Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto

Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto hotel is a 10-story building with a dark facade located on a busy Kyoto street. The hotel's entrance looks more like the entrance to a parking garage because there are no windows facing the street. Once through the entryway, double-glass doors open to the lobby, a dark, atmospheric space with a black ceiling, wood-paneled walls, and large black-and-white floor tiles. The lobby is sparsely furnished with a few pieces of modern furniture: a backless white sofa, a beige sofa, and a square glass-topped table make up a seating area. This hotel is especially popular with couples and families.

Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto is located on a busy Kyoto street, with the Gojo subway station a three-minute walk away, and Kyoto station a four-minute walk from the hotel on the Karasuma subway line. Nearby attractions include Higashi Honganji temple, and Nishiki market, both within walking distance of Citadines Karasuma. Many restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores are in the immediate vicinity.

• Three-minute walk to Gojo subway station
• 12-minute walk to Higashi Honganji Temple
• 14-minute walk to Nishiki Market
• Four minutes to Kyoto station by public transportation
• Nine minutes to Kyoto International Manga Museum by public transportation
• 18 minutes to Kyoto Imperial Palace by public transportation
• 19 minutes to Nijo Castle by public transportation
• 20 minutes to the historic Gion area by public transportation
• 35 minutes to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) by public transportation
• 36 minutes to Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion) by public transportation
• 42 minutes to Ryoan-ji Temple by public transportation
• 95 minutes to Kansai International Airport by train, or an 80-minute drive

The 124 studios and one-bedroom apartments at Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto have a chic contemporary style, with a color palette made up of soft tones of white, cream, and beige. The walls are a crisp white, like the functional-looking furniture, while tan-colored carpeting covers the bedrooms and sitting areas, and bathrooms are tiled in brown. Sliding doors close off the bedroom areas from the small living rooms, made up of beige leather sofa beds, and work desks along the opposite wall. Large floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of natural light, and contemporary-style lamps provide soft lighting. Attractive black-and-white photographic prints decorate the walls, adding an interesting touch. Kitchenettes are lined with white cupboards and are well-equipped with stovetops, small sinks, microwaves, toasters, kettles, tea service, cutlery, and pots and pans.

Bathrooms are cramped, with shower/tub combos and electronic toilets. Rectangular vessel sinks are located outside the bathrooms, in small partitioned spaces. All the studios and apartments include air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and docking stations for music players.

The studio and one-bedroom apartments range in size from 269 to 560 square feet and include two single beds, or queen- or king-size beds, sleeping a maximum of three people (including the pull-out sofa beds). Some rooms have private balconies, and there's also the option of Japanese-style bedrooms with tatami mats and futon mattresses.

Some of the rooms show signs of general wear and tear, like carpet stains and worn and dirty sofa beds. Past guests have also complained that the bottled water is not replenished.

Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto offers few extra on-site features. The continental breakfast, served in the dark and windowless breakfast lounge, is inexpensive but doesn't get raves from guests -- it offers hot and cold items, like cereal, eggs, sausage, fruit, juice, and tea and coffee. Guests can use a self-service laundry with three coin-operated washing machines and dryers, and a vending machine sells soft drinks. Wi-Fi connection is free throughout the hotel. Dry cleaning, airport transfers, and on-site parking -- all with extra fees -- are also available to guests.