Hotels in Kyoto April1-5
 

I never thought that they would be all sold out. I have only found righa royal in Kyoto for the above dates so far and it is an overpriced rate. I like to be in a location that I can walk to most places. Any suggestions for hotels during these dates? Thank you very much

I just looked at Kyoto on booking.com and see a range of options. I don't know your budget, but you are aiming for one of the most popular times to be there, and am not surprised that you are finding that most available places are on the pricy side.

If you aren't willing to pay the prices being asked, consider staying in Osaka.

>> and it is an overpriced rate<<

Probably not 'overpriced' - they charge what people will pay, and as kja says you are visiting at a popular time. Places will be booked solid before very long.

Budget is not an issue my dear. I am an MD and have earned this vacation...
Simply put, the hotels that I am looking for are sold out.

Anyone out there has any favorites that are still available during this period? Thank you

BTW, "my dear," Kyoto is spread over a very large area. There is really no single district from which you (MD or not) can "walk to most places" that most people want to visit -- you will likely need to rely on public transportation. There are places that allow you to walk to some sites, to roam some interesting neighborhoods, and to reach public transpiration. I have no idea if any of them are still available.

I am willing to pay up to 700 dollars a night for a single

room of a good hotel in a good location in Kyoto. The righa royal gave me a room with four single beds for that price because it was their only room left. On the other hand, TripAdvisor gives me more options. Are these alternative websites other than the hotel as reliable?

Thank you

I have used booking.com almost exclusively for more than 10 years. Many Fodorites and many other experienced travelers use it regularly. That is why we recommend it.

When I visited Kyoto the last time, I had much of the same trouble. I opted to stay in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture - it was only 2 stops by train to Kyoto Station, still had some good rooms, and the city is still unknown to most and doesn't sell out as fast.

>>Budget is not an issue my dear . . .<<

Whoa -- why the snark?

<i>You</i> are the one that said they were over priced.

LOL @ my buddy, kja!!

We stayed at the Hyatt - get on the Hyatt site and see what is available.

I wouldn't use just any site that TripAdvisor sends you to (indeed, I wouldn't use TA), but booking.com works well.

As mentioned, the idea that you can walk to "most" things in Kyoto is simply incorrect. You'll need to use public transport or a taxi. We used taxis during our stay as we had limited time - just 5 days in Kyoto - and lots we wanted to see.

Or get a vrbo or airbnb and put your high payments as a doctor to good use.

Janis, ditto.

@ janisj & Kavey: For a moment, I thought it was snark, too – and then I decided that I must have misread the message. Perhaps it was "bed-side manner"? (Oh, my! :-O )

@ MinnBeef: Thanks, buddy!

Nah - it was snark >)

@ janisj: I’m not convinced that she meant to suggest that ONLY physicians earn their vacations. She just meant that as … whatever, right?

I forget that MD in the USA usually means medical doctor - here I think the assumption would be Managing Director.

Either way, when a first post brings up price it's a very reasonable response to explain why prices are high, and not very nice to respond that price isn't an issue with a misplaced term of affection added on to the end. Just comes over as condescending.

To the topic...

Certainly, we found that hotels in Kyoto were unexpectedly expensive for the exact same period in April this year, and the one we ended up booking was particularly so, but all we could get in the location we wanted for our 7 night stay. But on the first night, we realised that even in such a busy period, it wasn't worth the price, especially given the unusually crappy staff attitude (not a norm in Japan) and the horrific foot traffic infront of the hotel making it hard to get in and out!

So we decided to move. That's when we actually realised there was a holiday coinciding with the first couple of days and if we stayed put for nights 1 and 2 but moved for the last 5 we could find a far bigger choice at a more reasonable rate. We cancelled the last 5 nights without cancellation charge (as per the cancellation terms) and booked the hotel we stayed at the previous time we were in Kyoto, for a far better rate. I bloody love booking.com!

But to be fair to hotel 1 - they were charging stupid money because they were well aware that there were very very few hotel rooms left available in Kyoto on that holiday weekend and the demand was absolutely there. Hotels are run for a profit and supply and demand pricing makes sense, much as we may not like it from our point of view.

Well, the dear doctor has left the building...

It would appear so. Perhaps she was paged to a "dear emergency".

nah...the good Doc is being deposed in her malpractice suit (or is it suite?)I missed my chance for a direct post to her....I was merely going to say "La-de-dah"

fyi, I think that poster has moved over to the Japan TA forum...

If the OP has switched to TA, I hope she gets what she needs there! As someone who has, on more than one occasion :-( , said something that has come across badly, and who certainly could have been kinder to this OP, I’ve been grateful when people have questioned or teased me about my words and I’ve appreciated the grace with which my apologies have been received. I’m perfectly willing to believe that this OP’s wording was unintentionally snarky, but I also don’t think she was getting what she wanted here. She posted multiple questions about both her allocation of time and her choice of hotels, even though she kept getting the same opinions each time. Maybe she’s finally getting opinions that are the ones she wants to hear.

Yes, that is true. Hope she finds what she needs.

The OP was also asking what hotels were available during her timeframe. Doesn't that assume she wanted someone else to do the legwork? Instead of TA, she needs a different kind of TA, a travel agent.

kja, you weren't being snarky. You are always more than willing to give good advice.

Kja...my dear old friend....we've discussed this several times before...there are times when you are so damn nice to a poster who doesn't deserve it. The "Snark Tank" is sometimes the only way to get through to some of those apples.

Will say hello to Syd and Dari...holiday at their place this weekend.

stu

Kja was snarky?

Perhaps, as a noted curmudgeon, I missed her "snark."

@ internetwiz,
@ tower, &
@ BigRuss: Thank you all so much! :-) (blushing) I'm grateful for your very kind words.

P.S. to Stu: Yes, please give my best to Syd, Dari, and the little one. :-)

What you give, you often receive back.
OP got snarky / condescending and stormed off like a sulking toddler when some of us responded in kind.
People here give help because we enjoy helping others, and also because it allows us to relive experiences we loved. We are not a paid service, and we certainly aren't obliged to help those who are rude when it is not merited.

Kavey....so well said and so true! The vicarious kicks I get out of helping others with their trip plans are well
worth the occasional SNARK.

Given the dismal state of the US health care system, all physicians can now only afford capsule hotels.

Keep up the good work, kja, you're my kind of woman. Smart and feisty, just like me, lol.

@ CaliforniaLady: :-)

I felt like back in high school - a newcomer put the wrong foot out, and some gang up on her.

I think everyone deserves a second chance, including a new poster who would like to erase this unfortunate incident by starting with a new screen name.

@ Reading54: If this had been her first post, reactions might have been a bit different; I know that my responses would have been. Still, I answered every question she asked, under either screen name, to the best of my ability (even if I added some snark), and I've encouraged others to do so. I hope your willingness to extend a second chance also extends to those of us who try to be helpful, even when challenged by a new or -- as in this case -- returning poster's approach.

What Kja said.

Best way to erase an "unfortunate incident" is to apologise and move forward. I've never got the impression anyone here would do anything other than accept such an apology and continue to advise as best they could.

It's not a case of ganging up at all. It's a case of disliking patronising or condescending responses when one is only trying to help.

The poster has received a lot of helpful information and continues to receive relevant responses, but if you are able to rise about rudeness from someone asking you for your advice, you're perhaps a better person than the rest.

I'm happy to continue answering questions to the best of my ability from anyone who asks, but think a brief and simply apology (and genuine acceptance of it) is a far better way to handle a moment of unnecessary rudeness than pretending it didn't happen and taking on a new identity.

Just my two cents.

@ Kavey: Your 2.346 yen work for me -- thanks!

"I wouldn't use just any site that TripAdvisor sends you to (indeed, I wouldn't use TA), but booking.com works well."

You probably already meant this, Kathie, but just to confirm,
one of the booking sites (in addition to Expedia, the hotels' own sites, etc ) Tripadvisor links to IS Booking.com.

Pros and cons of tripadvisor has been discussed both on here and other forums. Not meaning to get "into" that discussion--just want to clarify that yes, booking.com is part of the "book on tripadvisor" option