Nice size rooms at a great location for travelers”

Hotel Granvia Kyoto impressed us in the following areas - 1. Room size. Huge by Japanese standard. We stayed at the St. Regis Osaka the night before and the room is much smaller for a much more upscale and expensive hotel; 2. Convenience for travelers, especially first timers. If you are taking the JR to Kyoto and is concerned about getting your ways around after arrival, then you should consider this hotel, which is located inside the terminal. It cannot get any easier than this. No need for transportation or even minimal walking. So in any weather condition, you will get to your hotel in just a minute after you arrived Kyoto; 3. Friendly staff, well trained even by the lofty Japanese high quality service standard. They make you feel comfortable and are very helpful. Other than that, the rooms are very clean, but that usually is true for all Japanese hotels. It's not charming in a sense that it is more business like. If you are looking for a real Kyoto classic experience, I would suggest that you look else where. But if you want a nice, comfortable and controllable experience in familar settings, I think Hotel Granvia is a pretty good bet.

A city in itself”

The JR station in Kyoto is a city within itself, and the Hotel Granvia is the Manor House. The place is immense. Upon arrival, looking out from a window onto the city, the thought of venturing into the streets on foot was daunting. How long would it take to escape the station complex and start a walking tour was an uncomfortable thought. The Granvia concierge was excellent in English and cheerful and patient in marking up a city map for us, but still we were stumbling around for a while. Nevertheless, we finally found the subway entrance, and finally got some help in purchasing fare tickets, and arrived at our destination. The concierge advice was very useful, giving us transportation choices, and indeed we used the loop bus #100 to return to the station. (Notable advice: if there is a ticket machine at the bus boarding area, take a ticket; if none exists, the fare is fixed price for any destination. The fare machine next to the driver makes change for bank notes, and the driver will help you by taking coins from your hand to match the required fare. We formed up at the end of the line so as to not delay all the other passengers who knew the system well.) On check-in be mindful of which elevators to use. North lifts serve some room numbers, and South serves others. Hotel Granvia offers three breakfast locations, and we chose the buffet. Good choice. Self-service latte etc coffee machine and variety to satisfy anyone. Before 8AM it is crowded with significant waiting time. Checkout is busy early in the morning, but at 9AM+ it was fast and easy. Lobby seating is insufficient if you have to wait for a train or something.

The Granvia Hotel, a perfect Oasis in Kyoto”

The Granvia Hotel is the perfect oasis in Kyoto. It is ideally located atop the Kyoto Central Station enabling easy access to the endless beauties Kyoto has to offer only a mere train stops away. It is centrally located to a wide variety of restaurant choices and shopping options which are located just below the hotel and available throughout and around the station. The hotel is a short train stop to the famous Gion District, where there are endless shops and restaurants, not to mention the spot ideal spot to see a Geisha and visit a pagoda or temple in your travels. The hotel itself offers endless high end dining experiences and the largest rooms we encountered throughout Japan, not to mention spectacular views from the large ceiling to floor windows. The staff are very proficient in English and offer the highest service levels encountered and are extreamly helpful with no demand being too difficult. A perfect hotel in more ways than one. We will definately be visiting the Granvia in Kyoto upon our next visit to Kyoto.

Modern hotel with great views”

Me and my family had a great stay at Hotel Granvia Kyoto. The hotel has easy access to all of Kyoto as it is located in the Kyoto central station which means local trains, shinkansen, JR trains, subway and buses are just minutes away. It has a nice sky bar on the 15th floor with great views. In the central station is also 3 or 4 shopping malls with restaurant floors. These were all very pleasant and the food was great! Travelling with a baby, we really liked the opportunity to eat close to the hotel. There is easy access to basically all Kyoto sights from the hotel. This was great for us since we didn't have a child seat and could therefore not travel by taxi. There were also some sights within walking distance. The room was also quite big, especially for Japan so we could spend a lot of time in the room with no problem. The staff was very friendly and really helpful.

My Favorite Hotel”

Before arriving in Kyoto I hemmed and hawed over whether to stay at a hotel on the Kamogawa River or at the Granvia. We ultimately chose the Granvia because we were able to secure a "Family Room" (NOT advertised on any of the booking sites!! You have to email them to inquire about the availability) which was HUGE by any standards (62 sq m) and had 4 "twin" beds. I put "twin" in quotes because they were each wider than your standard American twin and longer. My 2 children, husband and I all had some of the best sleep of our lives in this hotel. The beds were incredibly comfortable with wonderful linens. The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful. I disagree with some of the reviewers that this is more of a 4-star hotel than a 5 star. It absolutely deserves its 5 stars. The breakfast was OUTSTANDING. Best hotel breakfast I've ever had. We absolutely LOVED this hotel and would stay here again.

Best hotel in Kyoto”

granvia kyoto combines 5 star luxury with ultra convenience next to the kyoto station. if you arrive into kyoto by shinkansen (bullet train) or want to take jr line to anywhere else, or using subway, it's all right at the door step of granvia kyoto. the kyoto station is an amazing hub of everything you ever need, such as restaurants, high end mall (isetan, boutique outlets like gucci), across the street is yodobashi electronic mall, starbucks, deli france, and a host of restaurants. amenities are as what you expect from a 5 star hotel. free wifi also available in room. the only downside is that gym and swimming pools are not free.

Fantastic!”

The location of the Hotel Granvia is great because not only is it attached to the train station, but the bus terminal and tourist information centers are both next to it as well. There's also a large department store with a food hall (deli stalls & bakerys)/grocery store on floors B1 & B2- my son and I loved getting "take out" breakfast (Andersons Bakery is the best and opens at 10 am) and dinner and eating in our spacious, comfy room. Also, there's so much shopping around that you never have to venture out very far. The staff at the bus information center were very helpful and they'll provide you with a great city bus map. I would recommend a 1 day bus pass for only 500 yen- best deal in town especially if you plan to visit several sites. You enter the bus from the back door and you exit from the front door showing your pass to driver as you leave. From the moment we entered the lobby to check in, we were greeted right away and assisted. Throughout our stay the staff always kindly and respectfully greeted us. The staff work so hard to make the hotel first class. The rooms are large and the beds are very comfortable. It was convenient and easy to control the room temperature with the thermostat. Slippers and robes are provided. There's a room safe and complimentary tea bags for hot tea (hot water pot in the room). Finally, the bathrooms are fabulous. You will love the toilets with all the "bells & whistles"- you will have to see it to believe it. And the "shower room" with the large showerhead and body sprays feels sooo good- I showered twice a day because it was pure luxury. This was the second time we stayed at the Hotel Granvia and I would highly recommend it!

Good Hotel in a very good location”

The staff is very friendly and helpful. The room is very spacious and clean, but the downside is that there is not enough powerpoint and no usb plug in the room. The advantages of this hotel, is their location, its located on the stop of kyoto station. Its make easier for us to catch JR Line, Subway and also bus. Shopping mall, 7eleven and restaurant also in the walking distance, so its very convenient if you want any food or snack. So Far the experience staying in Hotel Granvia Kyoto is been pleasant and enjoyable. Will consider to stay in this hotel again in the future.

Fantastic Hotel, ideally lcoated for transport ”

my husband and i spent 4 days at the granvia with our two kids (4ys and 2yrs). our expectations, being that we were in japan, was for a small room, and good service. the rooms were far bigger than i expected - king bed, seating area and space to comfortably fit a baby bed. we were welcomed with little bags of slippers (for us and our kids) as well as special lounging outfits. everyone in the hotel was very welcoming and the concierge was fantastic. we expected the hotel to have a very corporate feel, and this was not the case, i think, based on the wonderful staff. the hotel is not located in a scenic area, but as you are in the station (doesn't feel this way in the hotel) with small children this was ideal. travel around kyoto and outside of kyoto couldn't have been more straight forward as the metro and japan rail offices were at our feet. also - we had lots of dining options being in a station attached to a mall, and with small (picky) children, this was a huge plus. i highly recommend this hotel for couples who like comfort and convenience, or those with children.

Fantastic location with a large room”

My wife and I stayed in Granvia Kyoto for 3 Nights recently and really enjoyed all aspects about this hotel. The staff were friendly and accomodating and location wise this is a gem as it is connected with Kyoto station. Very accessible and plenty of shopping and food options. We did not take the breakfast option so cannot comment on that. The room we got was huge and had a great city/mountain view. The tub was large as well. We will definitely stay in this hotel again when we return to Kyoto. Thank you for making our stay a special one!

My 3 Nights Stay in Hotel Granvia Kyoto”

Hotel Granvia Kyoto is excellent for its location and neatness of its rooms. I had booked 2 superior twin rooms for 3 nights stay, and both of them had nice features to give you the comfortable feeling of home. Most Hotel Granvia are located above or very near JR and/or Shinkansen Stations and major malls to provide convenience to tourists. You just have to check out timely and the train station is just next to your hotel ready to transport you to another Japanese city or International airport. Save you tremendous amount of time. I regretted not booking Hotel Granvia Osaka which cost me time and unnecessary money getting around the city of Osaka and to Kansai International Airport on the last day of my vacation.

Excellent staff, facilities, and location. ”

We stayed at the Hotel Granvia Kyoto for a second time this trip, choosing it for its convenient location at the train station. We left the next morning @9:30am via train for Tokyo and Narita. It worked out perfectly. The staff and service is first rate, but the price was very reasonable. We had a last dinner of Okonomiyaki at a restaurant at the nearby Yodobashi Camera dining floor. And In the morning we enjoyed the traditional Japanese breakfast at the hotel restaurant Ukihashi. Wonderful last night in Japan thanks to the excellent hotel.

Best location & facilities”

Hotel is right above the Kyoto Station. You can also take limousine instead of rail., about 5-7 min walk. Hotel staff speaks good English and is very helpful. The room is big and with a spacious bathroom and good amenities. Easy access to everywhere. Shops & restaurants around. I will definitely stay at this hotel again. Room at Osaka Granvia is much smaller than Kyoto Granvia but higher price.

Great Location to Visit Kyoto”

Located within Kyoto Station itself, you can easily hop on a bus, the metro, or the JR lines to visit anywhere in Kyoto! In addition, the Kyoto Station and the surrounding areas have plenty of restaurants and shopping too. The hotel rooms are spacious and well-kept. Slightly dusty (especially since I have children with me), but no complaints. The best are the hotel staff - very polite, helpful, well-trained, and most of them are able to speak in English too. Check-in and check-out was timely and quick (Japanese efficiency!). Facilities are ok. If you are not part of the GRANVIA Club, you will have to pay to access the fitness room and swimming pools (and you have to be at least 20-yrs-old). An excellent stay, and I would not hesitate to book this hotel again in future.

luxury in a great location”

I stayed at the Granvia for 5 nights in the winter. The room was large, the bed and bedding were comfortable and of fine quality. The location was not scenically beautiful at all but was convenient especially as the weather was so cold. I could get the subway or a bus to all of Kyoto's lovely sights and it was easy to get back to the hotel as the station is an obvious landmark. The tourist information office in Kyoto station is directly opposite one of the entrances to the Granvia. The Isetan department store is accessible from the station without going outside and has great food in the basement food hall. The post office is next door and I sent parcels from there. The staff helped me find probiotic tablets nearby and gave me a box to send a parcel.

A nice hotel at Kyoto station”

Hotel Granvia Kyoto is a beautiful hotel very close to JR Kyoto station (about 3 min walk from JR Shinkansen gate) and Kyoto City Bus Terminal (about 3 min walk from the hotel front). This hotel also has several nice restaurants and patisserie. There are many shopping centers around this area, such as Porta, AEON Mall, Isetan, The Cube, and Avanti. So the hotels' guests can enjoy dining and shopping.

Great location and good rooms with good service”

the hotel was at an excellent location as it was right smack at the kyoto sation. needless to say this made our travelling very convenient as we didn't have to worry about being late for our bullet trains. since the hotel was at the kyoto station that meant that there was a lot of shopping right at our doorstep. the isetan right opposite the hotel was great. the staff were all very helpful and patient with us. even though we only stayed for one night, it was an enjoyable stay at the granvia hotel. we will definitely come back to stay at this hotel again if we ever come back to kyoto in the near future.

Fantastic -- the service, location, spacious rooms”

the granvia made our kyoto visit that much more enjoyable, easy. its unbeatable location at the train station (itself far exceeding what most would think of train stations) was a true asset, with a supermarket, dining options (incl a ramen "street"), transportation easily accessible. after fully packed days of touring kyoto, the spacious room was a pleasure to return to, and the fantastic pool, sauna and gym (tho at a small fee) made unwinding that much easier. what was surprising was, despite its location above the train station, it was a big hotel with a boutique feel -- much thanks to its warm decor and friendly service. and a reliable local source says bill clinton stayed there when he visited to give a speech.

Most convenient Hotel for Shin Kansen traveler ”

I went to Kyoto this time to attend a meeting at the Kyoto International Conference Center and I travel with a JR Pass .Therefore a reservation at the Granvia Hotel makes it so convenient both for attnding the meeting and for enjoying Kyoto. It is quite easy to go around the City from the hotel since it is right on the Kyoto station where you can catch all JR lines, subway ( undergound) buses etc. Furthermore there are all sorts of wonderful restaurants supermarkets, department store. I have often used this hotel and grew to like it mare and more !!!

Wonderful experienced. ”

Even though this hotel is located at JR station, it comes with 5 stars hotel's standard. I'd highly suggest this hotel to all the business travellers. Shopping and food courts are right at the basement and next buildings. If you want to save money, just book hotels accross the streets, those hotel are half price comparing with the Hotel Granvia Kyoto.