Following our stay in Takayama, my family arrived in Kyoto for the 2nd leg of our holiday. We had taken the intercity bus and reached Kyoto Station after a 4 hour ride. Thankfully, our accommodation for the night was right at Kyoto Station – Hotel Granvia Kyoto.
The hotel spanned the entire length of the massive Kyoto Station. It sat directly above the station and hence offered a sheltered and convenient access to the station and its facilities. Here is my take of our 4 night stay in this grand dame right smack in Kyoto’s centre.
Room Number: 1138
Room: Superior Twin
Bathroom: Separate shower and toilet / Toilet with bidet / Toiletries – shampoo, conditioner and body gel / Sink and vanity counter in the room with plenty of space for personal effects.
Room Amenities: Hair dryer / in-room safe / bar fridge / pantry / bedroom slippers / Power socket (2 by bedside, 2 by vanity counter) / In-room heater
Hotel Amenities: Restaurant
Safety: Card access to the accommodation floors and guest room.
Staff: Friendly / English proficiency / Presence – 100%
Neighbourhood: Above Kyoto Station
Getting around: Use the train at Kyoto Station
Getting to Hotel Granvia Kyoto
Our bus terminated at the bus station at Kyoto Station’s west exit. From there, it was a long and arduous journey through the evening peak crowd and massive station compounds to reach the hotel, which was situated on the other side of the tracks. So we crossed the road, pushed through the crowd across the sprawling concourse and squirreled through a long corridor before finally welcomed at the posh and cavernous hotel lobby.
Checking In and Getting To Our Rooms
After checking us in, a hotel staff led us to our rooms. The two towers of Hotel Granvia Kyoto run parallel along the length of Kyoto station. Our rooms were right on the other end of the hotel, which included a few hundred metres of walking from the lift lobby. The rooms lined up on one side of the corridor, while the other side overlooked the station’s mall. And right across was the other hotel tower.
Room of Hotel Granvia Kyoto
The space for the bedroom was rather decent for Japanese standards. After putting in 2 single beds, there was still enough space for us to lay out our luggage. There was even a pullout bed that could put up 3rd person in the room.
The open concept wardrobe, where we could find the yukata, also helped make the room look more spacious. There was in room controlled air-conditioning (thank goodness) and a TV with YouTube access. For train geeks, they would be thrilled with the view of the JR train lines.
Spacious and Generous Bathroom
The bathroom was equally spacious, with separate bath/shower from the toilet. There was plenty of space for toiletries, both on the vanity counter and in the bath. There was a bountiful supply of toiletries that was replenished everyday. To round it off, the toilet came with heated seat and bidet, and equipped with advanced settings like oscillation and pulsation control.
Security and Staff
As mentioned, we were led to our rooms by a hotel staff. They were also friendly at check in and check out, while being fluent in English. The lobby was expansive and housed several restaurants that were opened to the public, creating a bustling scene. Despite that, security was good, since the guest floors could only be accessed via the card keys.
Convenience and Access of Hotel Granvia Kyoto
Yes, Hotel Granvia Kyoto was located right above the train station. However, the station was huge too, so there were several entrances to the hotel. Unless you are familiar with the train station and surroundings, you’d be like us, who would always find the station concourse before orienting ourselves towards our next destination.
That being said, it was very convenient to find food and conveniences. Therefore, we did away with the hotel breakfast and settled with whatever we could find in the station.
Parting Words
Hotel Granvia Kyoto is a massive hotel right smack in the centre of Kyoto. In fact, it was atop the Kyoto station. That made the hotel super convenient for going to other parts of Kyoto for sightseeing, as well as looking for affordable meals. However, it’s massive size also meant long walks to and from our rooms, if your room happens to be at the far end.
Inside, the room and bathroom was spacious and well equipped with daily conveniences. It was actually a waste that we had planned our days full of sightseeing and enjoyed little of the hotel room! However, given the chance, I’d be game to stay in Hotel Granvia Kyoto again. Till then, stay wanderlust!
This post is part of my winter travelogue to central Japan, where I visited Takayama, Kyoto and Osaka. Check out my travelogues to the mountain town of Takayama, as well as my re-visit of Kyoto, particularly to spots like Kiyomizu-dera and Sagano Romantic Train. I also returned to Osaka for sightseeing – old and new sights. We stayed in Hotel Wood in Takayama, Hotel Granvia Kyoto and Hotel Vischio Osaka By Granvia in those spots, so feel free to read my room reviews if you are scouting for accommodation in these cities. I had flown into Nagoya, Japan via Vietnam Airlines‘ Business Class, and headed home on Asiana via Seoul. I had visited Osaka before and documented my vacation, so check out my travelogue hunting for food around Dotonbori in summer!
Lastly, if you are mesmerised by the charms of Japanese central mountains, check out my travelogues to Ginzan Onsen – the famed fairytale like ex-mining town in the mountains – and Aomori / Hirosaki, which was part of my winter trip to northeast Japan, where I ventured to the northernmost point of Japan – Cape Soya while exploring Sapporo, Hokkaido.
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7Pro, and edited with Google Photos.