RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto

RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto occupies a huge imposing building with a gray, concrete facade, like the other buildings on the street. Interiors have a generic corporate look, with shiny tile floors but few decorative details to distinguish the large lobby area. The colorful wall murals and maple leaf motif carpets look dated, as do the ‘80s-style leather-look sofas in the reception area. Many of the public areas and hallways smell of stale cigarette smoke, which can be off-putting. But renovations, slated for 2016, could address these issues. The lobby can get busy with tour groups, which are often booked to stay here, and the hotel's proximity to Kyoto Station makes it popular with business travelers.

The RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto is about a 10-minute walk to Kyoto Station, the city’s main train transportation hub, and the hotel offers free shuttle service running every 15 minutes between the hotel and the station. There are lots of dining choices in the immediate vicinity, and there are three shopping centers within walking distance.

• 19-minute subway ride to Kyoto International Manga Museum
• 28-minute subway ride to Kyoto Imperial Palace
• 33-minute subway ride to Nijo Castle
• 25-minute bus ride to Nishiki Market
• 25-minute bus ride to the historic Gion area
• 38-minute bus ride to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion)
• 46-minute bus ride to Ryoan-ji Temple
• 48-minute bus ride to Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion)
• 90-minute drive to Kansai International Airport

The 482 rooms at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto range from Singles to Suites, and while most are spacious, some, especially the Singles, can feel cramped, with little extra space for storing luggage. Decor varies among the rooms, but the mix of different colors and motifs often clashes, creating a garish effect. The dark furniture is generic and not particularly stylish, while bathrooms tend to be small, with shower/tub combos and little counter space. In Deluxe Twin Rooms, the wine-and-cream colored walls jar with the floral-patterned sofas and patterned carpet with a butterfly motif. Suite Doubles are more pleasant, decorated in more harmonious tones of cream, beige, and brown. Some of the Suites have spacious bathrooms with separate toilet, bath, and shower areas. All rooms have air-conditioning, air purifiers, flat-screen TVs, minibars, electric kettles, Japanese tea sets, free Wi-Fi, hairdryers, and toiletries in the bathrooms. Tea- and coffee-making facilities come with an extra fee.

RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto offers a dizzying choice of restaurants. A buffet breakfast, not included in the room rate, is served every morning in the Corbeille restaurant. Lunch and dinner are buffet or a la carte. The Top of Kyoto is a revolving restaurant on the 14th floor, serving French cuisine amid panoramic 360-degree views of the cityscape and mountains. Gourmand Tachibana is another fine-dining French restaurant open for lunch and dinner. Other lunch and dinner options include Royal Ryuho, serving Chinese dishes; Teppan-yaki Aoi specializing in “Omi beef” and seafood; and Tankuma Kitamise, which serves Kyoto-style cuisine. Bar Granada is open in the evenings for drinks, while the Lounge, a cafe, serves light meals and drinks throughout the day.

The hotel has 17 banquet halls of varying sizes, which can accommodate up to 1,000 people. The business center has two computers, printers, a photocopier, and two vending machines selling drinks. Use of the indoor pool, whirlpool, and sauna entails an extra fee. Free parking is available in the large on-site parking lot, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.