It was the best hotel we stayed in during our trip in Japan. Its aesthetic was amazing, combining traditional and modern interior design. The room was super clean and comfortable. The stuff was polite and helpful. The location was very convenient for sightseeing at Gion and Northern Higashiyama. Even if it’s not central, it offers a free shuttle bus hourly to Kyoto station that we used everyday. We’d definitely choose this hotel again in the future.

Great breakfast, although you get a limited choice between Japanese and "International" menu, and the menus never changed during our stay. Free shuttle service to centre operating hourly was handy. Very good hotel restaurant. Excellent spacious room.

Laundry service was offered included in the price, but we were unable to use it as the facilities were constantly occupied, and the staff seemed uninterested to help, although the service note stated it was possible to leave the laundry with them. Don't rely on the availability of the restaurant in the evenings, and reserve way in advance, as the staff will not go out of their way to accommodate you.

One of the best hotels we stayed at. The staff is super-friendly, efficient, and friendly - a consistent experience from check-in to checkout. There is a hotel bus from Kyoto Station (every 20th min of every hour) to the hotel (and every 55th min every hour in opposite direction), which is a really great relief when you travel with a lot of bags. The hotel is located in a calm and peacfull neighbourhood only a few min away from Modern Art, Arts and Crafts and Design Museum. There are also a few nice restaurants, coffee places and antique stores... Metro stop is some 5 min walking distance. The breakfast is excellent and definitely worth taking. We initially did not take the breakfast option as we prefer exploring local cuisine, but we ended up eating in the hotel 4 out of 8 days we stayed there - great Japaneese options at the buffet. If we ever get back to Kyoto, this will be our place to return to.

The only annoying thing is the washing-drying machine... it is impossible to reserve them or to check availability from your room. We tried to wash our clothes for 3 days, going up and down to check if the machines are empty several times a day... it got so annoying that we quit and just bought more clothes. Introducing a simple reservation system and/or allowing you (like some other hotels in Japan do) to check availability from your room would do the trick.

The Hotel Higashiyama was all around phenomenal. The shuttle from Kyoto station to the hotel made the trip start and end of the trip beyond easy. The hotel itself is in a perfect location for easy transportation to multiple areas for shrines and temples. Most importantly is the location to Gion district for some of the best food around. Inside the hotel was perfect, the rooms were spacious, the beds comfortable, and the whole venue was peaceful. You pay for what you get here, and it’s worth every penny! Would highly recommend and will stay here again when we return to Kyoto on our next trip.

Not a negative point but just a random relevant point is if you are 5’9 (175 cm) or taller and have long hair that you straighten or curl you will be underneath the fire alarm when doing so and it might set of an internal alarm to the front desk. My wife ended up having to curl her hair by the window to avoid this but it wasn’t the end of the world. Just a fair warning to anyone.

We booked this hotel last minute on the day as the hotel we originally booked did not live up to our satisfaction. We absolutely were blown away with this hotel. The service was top, the whole hotel was very clean and modern and we felt very very comfortable staying there. Location was walking distance (15-20 mins) from a lot of sights. Please do not be put off from the reviews that state this hotel is too far; if you are happy to walk up to maximum 15 - 20 mins and explore the local area I would advise staying here.

Nothing the hotel was surprised us for the quality we received for the price in this area

Staff was extremely polite and helpful. Service and cleanliness was 10/10. The tea room was my favourite and super delicious. The architecture of the hotel and interior is very nice, Japanese minimalistic. I could relax a lot.

I was surprised that the sink is in the room, on the pictures it looked like a separate room. The breakfast was okay but I had better ones in 4 star hotels (less vegetarian options, limited fruits (only dried), no fresh juice and only one filter coffee option).

location was quiet, a little far from the main shopping area but just about 5 bus stops away. the bus stop was close to the hotel (less than a minute's walk). walking would be 15-20 minutes to the main shopping area (cost adds up if you take the bus to and fro a few times). service was absolutely delightful, the hotel was new and very nicely renovated, the room was great and spacious for japan's standards and had everything necessary. there is a lawson opposite the hotel for quick snack/breakfast/supper runs. shuttle bus to and from kyoto station that loops every hour. metro station about 5 minutes away. a spa room that you can book - just inform them upon check in wrt the time and room that you want. it's the best hotel we stayed in for our japan trip. would return again!

nothing really, maybe the location if it's not convenient for travellers to walk (we were nursing terrible sore muscles from fushimi inari so we ended up paying quite a bit for the bus rides because we couldn't make the walk).

The hotel was so luxurious, the staff were friendly and attentive, the facilities were top notch. We enjoyed our stay so much. We had a spa and massage booked in after a long day of travel and it was absolutely so relaxing and the staff were very attentive. The neighborhood was also quiet and safe with a convenience store across the road for necessities. The laundry machines were free to use if you are staying and it was very helpful to us as we were traveling for a month.

Slightly out of the way location from the centre of Kyoto, but close by enough to a station to walk to and get transport around.

This hotel has an awesome aesthetic and the room was a decent size given what is typical in Kyoto. The staff was all polite and friendly, greeting me every time I came and went. It's very quite which was a nice change of pace from Tokyo, and it is still within walking distance of some great restaurants and the nearest train station. The free washer and dryer was a nice bonus, and all staff I interacted with spoke great English.

One small thing to note was that the washer and dryer is a single unit, and loads should be kept small in order to properly wash and dry, though that is not noted nor a given. Additionally, there is a free shuttle to and from Kyoto Station, which I had believed was discontinued a few years ago before coming, leading to me taking the local trains with my luggage and adding a few flights of stairs to my trip here. The availability of the shuttle should be more pronounced in the features, it was easy and simple taking it to the station when I left.

This hotel feels new and posh. The room has all of the luxury details like a beautiful shower next to a bathtub, complimentary pajamas, and a kind and helpful staff. They made recommendations for places our whole family did not have in our original plans and loved. It was easy and affordable to arrange luggage delivery to our next hotel in Tokyo, which they charged to our room. The extraordinary breakfast buffet offers both Japanese and Western breakfast items, beautifully presented and refreshed often by attentive staff. I got two plates, one with rice, fish and pickled veggies while other had eggs, tater tots, fruit and a croissant. Happy with both! I shared one room with my husband and two kids (ages 11 and 18) 2 extra "twin" beds were put in our Executive Hollywood Twin Room. There was plenty of room for all of us to use the space comfortable. For anyone worried about being closer to downtown Kyoto, this was a nice place to come home to. There is frequent bus service to the area that is very simple to use with and IC card. We would definitely stay here again.

The lighting in the room was a little dim when we needed it all the way up to pack or stay awake because of our jet lag. The controls were very good and covered different areas well.