A nice hotel situated on the busy Kawaramachi-dori shopping street. Great location for Maruyama-koen, Gion and Shojo station. It's about 15 minutes (including the walk) to Kyoto station, and there are buses galore on the street outside.

As with most Japanese hotels, space is at a premium. But what there is is very clean and tidy.

Attention to detail is impressive - there are 'anti-static' pads by the lift buttons, so you don't give yourself a shock when you call an elevator. There is a hotplate in each room for your kettle (provided). You get a nice crisp yakuta to wear as well.

There is also a fridge for your drinks, etc. in each room. There is a small laundry room with washing machines and dryers.

Staff as always are very friendly and helpful. I'd quite happily stay there again.

We visited Kyoto in April and stayed here based on suggestions in the forums. However, the rooms were tiny, so be forewarned. The other problem was, because our room fronted Kawaramachi-dori, one of the main night thoroughfares of Kyoto, noise was a problem particularly if one has to open the double-paned window for ventilation. It was the transitional season in Kyoto, and when we asked about the non-functioning air-conditioning, the management told us that it had not been turned on yet. Otherwise, the service and cleanliness of the rooms are decent by Japanese standards. If deciding to stay here, I suggest asking for a room which faces away from Kawaramachi-dori.