Kyoto has no shortage of accommodation, from backpacker haunts to luxurious traditional ryokan. For travelers seeking a bit of comfort without breaking the bank, a business hotel can be an excellent choice and Kyoto’s Itoya Hotel ticks all of the boxes.
The hotel is located along the main road (Karasuma-dori or Karasuma Street) that leads from Kyoto Station to the main downtown area surrounding Shijo-dori. Positioned just steps from a bus stop and a short walk from the Karasuma-Shijo metro station, it’s easy to reach the hotel upon your arrival in the city.
As the ground floor houses a local restaurant, the hotel reception can be found on the second floor. Staff are very welcoming and can cater to guests in both Japanese and English. A welcome drink coupon is provided upon check-in which can be used until 9pm (on the day of check-in only) in the second floor lounge. The relaxing space, located right next to the check-in desk, also provides pamphlets and brochures, newspapers and beverages for purchase.
For a solo traveler, my room was adequately spacious and provided all the amenities I needed. The bathroom and toilet room where actually separated, with the bathroom being a typical Japanese shower room, not the usual tub with curtain you find in most hotels. Slippers and robes were laid out for my arrival and I had plenty of surprisingly soft towels to choose from. Tea and a kettle were a welcome touch, as was the air purifier. The bed was comfortable and the in-room heating and air conditioning was easy to control, with English explanations of the various buttons. As Wi-Fi is a must for any traveler, it was nice to have the hotel provide a connection free of charge and the connection speed was good enough to allow me to upload photos with ease.
When you check out, the hotel will happily hold on to your luggage until you are ready to come back and claim it.
The hotel provides breakfast upon request and there is a restaurant right underneath the lobby that offers filling Japanese cuisine for dinner.
The entrance to Itoya Hotel is a one minute walk from the Karasuma Matsubara bus stop (use Bus #5 from Kyoto Station) or a five minute walk from Exit 4 of Shijo Station (on the Karasuma subway line).
