Hotel Granvia Kyoto

We had a great stay here in Kyoto! Family of 4 with 2 young adult children We chose this place due to recommendations of friends familiar with Kyoto - one who is a budget conscious Japan traveler and the others who are world travelers who often go high end. This is a very convenient place to stay in Kyoto - right on top of the station - with great access to trains, cabs, shops and restaurants. We stayed on the Granvia floors with access to the Granvia Lounge - where we ate most breakfasts and enjoyed a few cocktail hours, Japanese hospitality, and the view. Rooms were comfortable and we slept great. Although my Japanese is terrible and there were not as many bilingual (English) staff at the hotel we were able to communicate well for luggage transportation, restaurants, etc. Also - the concierge department was very helpful in getting us into a travelers clinic when my daughter sprained her ankle late one afternoon. Many restaurants to choose from in the hotel and close to the Ramen floor in the Isetan. It took a little more work on our end to seek out vegetarian options for our daughter but with a little work you can find them (great vegan ramen at Uno Ramen in Ramen Alley on the 10th floor of Isetan, and she found options at Tsukiji on the 11th floor when the rest of us wanted sushi). We would stay here again.

I experienced during check-in and reservation handling, which were compounded by problems originating from the Agoda booking system promoted via Tripadvisor. I arrived at your hotel after a long journey with my family (four persons) for a one-night stay, having made a reservation for two rooms through Agoda via Tripadvisor. Prior to this stay, I had spent three nights at Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka using the same booking platform, where the check-in process was completed within minutes in a professional and welcoming manner. Unfortunately, my experience at Hotel Granvia Kyoto was markedly different. The check-in process was unusually long and tiring. While my family waited exhausted in the lobby, I was asked to provide a photocopy of my credit card for “security purposes.” This request is, in my professional opinion, unacceptable. As an international family traveler, I do not consent to my credit card being copied and potentially accessible to multiple parties. When I proposed providing a cash deposit instead, I was asked to pay JPY 10,000, which then created additional administrative steps for refund at check-out — resulting in further unnecessary time loss. Time is extremely valuable for international family travelers, and this process caused significant inconvenience. In addition, the attitude at the reception was regrettably cold and unwelcoming. After a long journey, what a guest expects is a simple, warm welcome and basic guidance — especially when traveling with children. Information about hotel facilities, nearby dining areas, or the adjacent shopping mall had to be discovered by us independently. The situation worsened later that same evening. At approximately 10 PM, I extended my stay by two additional nights using the same Agoda application and informed the reception. When I requested updated room keys, I was told that although two rooms were booked, each room was apparently registered for only one person, and that additional charges for children would apply. Even the exact amount could not be clearly communicated. As a result, I spent over an hour in the lobby attempting to understand and resolve inconsistencies between the Agoda reservation details and the hotel’s system. This turned what should have been a simple extension into a stressful and unresolved situation, ultimately forcing us to retire for the night without a solution. I would like to clearly state that I am writing this complaint not as an inexperienced traveler, but as someone who has: * studied tourism management at university level, * worked for many years in the travel agency sector, * held managerial positions across multiple hotel departments, * including internationally branded hotels such as Sheraton. From this professional perspective, I must emphasize that the main issues were: 1. The hotel’s slow, inflexible, and solution-averse handling of a family check-in, 2. An inappropriate approach to security procedures, 3. Serious inconsistencies and misleading structures within the Agoda booking system, which directly affected hotel operations and guest experience. I respectfully request: * A formal review of the handling of my check-in and reservation extension, * Clarification of your hotel’s policy regarding credit card photocopies, * Coordination with Agoda to prevent such reservation discrepancies, * And appropriate compensation or acknowledgment for the significant loss of time and comfort experienced. This complaint is submitted in good faith and with the intention of improving service standards for international family travelers. Sedat GUNAYDIN Hotel Granvia Kyoto Guest Room: 1076 & 1078

Rooms The rooms are large and thoughtfully equipped with high ceilings by Japanese standards. AC was good and blankets not too thick. AC is quite necessary in November. Blackouts are good. Beds were comfortable. Lots of amenities. Lighting was very bright with a dimmer. The bathrooms are a bit dated and could to with a refresh. The shower tub room had strangely slippery tiles. The flooring in the wc and sink area was a tatami mat like carpet tile which seems to trap moisture and dirt. It would be better to just change the flooring to a modern tile. The wash jet control kept coming loose. My room was a very long walk from the elevators about 150 steps. The hotel is wide rather than tall so depending where your room is you might have to walk a lot. There is another elevator for the hotel 15 flr restaurants on the other side but doesn't stop at all the floors. If they did it would be a useful shortcut for guests. Location is convenient with lots of dining nearby I was in Kyoto in November and it was chilly at night so it was handy to have the shops and dozens of restaurants more or less connected to the hotel. The train station ticket office is just below the hotel and large Isetan department store is across the foyer of the station with a supermarket. There is a 711 below. The Porta underground mall has some nice restaurants. A bunch in the Kyoto Theater foyer too. There is a charge for the gym apparently but I didn't use it. There is a useful clinic on the 6th floor called GO clinic that deals with international visitors. Lots of taxis at the stand below. it takes a bit of effort figuring out the different escalators and exits of the hotel. Ask the hotel staff for directions. Service The concierge was helpful in arranging sightseeing transport and even had a foliage forecast. The lobby is too dark. Dark floors walls and ceilings so it looks gloomy, almost like it's closed. They should brighten it up a bit either with brighter lights or a lighter color scheme. Overall a conveniently located hotel, not cheap but not as expensive as the high end Western chains.

Hotel location at Kyoto Station is perfect, especially for us as first time visitors to the city. We disembarked the Shinkansen and found our way to the hotel quite easily. Friendly, courteous staff greeted us upon checking into the hotel and we found the decor and cleanliness of the room pleasing and the quietness of the room, relaxing. The breakfast and dinner buffets were well worth the cost as one has a large variety to choose from. We are interested in exploring other cities where Hotel Granvia has hotels.

Great hotel! Location is A +. Don’t worry about noise. The room is quiet, and of good size. Good beds, (pillows could have been better) , the bathroom was spotless and the shower was hot. Always get a kick out of learning how to manage the controls on the bidet. Kind of fun getting the unexpected squirt up your bottom. It seems like a newer hotel and the decor is very nice. We can’t say enough about the service. We had interactions with the staff on several occasions and they were so accommodating! They have lots of staff on hand to see to your every needs. Really only have one major criticism- the elevator was positioned quite a distance from the room. If we ever return to Japan, for sure we’ll be booking our stay with Granvia Hotels!