We went for the Holiday Inn in Kyoto because on a personal trip, proximity to public transport lines and the sights was essential. In this respect the hotel is convenient, five minutes walk away from the nearest bus stop and several bus stops away from Ryoanji and other famous shrines of northern Kyoto.

We also liked the punctual connection by the free shuttle bus to/from the train station.

The hotel itself is part of a shopping mall, and reception is on first (i e not ground) floor.

Room was nothing to write home about but nothing to fault either. There was an internet room with a couple of PCs, all for free, near the reception. We bought breakfast only once during the three days stayed there, and found it satisfactory.

We spent 8 nights at the Holiday Inn in Kyoto. We had a room with three beds. Beds were very comfortable, all in all 2 beds would have been fine (for 2 adults + 1 9yo girl). The bathroom was the standard we found in every hotel during our Japan trip. We had a room on the 9nth floor with a nice view on the surrounding hills. Free high speed interned in the room. There is free water and ice (and vending machines) in every floor. The staff was very helpful. Some of them spoke very good english. The hotel has a free shuttle bus to/from the train station. We used it only occasionally because it runs unfrequently. We used the public transports instead. In the same building there is a mall where we bought everything we needed for brekfast. There are a few restaurants in the building, a good sushi bar and a good german bakery. The only downside: it is far from the city center. I would suggest it for its good quality/price ratio and I would definitely stay there again.

This hotel is defined by its location, which is in a shopping center in a residential area. As a result, it has low prices and is one of the last Kyoto hotels to fill up in the high season. This location's advantage is that every need can be filled at the shopping center, at normal prices; as any Japanese shopping center, it also has a number of restaurants, a large supermarket, and a bakery.

The rooms are fairly small and nondescript, with the standard 'business hotel' grade bathroom, but are clean and comfortable.

The main shortcoming is of course the location, as taxi rides to/from the center will quickly eat any savings from the hotel's low rates. There is a public bus service outside the hotel connecting to the subway, and the nearest subway station is a not-unpleasant but long walk along the river away, doable for a fit person in good weather. A bicycle rental service would have been ideal...

This hotel was clean and tidy, but just too far away from the action for my liking.

I booked the hotel via Australian website wotif.com and had no problems. The staff were courteous and made me feel welcome. They provided maps of the local area which was very helpful.

The room I stayed in had an average view (no balcony) and two double beds which took up 90% of the room. But this is Japan, and the room sizes are always small. The bathroom was a reasonable size by Japanese standards. The fittings in the bathroom were quite old. The bath was very small (again, standard for Japanese hotels).

The problem with this hotel, and the reason why I don't recommend it, is that it is too far away from the action in Kyoto. First choice is to stay in/near Gion. Second choice is to stay near the station. This hotel is, unfortunately, not close to the station or Gion, and you have to take a taxi or public transport to get to any attractions. The area nearby also seemed poor in terms of restaurants and entertainment.

In summary - don't stay here as a matter of preference. But if you are desperate, it could be an option for you.