HANARE by Tokyu Stay

Thank you again for your hospitality.Just three stops from Kyoto Station and also close to Karasuma Oike, it’s convenient yet quiet and comfortable.There are complimentary drinks, and alcohol is available at certain times.I’d be even happier if there were some Kyoto-style tea as well!I’ll be back again!

I found this Hotel while looking for a spacious Room with a mini-kitchen. “Annex” seems to mean it is an annex of the affiliated Tokyu Stay Karasuma Sanjo Hotel (30 meters away), and breakfast was the same, served at the traditional townhouse restaurant next to the Karasuma Sanjo Hotel. Most guests were Westerners, so it felt like being abroad, and the staff often spoke English. Because the annex has fewer Rooms and many are large, the elevator was rarely crowded and I could relax. In the lobby in the evening, there was a Kinshi Masamune sake tasting and a digital tea ceremony experience, where I could learn about tea ceremony (fee: 1,000 yen). The Room had a drum-type washer/dryer, a Haier microwave, and an excellent ReFa hair dryer that costs 40,000 yen. The bathroom also had an overhead rain shower, plus two sinks, which was very comfortable—but there wasn’t much storage space, so it was hard to find places to put things. There were no instructions on how to use some items either, so I had to figure them out while checking QR codes. The Room was new with great insulation, and I was surprised that you could barely hear any noise from the bathroom or from appliances like the washer/dryer or toilet. For breakfast you can choose one main dish from five options and take everything else buffet-style; I was happy that my main dish came out hot and freshly made.