Villa Sanjo Muromachi Kyoto

It might be a hotel geared towards inbound tourists.

Stayed for three nights at this hotel located in Sanjo Muromachi, where the Yamahoko Kaisho are concentrated, to enjoy the Gion Festival's Yamahoko Junko. The building itself is still relatively new, so it's clean. Even before the Gion Festival, it seemed more than half empty, and I only saw other guests a few times; there didn't seem to be any other Japanese guests. The structure is typical of Kyoto, with a narrow frontage like an eel's bed, but the deluxe twin room was fairly spacious with a window facing Muromachi Street, which gave it a nice atmosphere. The bathroom had a large bathtub, and the drainage and hot water were problem-free and comfortable, but as mentioned in other reviews, the washbasin was more about appearance and not functional at all. The flaw of this hotel is in the soft aspects. The service from the female staff at the front desk was perfect, but the male staff made mistakes like giving the wrong key, and when I requested an ice bucket, it came with less than half full of ice. Disposable slippers were not provided after the second night unless requested. If they were thick ones like at the Ritz-Carlton, they could be used for several days, but are we expected to use flimsy slippers that become worn out after one night for several days? The most surprising was on the third day when two glasses were stacked in the bathroom (see photo). I've stayed at dozens of hotels, but I've never been treated like this before. I don't understand why this place is rated highly. Also, the breakfast reviews were not good, so I had breakfast at a nearby Kyoto obanzai restaurant. It's a five-minute walk, and for 1,900 yen per person, you can enjoy freshly cooked rice and delicious obanzai, so there's no value in using the breakfast here. Overall, with the front bar counter and such, this hotel targets foreigners and is not for Japanese people seeking quality service. I visit Kyoto two or three times a year, but I won't be returning.