I stayed in the Rickshaw Inn this spring - they are pretty popular but it can't hurt to check....
http://www.rickshawinn.com/index.html

I think the price of $9,900 is high.
2 x JR Pass 14 days $1000
2 x 2 airport transfers $150.00
19 nights hotel very generous $300/night (too much for their 3-4 star) $6000
4 random tours generous $100/pax $800

Total $8000

If I understand correctly, that company just books you and you show up and go it all on your own. Steep booking fee.

Ichinoyu Honkan isn't special imo but it is inexpensive. There are hundreds of other choices in Hakone. Caters to tour groups and foreign guests.

You can do hotels for much cheaper. Many business hotels are as nice or nicer than what is called a 3-4 star hotel. The 3-4 star hotels often cater to groups and are in need of updating.

Many hotels do not accept reservations more than 60 or 90 days in advance, especially business hotels.

Thank you - and yes I still want help Terese. I also thought the price was high but seemed like his itinerary really gave me some insight. My husband really wants to stay in Tokyo our arrival and not head directly out - so then I had planned leaving the 9th Shinjuku to Matsumoto one night - bus on the 10th to Takayama BUT that is festival w/e and no hotels until Monday - so would you think its doable to go Matsumoto - Kanazawa THEN to Takyama - Kyoto - I know from Hyp it is more hours on the train but ? ? ?

I hope MS HAWAII also sees my apology for whatever I have done wrong in regards to not being to secure free mileage tickets to Italy - and my children will be left alone (24 years old!!!)

Moving my daughter at college this w/e so I won't be bothering you for two days. Barb

Hawaii traveler - just curious where you got the idea I was traveling with any one other than my husband. Some how I am getting the idea there is more confusion than my being thought of being what you all refer to as a "troll" I only have one grown daughter and have NEVER mentioned traveling with children Barb

Looks like the RickShaw Inn is available in Takayama on the w/e - with Festival Rates of course but won't need advice on switching those days around - thanks. But I'm sure I'll be back with transportation questions. Thanks again to all Barb

Barb, We stayed at the Granvia in Kyoto last week. It is priced higher for the wkend festival and price went down during the week. We had limited choices, as well, as it was a big festival wkend. The location is excellent, right at the train station. The subway and busses also start there. We spent very little time in our room. Also, being in Kyoto station, there are many, many other restaurants right there at the top floor of the two dept stores, Istaven and the Cube. By evening, we were tired and were glad to have choices right in the station, where we didn't have to get back out in the heat. Kyoto station is phenomenal. You'd have to see it to believe it. Suffice it to say, ultra-modern and fantastic.

When I first saw the room, I was disappointed, as we were paying enough that I expected more. But, it turned out to be just fine and we were extremely glad for the excellent location. It was very hot and it was great to have public transit and so many amenities at our doorstep.

The service was pleasant and having the concierge was great. We paid extra for the breakfast plan. They give you coupons and you can chose between 3 of the restaurants. One serves buffet style, including Japanese and western and we went there most of the time as DH is not a Japanese foodie.

We spent our first night in Tokyo as we arrived in the evening. We stayed near Shinegawa station (on the way to Kyoto) at the Strings Intercontinental. We got an internet rate. The room was small but really nice. The people were wonderful. The concierge (or whoever he was - he was Irish, I think) gave us the best Kyoto info we received our whole trip. You can take the Narita Express and hoof it to the Strings, which is practically in the same bldg (one bldg over).

We only stayed one other night in Tokyo, our last night. We stayed at the Hotel Niwa, which is a transfer and stop away from Tokyo Station and a 2 block walk from the subway. It was truly a beautiful, elegant and simple hotel. Loved it. It was in a university area with lots of restaurants on the next street - a relatively quiet area. But, it's not in the center of the action, so it depends what you are looking for. We only did one thing in Tokyo, due to limited time. We went to the Akihabara area, or "electric city," as it was nearby. It was truly amazing and worth a visit.

It all works out somehow. Will you be there when the leaves are changing? That would be quite beautiful.

Thanks for all the useful information.
I need to do more background research but planning a trip for April 2011 (only have 10-11 days)

Thanks for the continuing information. Yes the festivals sure put a kink in making reservations. We will be there for the color change - appears to go on quite a long time depending on where you are. Hitting the festival on the last day in Takayama but managed to secure the room. Appreciate all the sincere help. Barb

Looking forward to your trip report, Barb.

OK hotels are starting to fall into place UNTIL Kyoto again!!! Am finding 3 star only range of almot $200 per night - none look too good - any experience with the following? Kyoto Station Hotel, Kyoto Tower, Hotel Keihan or the Kyoto Dai-ni - the Granvia is over $1,500 for the nights I need - which by the way are Oct. 15 for 4 nights. As usual your comments are appreciated. Barb

The hotel tax is 15.5% and the dollar is weak. We paid an average of $342/night at the Granvia for a king including breakfast and tax, and we mixed up the high and low time. We could not find space in the less expensive places due to the festival, so we bit the bullet. (I didn't start looking until April, either, which was late for the July festival.)

The Kyoto Tower is directly across the street from the Granvia, another great location. Read up in several guidebooks, on this website,or at tripadvisor to check up on the places. Everything is clean in Japan and people are very gracious, so I think most places are fine to stay in. If you can get somewhere cheaper that has good reviews, go for it.

There are three Toyoko Inns showing availabilty for your dates, all at or under USD100 (including free internet and light Japanese breakfast). This chain is many people's preferred option.

I'd probably go for the Citadines ( that I mentioned previously, I think): brand new property, rooms very large by Japanese standards.

I really have found that most 3 star hotels are no nicer (and often are not as nice as) good business hotels...but the price is higher. Toyoko Inns are popular. Also look at APA Gion and Kyoto Mystays. Don't lock yourself into staying at the station area. The sights are so spread out it hardly matters where you stay.

Therese, I go up to see if you answered (12:30AM here, ha) and of course you did. WHERE did you find the Tokyo Inn availability at? JapanIcan is not showing one and I see no direct site for them thanks, Barb

Mystays Kyoto offers a corner view twin room with breakfast for 2 people for 4 nights starting October 15 for ¥54,900. Room is 22 m2 with two twin beds 122 cm wide each.

Superior room with breakfast is ¥58,900 and 30 m2.

Standard twin with breakfast is ¥42,900 and is 19 m2.

This price is the total price for the four nights including tax.

http://www.mystays.jp/kyotoshijo/index.html Japanese only. A friend stayed here not too long ago and said it was very nice. The price is certainly right.

It's ToyOko Inn. http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

Kim Japan - maybe I've lost it completely since it's 1 AM but that is the site I was on and it's totally in Japanese and I was not seeing why to switch to English??

Mystays site is in Japanese. You can use google translate or similar to translate if you wish. Because its in Japanese is why I quoted the price options for you. You could fax a reservation request perhaps.

As Kim points out, it's Toyoko Inn, not Tokyo Inn, and it's a chain of business hotels. Because you are now within the three month limit for non-member guests, you can book directly with hotel or through Japanican.

Citadines can also be booked at either Japanican or the citadines web site. These rooms are 25 sq meters and feature a full kitchen, so you can have breakfast without even bothering to put on your clothes. Very well reviewed at Trip Advisor.

A note about star ratings: they don't necessarily mean what you might think they do. Some countries have official government-run ratings systems, some don't. But generally speaking none of them take into account things like cleanliness or friendliness, bit intead work from a formula that takes into account things like on-site restaurants and business centers and swimming pools and so forth.

The higher the star rating the more you'll pay for the room, and the more likely you'll be to pay extra for web access and breakfast and so forth, so when I'm looking for rooms I tend to look for properties based on reviews, not stars. The only time I ever take star rankings into account is when I'm bidding blind on Priceline (not an option for your trip, Barb) and even then I'm very careful to compare bidding histories. A four star hotel can easily be much worse value than a one or two star.