Our stay at Genji was seriously the highlight of our Japan trip. We've travelled a lot, and this hotel is one of the best we've ever stayed at. Everything was fantastic and at such a great level. The service with a personal touch, the unique and sophisticated interior design, delicious food and drinks (local sparkling wine is superb!!!), the rooftop bar, the location. I can keep counting and still it won't give justice to what we feel :). I would like to highlight again the personal touch in communication with the whole Team working at the hotel, because this is what me and my husband value the most. We were in touch with the staff all the time (thanks to typhoon our stay was delayed and postponed time and again), communication level is superb! Despite us finally arriving really, really late (midnight it was) we received such a warm welcome with amazing drinks at a cozy bar counter. Kyoka-san and Shin-san were so kind to stay late and wait for us, then showing us around and having a friendly chit-chat too, Then there were Mao-san and Ryoko-san who were so helpful, kind, cheerful, supporting and just great! We even met the Owners and the Architect/Designer of the hotel who also were so hospitable, easy going and welcoming. The hotel is a walking distance from Gion and Nishiki Market. It's situated in a quite street on the river bank, and the morning view from the rooftop bar is just superb. Side note: you can see the DAI kanji from the rooftop bar, if you happen to comy by Gozan no Okuribi! The rooms are spacious and designed in a very unique and elegant way. It's a mixture of traditional Japanese and Western materials and design elements, with some small, special touches visible if you look a bit more attentively. It's a very beautiful, tasteful living space. Lastly the Japanese breakfast was fantastic! And having it with a view is another pleasure. We really felt at home at Genji.

Everything...kindness, recommendations & proactiveness of staff...location - close to Central station & metro stations giving easy access to all our activities in and beyond Kyoto...great, quiet neighborhood by the Kamo river, with great tips on cozy neighborhood cafes/jazz bars/shops to visit, relax and enjoy...Very unique hotel design (across rooms, lobby, garden, skyroof forest...), blending tradition with modernity and practicality - really elevates the experience! And great breakfast as well as overall menu (specially wagyu meat sandwich!)...

I travel a lot but do not often do a review, unless a place really upsets me or impresses me. I am happy to say that with the Genji Kyoto Hotel it is the latter. Another true hidden gem I would recommend to anyone looking for something amazing and different. The hotel design is extremely impressive, somehow merging Japanese design with modern convenience seamlessly. The location is in the heart of a historically significant area and with very little effort you will find bath houses, national monuments, temples and gardens with centuries old histories. The attention to detail in the rooms, the in-room facilities and authentic yet modern feel is second to none. Being a boutique hotel you wont find resort hotel type facilities, but the rooftop view, ambiance, and design adaptations in the hotel more than make up for that. Besides that everything you are looking for is within walking distance and those businesses have probably been there for literally centuries. I would advise asking for a room with a wooden bathtub, I believe not all of those have those. The staff are equally incredible and have a genuine friendliness and desire to serve their customers as well as they possibly can. I often go to "mainstream" large hotel brands, even luxury brands, and you can often get a sense that, although the staff are professional, the interaction gives you a "scripted" feel. Of course you know the SOP says ask the guest x number of times if the food is ok or if he needs anything, the manager has to come by at least once etc, and the basic checks are tick box interactions, designed to train in that "care". The downside is although you tick all the boxes, all the interactions do come across as scripted and automated because, well, they are. Not so with the staff here, the interactions and the care are authentic and genuine and they strive for perfection in everything they do. A genuine pleasure to meet them.

Nothing

Amazing location and wonderful staff. I would definitely book this hotel again.

Two things stuck out: 1) this is a hotel designed for couples - not a lot of privacy between the bathroom and washroom and not ideal for our situation as it was me, my husband, and our adult nephew :/ and 2) The staff at the hotel were fantastic and even though this is a Marriott property, it very much had the boutique feel. That being said, there was a ton of trash on the riverside in front of the hotel (and directly in-view) and being part of a larger hotel conglomerate, I would have expected them to keep up exterior aesthetics a little better. Definitely made birdwatching a little cheaper when you had a pile of empty boss coffee bottle to have to also stare at.

Genji Kyoto is easy to get to from Kyoto Station and is located in a quiet neighbourhood. The hotel is gorgeous and has a serene atmosphere. The staff is also incredibly friendly. We adored our room overlooking the Kamo river; the view was beautiful, it was clean and spacious with lots of natural light. The food was also exceptional. We had supper on the garden terrace on our first night along with some drinks and a Japanese breakfast set on our last morning. A convenient aspect was for our laundry to be done overnight at no cost. Staying here was definitely a highlight of our Japan trip.

Beautifully designed and reimagined original machiya house in residential neighborhood by the river. The rooms were large and comfortable, with traditional tatami mats, ofuro tub, and very comfortable beds. River views are beautiful and the roof deck bar is a treat. The best part of the stay was the staff, from the super attentive GM and all other attendants, we felt less like tourists and more like visitors to a great city.

Loved everything!

Everything was perfect! - Location could not have been better. Right in the middle of the city at the River, but in in a quiet area that feels like a small village. Very convenient for day trips as it is only a 10-15 minute walk from Kyoto station - Design of the hotel and room was absolutely stunning and stylish - Food was good and service as well - Stuff was very kind, friendly and helpful - also with excellent restaurant recommendations

Nichts

Genji Kyoto is a wonderful hotel. It’s in a charming, quiet neighborhood right on the Kamo River. The Zen garden and overall design is inspired by the Tales of Genji. Our room was spacious and full of light, with a balcony and a beautiful soaking tub. The rooftop garden is spectacular- we watched fish, turtles and wading birds in the river’s clear waters while we sipped cocktails. The staff were incredibly welcoming, kind and helpful. They went out of their way to help with travel plans and to make recommendations for our stay in Kyoto. I wish we could have stayed longer!

Great location on the river, lovely roof terrace, good and contemporary design, staff excellent and helpful with recommendations for restaurants etc.

Difficult to find and inaccessible to taxis and not very close to metro stations. Despite having a superior room with balcony the bed was rammed against the wall on one side and was not accessible especially at night. Gaps in the blinds - no black out for sleeping. We had to ask for a bedside reading light. Very awkward having a basin and minimal toiletry area in the bed room not the bathroom! Expensive for what it was .

Everything! What I mean by calling this the Geisha of hotels is that it's limited in availability, a rare find and in a somewhat elusive location secluded from the busy Kyoto areas. Being located in what used to be the old red light district. The personal touch of the hotel however is what makes it so enchanting; rich in history, culture and most of all hospitality. It is a lifetime experienceQ I would go as far as to say that by not visiting this hotel you're missing out on a great little gem in Kyoto that very well might be the highlight during your stay in Kyoto and that is saying a lot for a city that has so much to offer. I'm no stranger to visiting some higher end hotels such as the likes of Park/Grand Hyatt, W Hotel etc so I'm quite used to great hospitality, well designed rooms, luxury comforts benefits etc. And while I generally enjoy those hotels I wouldn't necessarily recommend those to just anyone because I know only select few people care about such luxury. I will however recommend this hotel to anyone, if you can even find a tiny spot in your budget to come here I'm confident it will be well worth the money. What this hotel provides however was on a whole different level. One of the great things is that the hotel only offers a select number of rooms which gives a very cozy atmosphere. When entering the hotel there was always someone to greet you and ask about your day, give suggestions or just have a short chat. To me this what truly made the hotel stand out so much. The staff wasn't just there to help you out they sometimes felt more like a fellow companion during your travels. They also did a great job letting me know more about the neighbourhood I was staying in than I could ever hope to find out by myself. I personally recommend the Japanese Whiskey, Matcha making and neighbourhood tour. The personal introduction will ensure they are lasting experiences.

Nothing. I already had high expectations on the hotel but even still there wasn't anything that disappointed. Finding the hotel and reaching it can be a little tricky (even the taxi struggled a bit) as Kyoto's streets can get small and windy but to me that's actually part of the experience and enjoyment of visiting such a unique city and added to it's charm.