I would like to know where is the best location to stay in Kyoto? Is it Central Kyoto or around Kyoto station?

We will be staying about 5-6 days in Kyoto with occasional day trips.
We can stay in either traditional or western accomodations, even though, traditional would be more fun, but I am not too crazy about the ones with curfew.
I am traveling with my parents and my brother in his 30's, so we would need 2 rooms for all 4 of us.
Also, we are looking for a budget hotel: no more than US$100 or Y11,000 per room.
We will be coming by train from Narita international airport and then leaving to Nagoya.

Once again, the most important to us in the right order is location, price, and traditional character.

Any recommendations, advice, suggestions?

Also, we will be traveling at the end of June, begining of July, so I am pretty sure that I will want my room with A/C.
Private bathrooms will also be a plus.

FOr $100 a night in Kyoto, I think the priority is realistically more like price first, then location and the other things.

Some people here have recommended the Palaceside hotel at that rate, close to Imperial Palace.

APA Kyoto Gion hotel is in a great location but price would be around 17000.

Hi

My wife and I stayed at Hotel Gimmond in Kyoto as it was a cheaper alternative. It is located near the metro station Karasuma Oike. I think we paid about 100 US dollars for the room. The room was tiny of course but it was good enough for us I have posted a bit more info in my trip report on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/japan_kyoto.htm

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

I think KArasama Oike is a very good location. I stayed at the Hotel Okura in April at that location- out of your price range but I loved the location. According to the website, the rms. at Grimmond are 16174 for double bed, and 16174 to 23100 for two twin beds. This area is right next to the central Kyoto area; that subway stop is just one block (and that block is filled w/shops) from the start of the central shopping and dining area where all the department stores, covered street shopping (Teramachi-dori), Nishiki Food market, and many dining options are located. And it would be close to the subway, and that subway station has an underground shopping and dining area attached to it (Zest) in case it is raining.

Grimmond looks nice. But unless you can somehow get rates much less than the website of Grimmond, it is over your budget. Gard, how did you get that rate for a double, or did you have a single? Maybe there is some way to get a discount.

For $100 in a good location, I don't think you are going to get a lot of traditional character. I think you will get a very small rm., not too exciting, but a solid place to stay and sleep.

There is also Kyoto Tour Club (close to the station), which comes in under your price. They have Futon rms. and also Western style beds. Small rms w/small private toilet and shower rm. inside the rms. They have a website. A lot of families and young people stay there.

At Palace Side hotel (which has been recommended before on this board), you can get a twin rm. (2 twin beds) for you and brother w/kitchenette and sofa for 9870 yen. But take a look at the pictures on the link below. That is the type of rm. I think you will be looking at for your price, small beds, not a lot of rm to move around, unless someone knows of something out of the ordinary.

http://www.palacesidehotel.co.jp/english/fr-vt-en.html

There is a Holiday Inn in Kyoto w/rates in your range, but the hotel is up by Kyoto University. It has gotten good reviews on this board.

The Apa Hotel Kyoto Station Mae (3 minutes walk from Kyoto station has double rooms for 12,000 yen/night in late June and early July. Same with Eki Horikawadori...near Karasuma. Apa Gion has 10,800/night rooms avaialable but must be prepaid. Not prepaid they have 11,000 no breakfast or 13,000 with breakfast.

APA Hotels are a chain, and are clean and safe with reasonable service. The rooms are small but functional. Only problem is the only way to make a reservation online and get the online rates I quoted above is to do it in Japanese from their Japanese websites. They do not offer the same rates in English, nor can you make an online instantly confirmed reservation in English.

Unfortunately, you are not really going to find much in Kyoto city in your price range that has traditional character. There are some hostel type places, and there are some "ryokan" that have tatami rooms and futons and not much else in terms of ryokan experience.

You might consider splurging one night at a ryokan, a real one, and then staying in a place like the APA hotels, or Washington, Tokyu, Manten..any of the business hotels will have rooms for around 10,000/night....just know that for that price you get little other than a place to sleep.

You could also try to increase your budget by about $50.00 a night. That would open up a lot of choices for you.

I thought the 17000 was a bit high for the Kyoto Gion hotel but did not see the lower rates when I looked at the Japanese page. It is a very good location. If you can get a twin at 11000 then it satisfies your first two criteria. There is a Starbucks on the ground floor next door with a couple of small tables outside. It has no character. There is a restaraunt on the 2nd floor.

Found a hotel booking site that will get twin rooms for 10500 or 11500.
http://web.travel.rakuten.co.jp/port...;f_ptn1=kaigai

Bravo on the Gion!!

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

No Character but it meets the rest of the criteria. And that is darned good at that rate.

I meant both the APA and Kyoto Gions hotels. Great location.

Thanks everyone for your answers. I still did not get a straight answer as far as what is the best location: Central Kyoto or around Kyoto station?

I decided to make a reservation with the Tour Club, but it turned out that they are fully booked at the end of June. It is too bad since that hotel is traditional, with a private bathroom in each room, good location near the station, and excellent rates...

I will have to look for something else. Once again my question: is it better in Central Kyoto or around Kyoto station?

THat answer will have to be decided by you, depending on what your needs and wants are. There are different pros and cons to each area.

Station area:
Pros: Close to station for arrival, departure, and day trip access; restaurants and shopping in the station, all covered if weather is bad; close to Toji temple if you are going there on market day (21st of each month), many bus lines are accessible from here (but they are also accessible in other areas too, Kyoto has good bus system).

Cons: Not particularly attractive area, very city like, no charm, busy area for traffic.

Central Kyoto:
Pros: Great for shopping and dining, very active area at night unlike much of Kyoto, closer to Gion, Teramachi covered shopping streets and Nishiki food market.

Cons: Not many IMO, but definitely further for getting to station for most (not all- some dqay trips are north of Kyoto like Ohara and Kurama/Kibune and access to thos eis closer to contral Kyoto) day trips; you have to taxi or catch subway to Kyoto Station.

Personally, Central Kyoto wins for me, hands down. But others love being close to the station for access to trains for day trips and departure.

Oh, and central Kyoto is closer to Kitano market on its market day (25th of month) and closer to Golden temple and other sites in northern Kyoto, but then again Kyoto station is closer to sites in southern area like Higashiyama (southern end of it eg. Kiyomizudera), Fushimi Inari shrine, etc.

You have to weigh it all and decide depending on where you are going, etc. Although frankly where you are going wouldn't play into it to much for me as you can subway, cab, bus anywhere you want to go in Kyoto.

For your budget, I'd probably find the best place I could (by that I mean least dowdy, nicest one) and go for that.

Tour club is not really what I would call traditional. It has futons on the floor, and a Japanese owner, and a few Japanese items in the lobby (a nice painted screen). But it is not a ryokan, it is a good budget place w/good amenities for the price where you can sleep on a futon, but probably not a great futon (see Kim's post above on that). But Tour Club is an inviting place and gets great reviews.

Internetconnect- You will not get a definitive answer on this, as there are benefits to either section of Kyoto, and proponents of each.

I understand your wanting to stay in traditional rooms. I'll choose a futon over twin beds any day! We have found that many western looking hotels in Japan also have a number of "japanese style" rooms. Ask for a japanese room and you'll get a traditional Japanese room- tatami floors, futon bed, low furniture, etc.

It is very easy to get spoiled staying in the high end ryokans, but the more budget places are a perfectly pleasant as well. Many of them are small and the proprietors are very friendly, the locations can often be very good, and the rooms are IMO much more comfortable than the "twin bed with dressers" set up in western rooms. In addition, the main point of staying at high end ryokans is bathing and eating. If you have other plans, a less expensive alternative will be better.

The Granvia Hotel has rooms for 13000 yen this week, which I think is a great deal for this upscale hotel.

Also, when the Tour Club was full, they referred us to the Budget Inn, which seems to be very similar and owned (or managed) by the same people.

I agree with most. You'll need to find a hotel/guest house that fits your budget and worry about the area later.
As emd said, each area has it's plusses, and you'll find yourself traveling to the other areas anyway.

That said, we stayed in Central Kyoto and I loved it. It was a walk to the nearest train or bus, but there were shops, restaurants, convenience stores (which sell alcohol in Japan) etc., on every block. There was even a beer machine (very much in danger of becoming extinct) further down our street. I found the area much more Old Kyoto and very charming.

The Gion would not be a bad area either.

Also, taxis are not expensive like they are in Tokyo. We had 3 and sometimes 4 people and would be dismayed to realize it would have been less expensive to take a taxi in many cases.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Regarding location: It doesn't matter. If you get a Central Kyoto hotel located near a subway station, it is only a few minutes subway ride to reach the central train station.

Your main criteria should be the hotel's price, and any other hotel features that are important to you.