable. Overpriced for a four star hotel. The room had stains on the carpet floors. Accumulation of dust on/in the AC unit. Markings on the wall. Prepackaged breakfast. Unpleasant smell. Window would only open 2-3 inches or so, unable to enjoy view with blurred windows. Slippers and robe were of poor quality.

No laundry. Not good coffee in the morning and the iron was not the best.

Location was ideal. Quiet, off main roads but central to everything in Gion. Room and beds were comfortable. Water pressure was exceptional. Nice to get an extra pillow at reception. The staff were very helpful with a dinner reservation and ordering a taxi. Breakfast was a non-event. Compared to included breakfasts at other hotels in Japan this was poor. Some bread options, a toaster, juice, and tea. For a western breakfast they should include some fruit and yogurt. They also need a proper coffee maker and not the one in the room. Our room could adjoin with another room. We could hear the people in the next room word for word.

The location was great. The property was more a motel than a hotel.

Good value for the location. Photos are misleading. Much more run down than anticipated. You need to pay 2000 yen for room cleaning. “Breakfast” is water, juice boxes and pastries.

Clean, friendly, great location NA

Location was amazing — right in Gion next to the geisha hub! Also the rooms are huge compared to what we’ve experienced in Japan so far. For two tall people plus growing luggage it was amazing The breakfast was sad looking so we didn’t bother. Bring your own coffee because there’s a pod machine in the room but no pods!

Loved that it was in the heart of Gion but very quiet. We stayed there for 6 nights and they didn't come to clean the place at all, so it started to get a little stinky. I think they should come to clean at least every 3 nights. The included breakfast was more or less non-existent. They only had bread and keurig style coffee.

The staff was helpful and polite. Our room was comfortable and clean. I wish there had been some protein at breakfast - some meat, cheese, hard boiled eggs, for example.