My father and I arrived at the hotel after spending several nights in ryokans so we were truely shocked when we entered our hotel room and found the carpets had large stains and looked very dirty. It just didn't seem possible in Japan. We called the front desk and asked for another room and after looking at several realized that they just didn't have a good carpet cleaning service. They assured us that the carpets were vacuumed daily and were "clean" but it was clear they didn't do steam type cleaning. We were told that the Japanese don't worry as much about carpets as we do. Unfortunatly we were scheduled to stay at this hotel for 5 days and had made reservations through hotels.com so it would have been very complex to change hotels.

The staff were friendly and helpful.

The location of the hotel was good and if you're getting a good price for the room and can overlook the carpets its a fine place to stay.

I also didn't like the lobby, there was only church type benches in a hall way to sit and wait for people. I

f I were going to Kyoto again I would try to find another hotel.

As a side note we changed plans and ended up staying 2 more nights in Kyoto and moved to the Hotel Okura - wow - it was wonderful - same price, we wish we'd stayed there in the first place.

Sorry Monterey Kyoto - please replace your carpets and set up a regular cleaning program.

The staff were very helpful and friendly, and the location is fantastic. Positioned right in downtown Kyoto you're close to some incredible shopping, the subway and bus are close, and the restaurants are plentiful. Very cool lobby and internal design, and high speed internet for free. Having said that, I was a bit disappointed in the rooms. I know that the stereotypical Japanese hotel is small, and I'm an above average size man height-wise. However, my wife and I could hardly fit ourselves and our two suitcases in the room. There was just enough space for me to walk sideways round the edge of the bed ,and two chairs and a table occupied the remaining floor space. The shower was also not that enticing, as the water went from scalding hot to icy cold without warning, and the shower curtain didn't really stop the water from going on the floor. I certainly don't hate the Monterey, but I also wouldn't be returning in a hurry. There are plenty of similar priced hotels with far more space in Kyoto.

Great location - close to train, buses and restaurants. Fairly new, so some baggage couriers and taxi drivers hadn't heard of it - pick up a business card at reception to take out with you. Staff were extremely helpful, always available whether for a recommendation or a bus timetable.

Clean and tidy, rooms are well appointed. Though they are fairly small, compared to similar hotels in Osaka and Hiroshima. The bathroom was a sight! Despite being on a very busy street, the rooms were really quiet. My only complaint - the pillows were too hard.