Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shinmachi Bettei

The building housing Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shinmachi Bettei has a long history. Built in 1903, it was the home of Matsuzakaya's textile operation division and later housed the Matsuzakaya Textile Reference Archive, opening as a hotel in 2014. From the outside, it looks more like a traditional ryokan, but as the second set of doors glide open, guests enter an impressive, spacious lobby with wooden floors and large glass windows that look out on a Japanese garden. The restaurant, which also has views of the garden, has Japanese-inspired minimalist decor that includes light-wood tables and chairs, and curtained room dividers. One area of the restaurant is especially moody, though, with black walls and playful round bulb lights hanging from the ceiling. The hotel's communal bath is gender-segregated, and a dressing room with individual vanities is a nice convenience after a hot bath. The hotel appeals to travelers from all categories, from business guests to leisure tourists.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shinmachi Bettei is located on a busy one-way street in an area with plenty of restaurants and chain stores. It’s less than a 10-minute walk to the Karasuma Subway station, and from there it’s a 10-minute ride to Kyoto Station and the city center. Most of the city's most famous temples aren't within walking distance, though the Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto and JR Kyoto Isetan department store are about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Nijo Castle is an eight-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from the hotel. For ambitious walkers, the Gion Geisha District is also a 20-minute walk across the Kamo River, with the traditional tea shops and restaurants lining the Pantocho alleyway can be found along the way. Osaka International Airport is a 50-minute drive from the hotel, depending on traffic, though it can be reached in 75 minutes by train as well.

The 129 rooms at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shinmachi Bettei have an attractive minimalist aesthetic that's a step above many of the slightly dated options that pepper this part of Kyoto. Standard Rooms have sleek Japanese-inspired decor, including wooden alarm clocks with number faces and frosted shoji windows that, while attractive, cannot be opened. They have no curtains, so guests can't control the amount of natural light let into their rooms. Floors have subtly patterned brown carpets, chic charcoal gray accent walls, and light wood veneer furniture with clean lines. Beds have white duvets and white leather padded headboards, and there's little in the way of wall art. The look is simple, but stylish, overall. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi,  air-conditioning, and mini-fridges stocked with bottled water. Bathrooms are sharp, but small, with red lacquer accent walls, tile floors, shower/tub combos, and compact granite vanities. Generous amenity kits include toothbrushes. Razors, slippers, and Shiseido toiletries in dispensers are also provided.

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shinmachi Bettei has a gender-segregated communal traditional bath, with lockers and dressing rooms furnished with hairdryers and toiletries. The on-site restaurant offers garden views, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner -- breakfast is a Japanese-based buffet with some Western dishes, though it isn't included with room rates. Vending machines dispense alcohol and soft drinks, and coin-operated laundry machines are available for guests’ use. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.