Kyoto Gion U-BELL Hotel

Our stay at Kyoto Gion U-Bell Hotel was overall very good! The staff were extremely friendly, spoke great English, and the rooms were spacious, well-equipped, and spotlessly clean. Towels and trash bins are replaced daily if left in the hallway, but full room service is only provided from the fourth day onward. The location is also super convenient, with a 24/7 Lawson convenience store right across the street. However, there is one major downside—though it’s not really the hotel’s fault. The surrounding streets are full of people at night trying to lure you into shady services, from suspicious massages to hostess bars and more. The moment you step outside (or return), someone will approach you within seconds, which is both annoying and uncomfortable. Once, a guy even followed me into the hotel lobby after I unlocked the entrance door, and I couldn’t see any staff at the reception at that moment. Despite this, I would still consider staying here again, especially with friends. But I wouldn’t book it for a family trip due to the sketchy nighttime surroundings.

We recently stayed at this hotel during our visit to Kyoto, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The room was smaller compared to our other accommodations in Japan. We had booked the standard twin room, and it still provided enough space for us to comfortably open our suitcases and have a seating area. The staff were always polite and eager to help with any request. One thing to note is that the hotel doesn’t offer luggage delivery, but there is a convenience store right across the street that does provide this service. We did read in a previous review about ladies outside the hotel promoting a club; we found this to be true but also harmless. It only happens on one side of the building, and they are usually in front of the club. If this bothers you, stick to the main road near the convenience store and you’ll be fine. The hotel's location is another plus—it’s close to several train stations, which makes it easy to get around, and it’s situated in Gion, on the quieter side. This makes it an ideal spot for those who want to enjoy the atmosphere of Gion without the crowds of tourists. Overall, we had a very nice stay.

BEST location: Small hotel with quiet rooms in the heart of Gion, the Geisha district, to many sights and restaurants, transportation to other major sights and to Kamo River, where one get away from crowds. Room amenities: fridge, bathtub, coffee/tea. Room cleaned every 4 days but towels and garbage changed everyday. No breakfast but there is a 24-hr Lawson’s convenience store right across, starbucks and tulley’s coffee shops that open 8/8:30 am atound the corner. Staff: very friendly. APP to translate is helpful.

location was perfect. quiet but near where all the action is. everything is walkable. we loved crossing over the bridge to Pontocho. there’s a Lawson convenience store directly across. there’s also a lot of good massages in the area. dining option was plentiful (check out Sui in Gion) room was slightly bigger than others I’ve stayed in. clean. i love that you can drink tap water in Kyoto

The staff were very helpful, the room was exceptionally clean and comfortable. It was also very quiet and located close to bus stops and plenty of restaurants. I also liked that they didn’t service the room, and you received clean towels each day.