Ibis Styles Kyoto Station

Ibis Styles Kyoto Station is a gray, boxy, 10-story building with square windows, located just next to the mammoth Kyoto train station. Its interiors are chic and contemporary, in keeping with the design concept of the Ibis budget chain, which offers a boutique-on-a-budget vibe. Located on the third floor, the bright lobby area has floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, and the minimalist furniture is made up of contemporary-style sofas in shades of saffron, lime, teal, and cream. The hotel gets very busy and is especially popular with couples and families traveling for leisure.

Ibis Styles Kyoto Station is on a busy thoroughfare running past the south side of Kyoto's huge main train station. The station is a hub not only for regular trains, but also for the high-speed Shinkansen trains and the city's subway network. There's also a taxi stand next to the station. The station is connected to a large complex with many shopping and food options, and there are lots of shops and restaurants in the neighboring streets.

• Five-minute walk to Kyoto train and subway station
• 12-minute drive to Nishiki Market
• 15 minutes to Kyoto International Manga Museum by public transit
• 24 minutes to Kyoto Imperial Palace by public transit
• 26 minutes to the historic Gion area by public transit
• 27 minutes to Nijo Castle by train
• 33 minutes to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) by public transit
• 37 minutes to Ryoan-ji Temple by public transit
• 40 minutes to Kiyomizu-dera temple by public transit
• 43 minutes to Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion) by public transit
• 44 minutes to Arashiyama by train
• 79 minutes to Kansai International Airport by train

Guest rooms at Ibis Styles Kyoto Station are small and include closet-like Economy Singles, slightly larger Economy Queens, and more spacious Standard Queen, Standard Twin, and Superior Rooms. A maximum of two people can sleep in a room, and it can be a tight squeeze with luggage. Despite their size, all rooms are simple but chic and comfortable, with soft lighting, and furnishings done up in trendy colors -- think lime-green bed runners and gray curtains. Furniture is kept to a minimum, with nightstands integrated into the headboards and long narrow desks. Each room also has an easy chair and a small narrow closet space next to the door. Rooms come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, electric kettles, hairdryers, slippers, toiletries, and free mineral water. The compact bathrooms are Japanese-style: functional and practical, with molded sinks squeezed in-between half-size shower/tub combos and electric toilets. 

As a budget hotel, Ibis Styles Kyoto Station saves on features: the only extra it offers is a free buffet breakfast with Japanese and Western dishes served in the second-floor breakfast room. The breakfast service tends to get crowded, and guests may need to wait for a table. Also on the second floor is the coin-operated laundry room, equipped with two washers and two dryers, and a vending machine selling soft drinks. Two desktop computers and a printer are available for guest use in the reception area, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. On-site parking is available for a fee.