In our two trips to Kyoto, we have now stayed in 3 different hotels – and each of them has their pros and cons. I will go through the hotel comparison soon, but for now, let me show you my favourite hotel in Kyoto thus far… Hotel Anteroom.
If you are looking for an affordable accommodation that is more than just a bed to sleep on, come and hang out at Hotel Anteroom. I highly recommend it, and I will definitely return. It costs about $75/night for a double bed (2 people occupancy).
Even as you walk towards it, you can see how stylish it is from the outside with its minimalist design.
As you walk in, you would most likely think that you’ve arrived at an art gallery instead of a hotel. That’s because you’d be greeted with beautiful contemporary artworks from various artists right at the lobby.
If you’re looking for the hotel reception, it’s on your right as you enter. The hotel staff were professional, we arrived early and they helped us keep our luggages as it was way before the check-in time.
I love how simple the design of this hotel is. Of course, if you’re the kind of person who loves your 5-star hotels with amenities and what-nots, then this is not the hotel for you. But if you’re someone who loves aesthetics and beautiful things on top of the usual business hotel style of accommodation, then please do book Hotel Anteroom.
You won’t get a key card to get into your room, we’re going a little hipster and old-school here with a cute looking leather waller and your room key. I prefer the cards for convenience sake, but for a short stay, I found this cute and suitable for the whole hotel theme.
We chose the cheapest (i.e. smallest) room which consisted of a semi-double bed for the two of us. Yes, Japanese hotels (sub-$100) are tiny, you would read it in your guidebooks or any TripAdvisor review. So this is no exception. But I’m really fine with tiny rooms…
I love how they decorated the whole space, including the furniture they use. I wanted to steal them all and bring them back to my home. But stealing is not okay, plus it was a bit hard carrying tables and chairs all the way back to Melbourne.
I also really like the little touches, such as the cute polka dot rabbit painting on the wall. You can get some really tacky hotel paintings these days, so I applaud them for such creativity!
All in all, Hotel Anteroom is such a beautiful little hotel in Kyoto. It’s tucked away from the main touristy areas, so it’s not the most convenient to travel around Kyoto if you only have a few days.
So, as promised… I will also do a quick review of all the 3 hotels that we’ve stayed in, while we were in Kyoto. From here onwards, photos are from the hotel website rather than my own.
Citadine Kyoto Karasuma Gojo
Price range: AU$85 per night (2 people)
Location: next to Gojo Sta. and 15-mins walk to Kyoto Station or to Gion (in between)
Room size: Spacious, as it is more of a serviced apartment than typical business hotel
Other notes: there’s a convenient store next to the hotel & plenty of fast food options too
Check out Citadine Kyoto website for more images and info!
Karasuma Kyoto Hotel
Price range: ~$100 (This was a part of our Japanican tour package)
Location: next to Shijo Sta. and a short walk to Gion
Room size: spacious, typical hotel look (some rooms are newly renovated)
Other notes: you can easily travel (via train or bus) to most tourist places around Kyoto
Check out Karasuma Kyoto website for more images and info!
So, I would rate it this way: Hotel Anteroom is the most unique and also affordable, however location-wise it’s not the best. Citadine Karasuma Gojo is close enough to the action and the spacious room is a bonus in Japan! Karasuma Kyoto is a little expensive and tired, however you can’t beat the location being right next to Gion and Higashiyama area.
For most tourists, I’d recommend Citadine Karasuma Gojo. It won TripAdvisor awards and stuff too, so it’s an easy choice for most travellers.
Kyoto has so much to offer that you wouldn’t want to spend much of your time in the hotel. There are also plenty of ryokan and hotels around, so pick and choose and just enjoy your Kyoto adventure!