Smile Hotel Kyoto-shijo

Provided all the necessary facilities. Comfortable and a good value

Great place to stay!! My three friends all had our own bed and it was such a spacious room!!

The hotel was very convenient. Very walkable, which is why we chose it. The beds were a bit small (but we should have paid attention to that while booking) overall the staff were nice.

The hotel is very environmentally sensitve, so cleaning of rooms is only done evety 3 days, it states this on its site and reminds you when you arrive. It was not an issue in my case, though I did appreciate the reasoning. The location is exceptional as it is at the tail end of the main Kyoto commercial street, (Shijo) so shopping can become a very easy day option (not my case). It does give many more choices for food and beverage. It also puts the visitors in the central network of public transport. The cost/quality ratio was for myself very positive, some may differ. The rooms may require in a near future refreshing as signs of possible mold or allergic factors made some nights and mornings unpleasant.

very close to main shopping area in kyoto and family mart could use bigger trash cans in the room

Location was good: a 10-minute walk from a subway station, a 15-minute walk from Nishiki Market, and a 20-minute walk from Pontocho Alley and the Kamo River. Breakfast was ok. Pricey (like other hotels in Kyoto in April).

It is in a great location within walking distance of subway and bus stations, good dining, and may attractions Kyoto is known for. The breakfast was buffet-style with a mix of western and Japanese but seemed to have less variety than before. We had stayed here 11 years ago and in comparison, the place could use some improvements, mainly fresh paint.

Close to everything, in the heart of downtown. The hotel was a bit outdated and the carpet in our room wasn’t very clean. But other than that it was perfect.

No value for money, lack of included breakfast, cannot control temperature in room.

Over priced. Should be rated 2 star hotel. It was identical in quality to APA / Toyoko Inn at much lower prices. No breakfast included, or keycards, it’s a physical key.

The restroom facilities are outdated, and the room lacks adequate lighting.

Breakfast could be included but I get it but a lot of food in the area perfect spot for what you need and want to shop. Close to the mall as well and downtown great place

But not thrilled. Ok for 2/3 night solo travelers

Excellent location. It was close to many bus routes, and metro stations which made it easy to get to many attractions. There were Life and Fresco markets across the street and Family market was at the corner. The staff was helpful with luggage forwarding. It was really small for 2 persons.

Hotel location was good for the price as it came with breakfast. Facilities were complete, although I wish there were more amenities available in the counter. The staff were the best and extremely helpful. 10/10 would recommend and stay again None I can think of. Could use more amenity kits.

The hotel was very clean and comfortable. The staff was friendly and helpful. The location was convenient and close to transportation and restaurants. Overall, it was pleasant to stay here.

I had trouble with the room sizes in Japan, but that wasn’t something the hotel owners could control ?

The stay was located right next to a Family Mart which was very convenient for a quick meal/snack. It was also clean and provided us with water in the lobby. Located in a nice location not too far from station exits. Ta-Q-Bin was very easy to set up with the hotel as well. The room was quite small for two adults, with 2 suitcases (2 carry-on size ~140cm and 2 checked-bag size ~140-160cm), as we had to take turns getting stuff out of our luggage. The hotel only provided us with one key, which had to be inserted into the room to turn on the lights.

Hotel is located one bus stop/one short walk away from Hankyu Karasuma station, and is a short bus ride away from the shopping districts of Shijo and Sanjo. With two supermarkets and one convenience store beside and across the road, you'll never run out of food. The amenities bar offers a fresh change of loungewear and other essentials every day. The water dispenser by the counter means you don't need to buy bottles of water. As a solo traveler staying for three weeks, the room was plenty spacious. I was worried when I read reviews about the rooms being warm, but turning off the beside light helps. Adjusting the aircon's fan speeds accordingly helped keep the room cool. Fridge, shower/bathtub, toilet, bed, kettle were all working well. Soaps provided smelt and felt good. Pillow was a little too high for me, but the reception was kind enough to provide me with a lower one. For longer stays, room cleaning is done once every three/four days, which worked well for me. Staff were friendly and approachable, and I had no problems communicating with them. This is really nitpicking - the fridge hums on occasion, which may disturb some light sleepers. The netting of the chair in my room was also a little sunk in, which was a little uncomfortable for my back. Other than that, nothing else comes to mind, especially for the price paid.

Staff, location, value