2-Star Hotels in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

This is the best hostel I've ever stayed in! It was really cheap, even during peak summer travel season! The bed was much more spacious than I expected; I could even organize my luggage right there. The second-floor common area has everything you need. It's super convenient for cooking and heating up food, and there are three refrigerators, making it easy to store your items. Seating for meals is also great, with high individual seats and large tables. There's also free luggage storage where you can lock your bags to a rack. They don't charge extra if you check out late. You can sit anywhere on the first floor. Even after the coffee shop closed at night, many people were still lounging and chatting there. I'm not sure if this hostel is Indian-owned or if there are Indian staff working here, but it felt like everyone was a foreigner, so we all looked out for each other. I felt really good here! If I ever stay in Kyoto for an extended period again, I'll definitely choose this place!

I really love this hotel. It’s very clean and the location is perfect. The lady at the front desk is also very friendly. Highly recommended—I will definitely come back again.

I had a very nice stay :) However, there were some drawbacks. 1. The bed curtains don’t close all the way, but leaves cracks where light can seep into the room. As the corridor between bunks/rooms is lit 24/7 this was a bit annoying. 2. The curtains do not offer any soundproofing and neither do the walls. I heard people pulling up their duvet, shifting in bed, snoring etc. The curtains themselves were also very noisy. 3. The bathroom door does have a ”slow stop” but it just gives a false sense of security. As the bathroom door will slide back into place after use most people just dropped it, however, what they failed to remember was that at the end of the rail the door still hits the wall with a resounding bonk and bounces back to repeat itself. I awoke startled multiple times, as it sounded as if someone was knocking to get into my room. 4. The automatic lock on the main bedroom door is also very loud, but you don’t get the knocking-like sound of the bathroom door. Sound-wise; the complimentary earplugs were great saviors. 5. The only showers are on the 4th floor. This was inconvenient for me as I had to juggle pjamas, a toiletries bag, bathroom slippers and towels from my floor. However, I think this is easy enough to fix; just provide the lower rooms with a basket to carry stuff in. All in all I had a great stay! The hotel is super close to landmarks as Nishiki Market and Kyoto museum so I could always find my way back. The shared areas were also spotless and included great amenities. The staff is super kind as well. It seems like their making the common area even bigger!

Traveling alone in Japan, my first stop was this hotel, and it left a fantastic impression on me. It's an 8-story building, and there were three staff members at the front desk. One particularly lovely lady from Hong Kong spoke Chinese, which made for a seamless check-in experience. All the staff here are incredibly polite. The 8th floor isn't just the front desk; surprisingly, it's also a large communal area where you can chat, relax, and even work. They even offer free-flowing beer at specific times every afternoon, and of course, the water from the dispenser is also complimentary. The bed height is adjustable, and the bathroom, sink, and toilet are all separate, with plenty of space. There's also a washing machine available. Just turn left when you go downstairs, and you'll find a parking lot, which was very convenient when my Japanese friend came to pick me up. The hotel's location is excellent, right in the Kawaramachi/Shijo area. The moment you step out, you're on a bustling street, and public transport is very close by. I highly recommend staying here! I'll definitely choose this place again next time.

Great location that's within walking distance to Fushimi Inari Taisha and multiple stations. There's a konbini and a lovely bakery next door called ”Boo” that has the most amazing bread and pastries. The location is not a full serviced hotel. You cannot use Yamato to forward your luggage here UNLESS you are present during the delivery window to receive your luggage. There is also no room service or cleaning. Our room is a Western style room with 2 full sized beds. The blinds and windows were a bit dirty. The futon couch didn't come with a cover or sheets so it cannot be used as a bed. It was also very filty and stained. The bathroom was so tiny that you could barely stand inside. When seated at the toilet, my knees touched the wall and I'm a short and only 155cm tall. The shower tub was equally tiny. Please beware if you're a taller person. It is very uncomfortable. Our faucet was also constantly leaking. We tried to add the host on WhatsApp (no profile found) to inform them but was unable to get ahold of them. The facilities had a kitchnette on the top floor and washing machines as well. They provide detergent. However, in order to fully dry our laundry, we had to hang the clothes on the hangers in the room and there wasn't enough hangers to accomodate all of our clothes. The walls, floors, and ceilings are very thin so you can hear other guests talking and walking. It's a good no frills stay but be warned that it's not the most luxurious or quiet.

I stayed for two nights at Hashidate Bay Hotel and was initially hesitant to book, thinking it might be too far from Amanohashidate Station. The nearest bus stop is about a 5–8 minute walk, and buses run only once an hour. But based on the reviews, it looked promising—and I’m so glad I went ahead with the booking. To my surprise, I was upgraded to a much larger room, almost like a four-person suite. It was huge, and the view of Yoshino from my window was absolutely stunning. I was super happy with the stay—this upgrade felt like a real treat. They even provided bath lavender, which I thought was just for the first night, but they refilled it the next day. Since I arrived early, I left my luggage at the hotel before heading out to explore Amanohashidate. When I checked in later that night, I was pleasantly surprised to find my luggage already placed in my room. That was a big plus—so comforting after a full day of walking. I wish I’d told them I was arriving early—the locker at Amanohashidate Station was too small for my luggage. I ended up taking a taxi, which could’ve been free if I’d arranged a pickup with the hotel in advance. The breakfast was good too—my favorite was the prawn tempura. And the lady who dropped me off at the station was soft-spoken and very pretty. Overall, a memorable and comfortable stay.

The 4th floor has a kitchen, dining area, and a Japanese-style tatami living room where you can relax. The 2nd floor has many shower rooms and toilets, providing a good place to wash up, and hair dryers are also available. The 1st floor is the reception and luggage room; you can store your luggage before check-in and until 8:00 PM after check-out. Although the location is close to the city center and the train station, there were people shouting on the street late at night, possibly drunk tourists returning late. I heard loud noises both nights of my two-night stay.

The original plan was to stay here for only one night, and then rush to stay near Nara Park after visiting the Nintendo Museum the next day, so that I could get up early to feed the deer. However, it is really comfortable to live nearby. I really like this kind of small town with few people. Considering that Nara is not far away, I simply stayed one more night and took the rail transit to Nara the next day. It is recommended to stroll around the roads around the B&B, the matcha factory store, the large farmland, the children catching frogs, the teenagers practicing baseball, and the several nearby hotels.

My stay at Utano Youth Hostel was absolutely fantastic—it ended up being my favorite hostel in Japan. Everything here is incredibly well thought out and maintained. The toilets and facilities are spotless, and you can really tell that cleanliness and organization are a top priority. The common areas are spacious and welcoming, and the view is simply stunning. I especially loved the kitchen—it’s very clean, well-equipped, and carefully organized, with pots, chopsticks, and everything you need clearly provided. Breakfast was another highlight. It was delicious and came with a variety of side dishes, making it a great way to start the day. One more bonus is the free hot bath, which was such a relaxing treat after a long day of exploring. The only downside is the location—it’s about an hour away from the city by bus, or you can switch to the JR line partway through the journey. However, for me, the peaceful environment and quality of the hostel made it completely worth it. I truly loved this hostel and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comfortable and memorable stay in Japan.

This time I chose an apartment-style hotel, which is about a 1-minute walk from Exit 3 of Marutamachi Station on the Karasuma Line and a 2-3-minute walk from the Kinkakuji/Kiyomizu-dera bus stop. It is very convenient to reach various attractions. There are FamilyMart, 7-11, McDonald's, and supermarkets nearby. The room is spacious 👍, with kitchen utensils, oven, microwave, washer and dryer, electronic scale...all available. There is a large table in the room, which is a place where our family of five can go home every day to have late night snacks without being crowded. The teenagers enjoyed their stay very much and will choose this place again next time they visit Kyoto👍.