Kyoto Granbell Hotel

Great free amenities available at the front desk. All staff were friendly and welcoming. The blockout blinds were incredible! We slept in one day as it was so dark and quiet, shocked when we opened the blinds! Great walking distance from a lot of attractions. Note we did not use the restaurant at all so can not comment on that.

Great hotel with everything you'll need. Location is perfect. Onsen was amazing.

Absolute loved this hotel. So convenient. Very pretty. The public bath was great.

My second stay at this hotel. The staff are friendly and helpful. It’s peaceful and quiet and right in the heart of Gion. I love the beds so much and appreciate the wonderful public bath. It’s so relaxing that I booked a room for one night just so I could rest and recharge before continuing on my journey.

Loved the onsen. Hardly ever anyone there when I went. The breakfast was good but same menu for do many nights I stayed, however nothing opens early so do the hotel breakfast. Pancake restaurant very close opens at 11am good. Skip the okonamiaki and taki ball place on the corner... All undercooked. The bars in alley right next to hotel entrance had good skewers. Go to the one up the stairs on the right for best food and nice bartenders. The hotel had very kind and helpful staff. Rooms were exceptionally clean as was onsen. 2 washers not enough so I did laundry very early in the morning. Enjoyed the stay very much.

Great place to stay, amenity free to take, plus coffee machine free to use, nice onsen facility

This is the best hotel , hands down! Perfect location Gion, but 7 minute walk to Nishiki. Great bar and lobby, big rooms, wonderful Onsen! It is 5 star experience!!!!! Can’t wait to come back!

Great convenient location and very good facilities (public bath).

Really enjoyed Hotel Granbell Kyoto. Beautiful little modern property with lovely entry, lobby, and bar/dining area. Location is fantastic, Gion district with easy 3 mins walk to metro or across the bridge to malls and unlimited food choices. Temples and shrines in easy walking distance. Rooms slightly on the small side, with King beds taking up width of the room (have to crawl in from foot of the bed - would actually recommend getting 2 twins instead), but modern bathrooms and attractive contemporary feel. Breakfast excellent and well priced compared to other hotels we have tried in Japan. My only real negative was that I was looking forward to evening drinks at the beautiful little lobby bar and it was quite disappointing. Apart from one good bartender, the staff was very young and inexperienced. Drinks took far too long to make, menu was limited, and for some reason they insist you pay as you go rather than charge to the room. After a couple of disappointing evenings I discovered Bar Turquoise across the river and problem was solved. Overall recommend. Would stay at Hotel Granbell again.

Excellent rooms. Laundry facilities. Snacks and water available in the lobby. Excellent breakfast. Close to train station but not a very walkable area.

The room was super tiny. Did not have enough space for two people to have their suitcases open on the ground. They only will clean your room once if you stay 4 days, which is a big problem given the tiny trashcan in the room. The bathroom also reeked of mold.

We enjoyed staying in this property although it would have been nice to have housekeeping done daily during our 5 night stay. We were scheduled 2 housekeeping where they changed the sheets. The other days, we had to bring out our used towels and rubbish bins which I thought wasn’t of great service. Outside the lifts on our room floor, was also quite messy with all the cleaning equipment and products set up near the lift in the morning. I was also expecting USB charging ports in the rooms but didn’t get any. Aside from that, the hotel was in a great location. The staff who stood out was the lady who wasn’t Japanese (curly hair, darker skin). I forgot her name, but she was so helpful, so polite and would go above and beyond to try and accommodate the guests requests. She’s a great asset to the hotel and I hope the rest of the staff learn from her.

Great staff, clean rooms,

Everything was amazing. Perfect location. Only thing is the room cleaning which is every 3 days due to “eco-friendly” however they leave clean towels everyday at the door? Eco friendly wants to save water. I would suggest room cleaning with no towel change unless requested.

We loved this hotel! The service was wonderful, the breakfast was amazing, and even though the rooms are on the small side, they were well appointed and highly functional. Having onsite laundry was incredibly helpful. The location was very convenient for accessing the trains to everything we wanted to see & do. I cannot stress enough the appreciation I have for their cleanliness standards. Their housekeeping works very hard and pays attention to every detail. There is an incredible tiki bar across the street (KRFT) and wonderful food everywhere. It is VERY quiet even though the neighborhood is bustling with tons to do. I hope I have the chance to stay here again and would recommend it for everyone.

The property as a whole was nice and had a great vibe. The rooms are very small, with no closet space or dressers, so we had to live out of our suitcases. The bathroom smelled of pee/mildew.

I would definitely stay here again. The location was perfect-- a short walk or train ride away from everything. The hotel itself was very clean and the staff was helpful.

Kyoto Granbell Hotel has an excellent location, very clean rooms, and provides very good service. Highly recommended.

I paid $432 per night, which was NOT worth it.Breakfast is horrible and you have to clean up after yourself, put your plates and mug on a tray and put it away near the kitchen.I don’t think the hotel was clean. There was half a carpet in the bedroom and it looked dirty.Given they don’t clean every day, and you have to request them to clean, the dirtiness feel makes sense.This was the ONLY place in Japan I felt wasn’t as clean. Staff could barely speak English but they did their very best to help with questions.They helped with booking my Maiko photoshoot, tea ceremony and a tour to Nara.They typed Japanese on their phone and showed the English translation.Do NOT book the private taxi tour to Nara with them. Some tour company left flyers at this hotel. It was a total rip off.They charged 52,800 yen and I mentioned three things I wanted to do.I actually told them I want to do a 5-hr public transport tour but they said the 4-hr private taxi tour would be better as you win 1 hr. In the end, I had just 2 hours in Nara with visiting 2 temples and there was 30 min left for shopping (the 3rd thing I said I wanted to do in Nara).The hotel can’t do anything about it but they advertise this tour company so be aware.The bathroom is very small and the bed is oddly placed. You can’t get into bed from the sides but from the foot end only.The location is great. It’s just a 7-minute walk to Gion district and very convenient.$432 p.n.wasn’t worth it given the room size,cleannlines,breakfast

Very clean - very comfortable bed and great neighborhood to stay in.

Three and a half stars. Small hotel in the middle of everything in Gion neighborhood. Near Nishiki market and countless restaurants. But had to switch rooms since the first room we received was the width of the bed (this isn't an exaggeration) and we had no room for our luggage. Average breakfast for Japanese standards. If you're young and don't expect much in the way of service, excellent place to stay. Onsen was a nice touch but being in the basement a bit dark and claustrophobic.

The hotel itself was nice and they kindly offered to hold our luggage as we explored our last day in Kyoto. The rooms are very small, with stays of less than 4 days not serviced. The internet was very slow, unable to load YouTube or banking for most of our stay. The laundrette was tiny, with a queue of people at 9.30pm on a Saturday night. If you have any laundry to do during your stay we would highly recommend staying somewhere else or use the laundromat Koinrandoritokutoku Berezagionminamiten 3 minutes down the road which was excellent. It's in a great location close to train stations but ultimately would stay somewhere else next time.

Great location, clean and quiet. Room was small even by Japanese standards

The room was narrow and small but comfortable. It's conveniently located to restaurants and attractions. One of the front desk clerks wanted to charge us for checking in half hour before the 3 p.m. check in. But after checking with somebody in the back, she came back to say the room is ready and there won't be any charge. That was a little strange. Overall we were satisfied with the Granbell.

Nice location close to downtown area and close to transportation. Quiet with very nice common areas, amenities and friendly staff. The AC in the room could not keep the room cool and the room was very cozy, so that was a surprise.

Great location. Decent breakfast, served until 11am which is nice. The Premiere King Room is quite small. Maid service only if you stay longer than 3 days. There are no drawers, closets or places to put your luggage or clothes. There is no space between the bed and the wall so you have to crawl in and out of bed….not something I have often encountered. Seems a bit expensive for this setup. Check out the competition in the area before booking.

All good. Only real drawback was the small room size

10/10 location in Gion. Walking distance to many things and public transportation. Hotel is modern and clean. Rooms are very small and those on the first floor don’t have any natural sunlight so it feels like you’re in a basement. Breakfast was very disappointing, I would not pay for that add-on and instead visit one of the coffee shops or even the Starbucks nearby.

Pros: close to attractions, friendly and approachable staff Cons: slow if non existent Wifi in evenings, shower drain smells, sound insulation from hallway and other rooms are worse than similar 4 star hotel in Osaka.

Incredible place to stay albeit it will be small! If you have children or if you want more space this won’t be what you’re looking for, as we booked the largest room in the hotel and even then the washroom and room itself was smaller than expected. However, if you’re ok with that this place is fantastic. The onsen is great, the room is very clean, and the walking distance to everything is amazing. It’s situated in honestly one of the best areas in Kyoto as a tourist to be at and if you’re ok with a smaller room then this is absolutely a great deal

Awesome property. Staff was super helpful letting us store bags and helping with baggage forwarding.

We understand that Japanese policy is known to be rigid. It seems unkind for the Granbell to have made their guests sit in the lobby for over an hour when our room was ready and our luggage was sitting in the room. We arrived to the hotel around noon, left our luggage and walked around for a couple hours having been told our room was not ready. We returned and saw that our luggage was no longer in the holding area. We asked to go to our room, they already had our passport info, and a staff member took us to it. A miscommunication. She thought we wanted something from our suitcases. We just wanted, after 36 hours of traveling in hot weather, a shower and a nap. But the staff member said No, we had to return to the lobby for over an hour until 3 PM, official check-in time. My husband slept sitting up in the lobby for that hour. Another couple were also waiting. None of us could understand the hotel's position in making us sit there when the rooms were ready. We compared notes that in all the cities we had visited, we had never experienced this. On the contrary, other hotels, large and small will always try and make their guests as comfortable as posdible.

Friendliest staff I have ever encountered

Great room and location! The staff was so nice and helpful with any questions we had. Towels, water etc. were delivered daily which was a huge plus. I like that there was a trash bin and recycling bin by the elevators along with towel drop off. Made it super convenient. The breakfast was also great with plenty of options. Overall a great experience will be staying here again.

The room was narrow and small but comfortable. It's conveniently located to restaurants and attractions. One of the front desk clerks wanted to charge us for checking in half hour before the 3 p.m. check in. But after checking with somebody in the back, she came back to say the room is ready and there won't be any charge. That was a little strange. Overall we were satisfied with the Granbell.

Hotel stay was enjoyable and amenities were acceptable. At checkout, the front desk person started screaming when we returned one keycard instead of two. Goes to show how rude staff can completely spoil an otherwise good experience.

Great location in the old Gion district. A short walk to many points of interest and the metro line. The hotel was really well appointed and had really attentive staff. I would definitely stay here again.

Kyoto Granbell Hotel has an excellent location, very clean rooms, and provides very good service. Highly recommended.

Everything was amazing. Location fantastic.. From the staff who welcomed us on arrival to the team at breakfast, the staff are the best, they helped us with restaurant recommendations and reservations, to things to see and do. Out Japanese bedroom was gorgeous, the onsite onsen is lovely to use first thing in the morning The breakfast is so delicious with so much choice. They even have a laundry room here where you can do your own washing and drying. Brilliant hotel.

Kyoto Granbell Hotel was a fantastic stay. The staff were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout my visit. The rooms were very clean, comfortable, and well maintained, with great amenities. I really appreciated the early check in option, which made my arrival smooth and stress-free. Would definitely stay here again!

Perfect location to all the tourist spots, walking distance to Nishiki Market and very friendly staff.

The Granbell hotel is in the centre of Gion, and minutes walk away from most attractions, lots of restaurants and about 5-10 mins walk from downtown Kyoto. The rooms are fairly small, which is to be expected in the area. The hotel itself is prestine and had good facilities, including a laundry room and Onsen. We would return as it was a great location and had good facilities. The staff also were very friendly.

Well centered Location Walking distance from busy streets a, nightlife and restaurants We Enjoyed our Stay at the GrandBell Enjoy

Great hotel!!! Stylish at an affordable price, and located close to attractions and plenty of dining options. Loved having an Onsen on-site. Definitely recommend this hotel!!!

My second stay at this hotel. The staff are friendly and helpful. It’s peaceful and quiet and right in the heart of Gion. I love the beds so much and appreciate the wonderful public bath. It’s so relaxing that I booked a room for one night just so I could rest and recharge before continuing on my journey.

I would definitely stay here again. The location was perfect-- a short walk or train ride away from everything. The hotel itself was very clean and the staff was helpful.

Loved the walking distance to everything - felt very safe! Just a few doors down from a great foot massage place too. Very close to the train and bus stations.

Great area being close to a lot of attractions.

Beautiful hotel in Gion with lots of great restaurants around.

Great location & super easy to be in the heart of Kyoto

De kamer is erg klein en onpraktisch ingericht. Het ontbijt was koud en smaakloos, en absoluut niet de moeite waard, hooguit 2 sterren.

Small room but breakfast options were great and staff was very attentive and helpful

A beautiful, clean and charming hotel. Our room was more spacious than other hotels in Japan and had a gorgeous design. The breakfast buffet was fantastic; such a wide variety of choice. Around the hotel were izakayas and other restaurants, and shops/markets were also closeby.

Outstanding location, clean, quiet, comfortable. Would not recommend including breakfast though.

Breakfast was great and the staff was kind

Great location. Clean, quiet. The hot tub was such a pleasure. The breakfasts were terrific. The staff even wrote a recipe for me when I complimented a dish - in English. Small rooms but well appointed.

10/10 location in Gion. Walking distance to many things and public transportation. Hotel is modern and clean. Rooms are very small and those on the first floor don’t have any natural sunlight so it feels like you’re in a basement. Breakfast was very disappointing, I would not pay for that add-on and instead visit one of the coffee shops or even the Starbucks nearby.

Fantastic location with a great Italian restaurant just around the corner. Disappointed it identified it had a restaurant but this was only for breakfast. Fortunately you could buy drinks here if you wished. Breakfast was good.

The Hotel was good . The Buffet Breakfast not so good. Items that should have hot or warm were cold

Everything was amazing. Location fantastic.. From the staff who welcomed us on arrival to the team at breakfast, the staff are the best, they helped us with restaurant recommendations and reservations, to things to see and do. Out Japanese bedroom was gorgeous, the onsite onsen is lovely to use first thing in the morning The breakfast is so delicious with so much choice. They even have a laundry room here where you can do your own washing and drying. Brilliant hotel.