RC HOTEL KYOTO YASAKA

This is a stunning hotel in the heart of Gion. Whoever developed this hotel knows what they are doing and want to provide guests with an exceptional experience. This hotel is very comfortable with generous room sizes (although there could be more space for clothes to be hung/folded). The revamping of an old 50's concrete apartment block and the amazing views of the Shrine are phenomenal. The staff are exceptional, friendly, helpful, aiming to assist with everything!

There is no breakfast provided as part of this accomodation. This is located in the heart of Gion and on a narrow road that is closed to traffic on weekends and public holidays. You will need to drag your luggage through hordes of annoying people.

Loved the look of the room, the view, the bed very comfortable, staff were exceptionally friendly and the coffee container beside the hotel wonderful and open early!

Wifi not good - likely due to the concrete of the building and age. Fridge froze our drinks and the couch was really hard to sit on. All first world problems tho and definitely not that important! Not the hotel specifically, but note the location there are very few restaurants open at night in immediate area, need to walk a small amount to find. Again … not a big deal as the restaurants we found were worth the walk!

This hotel is a 1950's apartment block converted to a hotel. The vibe is industrial, with off the form concrete walls, industrial style fixtures, steel doors. We found it really comfortable, even though there is no elevator and we were on the third (top) floor. They have a nice rooftop with a great view of temples and the city (sunset side), but should take advantage of it and have a bar, or at least some sort of set up. The location is wonderful on a, mainly, walking street with shops, restaurants, and several breathtaking temples. The steet goes up the hill for a spectacular view of the city.

As mentioned, a rooftop that was better utilized would be a star attraction, and no elevator might be an obstacle of some.

The room has a rustic feel and is great for backpacking travelers. There is a great view of the Yasada Pagoda from both the room we had and the roof on the 3rd floor. If you wish to visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the wee hours of the morning and avoid the crowd, I recommend staying at this hotel as it is a 5-10 minutes walk away from the temple itself, which opens at 6:00 AM.

The hotel location is next to one of the busiest and touristy streets in Kyoto, and as such taxis are unable to stop directly at the hotel. You would have to drag your luggage up the cobblestone pavement to the establishment which can be a hassle with all the tourists around. It is also not very close to any train station and buses discourage passengers from carrying large luggage onboard. The closest train station, Gion-Shijo, is about a 15 minutes walk away. There is no elevator on the premises.

This is the second time we’ve returned. First time was during our honeymoon. Great location in the Yasaka area. Walking distance to the tourist spots. Great view of the Yasaka Pagoda if you’re in a room on the upper levels from ground. Comfy bed, modern rustic feel and look. Spacious room comparing to other Japan hotel rooms. Zip line clothesline and retractable hangers which gives it a neat modern housing touch. As an Asian I really appreciate the shoes off aspect where you leave your shoes and have an upper step onto the rest of the room where it is expected that the rest of the room is not walked all over by outdoor shoes. As I don’t see these in the Tokyo hotels. They have a 24hour rooftop access for all guests that gives you a great view of the Yasaka Pagoda and areas around. Staffs are very nice and accommodating. Offering umbrellas when it rains and assisting with luggage and taxi if required.

Due to its location, it’s quite deep in the Yasaka area with narrow streets where all the tourists walk. So it’s a bit of a hassle with taxis.

I think I fell in love with the hotel even before I saw my room: the reception was beautiful and I received a warm and friendly welcome. But how I loved my bedroom: It was large, beautiful and full of light, every detail was designed to be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. And what a view! In earnest, because of the way the hotel is structured and because of the size of the room, It was as if I had my own apartment right in the centre of Gion. There are also washing machines available at the hotel - what else can one ask for? It was a real pleasure to spend time in my room in-between sightseeing, I felt perfectly at ease and I was actually sad when it was time to leave. If I ever come back to Kyoto I will definitely stay here again. Thank you!

Perfect location. This was such a cool hotel and lots of details were meticulously chosen for the vibe. The staff was helpful and friendly. They downplayed their English abilities when asked, but their English was excellent. There is a laundry on site which can be helpful for packing light. The room was spacious, maybe around a standard US room size, with a spacious shower. There is a little outdoor cafe right outside and this hotel is just steps away from many historic streets. This hotel was truly unique.

This is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The value, location, staff, and ambiance were all excellent. The aesthetic of the hotel is quite unique and well put together. It feels really intentional and well designed; the rooms are immaculate and filled with the amenities that make a stay nice. A very special thank you to the staff who were collectively exceptional. One member of the front staff took special effort to recommend restaurants and bars nearby (all of which were phenomenal); another took special care to help me access and use the laundry machines downstairs. I will definitely stay here again if I return to Kyoto; I may come back just to stay in this hotel!

No negatives. this hotel was only positive.

Funky decor but spacious with view and fantastic location - $ 15 Uber from station - reception organised personal Uber eats with bottle wine for 2 and presented it on little table with wine glasses ! Laundry easy - so many great things to do and see! Will come again

Loved everything- we are in our late 60’s but managed the 3 flights of stairs - very spacious even though bed was low - was comfortable- reception kept luggage and put in our room for us later - lovely people!

Beautifully designed hotel with clean and practical rooms, with a huge amount of attention to detail. The location couldn't be better, with the Yagada Pagode and other major sites around the corner. And even compared to Japanese standards, the staff was very helpful.

Some clothes hangers but no cabinet so we had to keep our suitcases in the room. The hotel doesn't provide breakfast which would be a nice add-on but this was clear when we booked.