THE GATE HOTEL KYOTO TAKASEGAWA by HULIC

Every time I visit, I stay at this hotel and I love it. It's clean, tidy, and the service is great. The lobby on the eighth floor faces the mountains, which is absolutely stunning and always puts me at ease. It's truly a hotel I keep coming back to.

Stayed here on my last night in Japan, and the location was incredibly convenient, right inside Gion (Hanamikoji). The only downside was how expensive parking was—it cost about 5,000 yen for one night. But since it's downtown, I figured it was just part of the deal. There's a Blue Bottle downstairs too, so getting coffee in the morning was a real treat.

The room is quite spacious, I could spread out all my luggage, and the bathroom has a three-part design (separate shower, toilet, and sink). The wardrobe placement is also very sensible, and the TV even supports screen mirroring. The location is excellent, with a large leisure area downstairs, making it super convenient for dining, shopping, and catching shows. The front desk staff's English is good; the young lady who took me up the elevator even chatted with me, which was very welcoming. Both the shower room and toilet cubicle are very roomy, and there's even a small stool for showering. The water pressure is strong, the water temperature is stable, and the toiletries are lovely and smell great. The only minor inconvenience was that if I missed the cleaning time, I had to inform the front desk for them to clean it later. I don't like very soft beds, and the bed here has a good firmness, plus there's a choice of soft and firm pillows. The air conditioning adjusts temperature quickly, is quiet, and doesn't blow directly onto the bed.

Exceeded all expectations! The lobby is absolutely beautiful and the lobby bar is a fantastic spot for a drink. Plus, the hotel restaurant offers delicious and affordable lunch options!