Location, location, location, is the real estate agent’s catch cry, and it is just as true when you book a hotel, especially if you need to be moving quickly in a country. Whether you are a business or leisure traveler, proximity to the main train station means that you spend less time transferring or getting lost, and more time at your destination. If you are tired, the last thing you want to do is to spend an hour fumbling your way to the hotel as you come to an unknown city.
Hotel ibis Styles Kyoto Station recently took over the Hotel Vista Kyoto site, which was opened in 2009 as a business hotel. However its growing popularity means that many guests are now leisure travelers, especially on the weekends. It is less than a 5-minute walk from the Hachijo exit of Kyoto Station, literally across the road from the station. If you want a comfortable and convenient hotel to rest in the center of Kyoto, this is the place you have to go!
The compact rooms are new, functional, and simply decorated with white walls and modern Wenge furniture. It is perfect for the no fuss business traveler or someone who just want to relax and spend time in the hotel room.It is also perfect for travelers with a Japan Rail pass who would like to use the hotel as a base and then make day trips to Himeji, Hiroshima, or Takayama during their stay. Near the hotel, you can find the Aeon Shopping Mall, and on the other side of the Station near the Kyoto tower, you can find the city bus terminal which is convenient for sightseeing..
They offer four types of rooms, all with a very functional bathroom. The first type is single room (12.5 sq m to 14 sq m), which is one of the most popular options for business travelers. To suit the needs of the leisure traveler, they have twin rooms (17.0 sq m) with two single beds and double rooms (17.0 sq m) with one queen sized bed. They also have wheel chair accessible rooms (27.0 sq m) with two single beds. Rooms either have a view of Kyoto Station or the quiet suburbs, and request a higher floor room if you would like a good view. Every room is well maintained and equipped with all the facilities you need, from Japanese channel flat TV to a small kettle with complementary packets of Japanese tea. A self-serve laundry area is located near the lobby.
Though the design and plan of the hotel is very Western, it can still give you a sense of Japanese, or be more specific, Kyoto style of living by its breakfast. At the café on the second floor, they have a range of pickled vegetables and fish for you to mix with rice, as well as cold soba or udon with their own signature stock. What’s more, Kyoto's signature food - tofu, is served chilled and its creamy nutty flavor is true to local tastes. They also offer a small number of Western dishes like yogurt, bread, and salad, and both selections are available from 7 am to 10 am for 1,200 yen. Alternatively Kyoto Station has a variety of tourist friendly restaurants with English menus, such as the Aoi Soba Place, or Pontoiru for Japanese Italian like fusion pasta.
The hotel staff are helpful and speak fluent English, so whether you want advice on seasonal events or to get around the city, they are well equipped to assist, along with racks of travel brochures by the lobby on the third floor. There is also a printing service provided with free computers in the hotel. The Wi-Fi is available not only in the lobby but at all the rooms. They also offer a Takkyubin service to courier your luggage or gifts to any location in Japan in the reception area. For a stress free trip in Kyoto, try Hotel ibis Styles Kyoto Station!
