While this is my third time in Kyoto, I have never actually spent much time in the city itself since it is always fast in fast out. This time around, I specifically plan a long stay in Kyoto to properly see and check out the city. Kyoto is worth spending some time in, it is a huge city with options to do multiple-day trips. You can easily spend a week here and not be bored. There are numerous Hilton options now in Kyoto, the footprint keeps expanding. Given that I wanted to see more of Gion, I decided to stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama. It is just on the outskirts of the core Gion area. It is within walking distance to Gion, the nearest station and bus stops. The rates were also acceptable. It is a rather new hotel and only open in 2023.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I got some information prior from the hotel itself with regards to the transportation and the rooms. I booked directly from Hilton for this stay and will be staying here for 4 nights. I got the base level Guestroom. The night before the stay, I can see from the app that I have been upgraded to the premium room. This is the highest room available and just below the suite. That is pretty nice elite treatment. They only have 2 suites here and it comes with an in-room onsen so the possibility of a suite upgrade remains small. DoubleTree by Hilton Kyoto Higashiyama comes with 158 guest rooms and suites spread across 5 categories. You can check out the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest | Yes | 25 Sqm | 50 |
| Deluxe | Yes | 30 Sqm | 36 |
| Deluxe Tatami | Yes | 28 Sqm | 24 |
| Premium | Yes | 30 Sqm | 44 |
| Deluxe Suite | Yes | 63 Sqm | 2 |
Checking In
I took the Shinkansen from Hiroshima and arrived at the station at around 1pm. From Kyoto Station, I took a taxi which is the best way to reach the hotel. The train is troublesome as you need to transfer lines, I won’t recommend it if you have bags. My taxi ride took around 10 mins and cost me around 1200 Yen. I love the gorgeous exterior of the hotel. It comes with a Japanese-style design. The entrance is on the ground floor with the reception area a floor below. There is no bell service available. You can then take the stairs or the lift to head below.
I love how gorgeous this place is with warm wood finishes and lighting. It is a luxurious yet simple minimalistic finish. It looks like a Park Hyatt to me. I was immediately helped at the reception and warmly welcomed by the manager Susmita who was very engaging and provided a load of information. She even offered some restaurant recommendations. All information about the hotel and facilities is provided. I was also informed of the timing of the evening drinks and breakfast. Late check-out was preemptively offered for 3pm.
Twin Premium Room
I was assigned a premium room on the fifth floor. I got room 520 to be exact. I was assigned the best available room which is just below the suite category. The premium room measures 30 sqm in size. The room isn’t exactly huge but this is already very spacious by Japan and Kyoto standards. It is just a short walk away from the elevators. I loved it once I entered the area. I love the Japanese theme and decor with a simple minimalist style. It is a form of understated luxury with warm lighting and wood finishing. It feels very cosy.
You immediately enter the open-concept bathroom and right behind the door, you can find an open-concept wardrobe with plenty of hangers. Some compartments housed the ironing kit and other amenities. Despite the small size, you can still find yukata, bath slippers and laundry bags. There is also a portable luggage rack available. The design allows you to make full use of the space.
On the right, there is a separate room that houses the toilet which comes with a small single sink. It is a typical Japanese-style bidet toilet.
The entire stretch of the entranceway housed the sinks. The area comes with a single circular sink and lots of platform areas to house your items. This can be quite handy. There is a small stool below and as such it can also be a vanity area. All sorts of amenities are provided and they are well stocked and generous with it. As usual, toiletries and amenities are from Crabtree and Evelyn.
In the other corner, this is where the showering area is. A sliding door separates the area. It comes with both a standing shower and a bathtub in the showering space. I love this layout as it allows you to get from the tub to the shower easily without water getting all over the place. They also provide a pail and a mini stool, very Japanese. It comes with only a handheld shower head, water pressure and temperature control are excellent. With that being said, The location of the knob might make it slightly inconvenient.
Another particular sliding door separates the entrance area from the bedroom area. This adds a lot of flair to the entire area and makes it more private.
By the wall, it comes with a high-quality smart screen TV with a good selection of local cable TV channels. There are also some English and Chinese channels. The set-up area also offers some gaps and slots for extra storage if you require them.
I got a room with twin beds and they can be found in the middle of the room with a gap in the middle. The beds are on the floor. You might need some getting used to if you prefer one that is higher. It does offer good Japanese vibes and design. The bedding and mattress are high quality and I had a good sleep. The same goes for the pillows which offered great neck support.
There are no side tables here but rather the ledge above and behind was nicely designed to place some small items. You can then conveniently find outlets and controls for the lighting. They even had USB ports.
The minibar is located in the corner. It comes equipped with a coffee machine and a kettle. There are packaged tea and capsules provided. Below is also a mini fridge that is stocked with bottled for your stay. Do note that they do not provide any single-use plastic bottles but rather reusable glass bottles. Subsequently, you can use the self-service water points on the lobby floor and 1st floor to replenish them.
Besides the mini bar, there is a window bay sofa. It is nice to have a seating area here. Together with the side table, the spot just blends too well with the entire place. It can nicely sit 3 pax and could even be a bed for the smaller one. Power outlets and plugs are available if you want to make it into some sort of working area. The Wi-Fi connection is very good and strong in the room.
There is nothing much to say regarding the view given how low we are. It just faces the opposite side of the road. I left the curtains drawn most of the time. I would also like to point out the air conditioning in the room. It is very powerful and quiet. This is constantly taken for granted but I had my fair share of weak and stuff or noisy ones that make it unbearable to sleep at night.
Onsen
This is one of the nicest facilities to have in a city hotel. The hotel comes equipped with an onsen which is located on the same floor as the lobby. It is just beside the reception area and the restaurant area. It is open from 6am to 10am and from 3pm to 11pm. This is quite a favourite among both locals and tourists. It is a typical Japanese style onsen which is gender specific and clothing optional.
I got a chance to get some pictures shortly before it opened and when it was empty. The changing room is very comfortable and comes with all sorts of amenities and shower facilities.
OPEN Lounge Bar
While this hotel doesn’t have an executive lounge, they have very kindly extended Diamond members evening cocktails daily from 5pm to 6pm at the hotel bar. This is located right opposite the reception area. I love that they have gone above and beyond rather than being cookie-cutter. What a nice touch of elite recognition. I appreciate it. It is not even a one-glass kind of thing but a full spread of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for an hour. This is quite handy after a day of travelling when you can rest and relax for a bit before heading out for dinner.
Here are some pictures of the seating area. I drop by a couple of times during my stay. There are red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, sake, beer, soft drinks and juice. You can find some bar snacks and chocolates.
Breakfast at OPEN
Breakfast is served at OPEN restaurant from 7am to 10.30am. Breakfast usually costs around 3800 yen for adults. Complimentary breakfast is offered for gold members and above. I went down to have breakfast at around 9am which isn’t too crowded. I was ushered in after informing my room number. By the entrance, you have a drinks counter with some coffee and tea selections. They are using Nespresso coffee.
The rest of the buffet line is in the main area in the inner part of the restaurant. I would say that the selection is quite huge. There is a nice combination of both local Japanese and Western selections. You have a selection of pastries and what is so cool about this place is that they have like five different types of local Japanese tea ranging from Hojicha to Matcha. There is miso soup, steamed rice, dim sum, grilled fish, sausages, and bacon. You can also order eggs to your liking from the egg station.
At the side is a small salad station, fruits, cold cuts, cheese and an assortment of fresh juices. Breakfast selections stay the same from day to day.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this property a lot and had a comfortable stay. The location is ideal for exploring Kyoto, especially the Gion area. The rates here are not too expensive for Kyoto standards. I will recommend it with no qualms. The hardware is nice and new. I love my Japanese-style room. The breakfast is pretty good and you even have an evening drinks hour if you have Diamond status. The onsen might also be something you are keen on. Staff service is excellent and polished. I am looking forward to being back someday and also to try out the other Hilton properties in Kyoto.
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