It was situated in a great central location, very accessible and walkable to everything yet despite the busy surroundings, the room is quiet. The room we stayed in had ample storage space to hang clothes in and space to maneuver luggage, which can be a challenge in other hotels. Going with the name of Grand Bach hotel, the hotel carpet and room numbers had musical references which was quite nice, plus there is an area where you can spend some quiet time listening to some classical music on headphones that are provided. The reception staff were courteous, helpful and efficient. We truly enjoyed our stay in this hotel and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Kyoto.

It was hard getting in on the other side of the bed because there was only a tight walkway between the bed and the TV.

Hotel Grand Bach Kyoto: Cool Without Trying, Like That One Friend Who Just Gets It Hotel Grand Bach isn’t just a place to crash—it’s a vibe. You walk in through this charming little entryway, and boom—you’re greeted by not one, but multiple music stations in the lobby like it’s trying to win a silent battle of the playlists. Honestly? It’s working. Each one gave off its own energy, and together they made the space feel more boutique record store, less boring hotel lobby. The lounge was cute in a “please sit down and collect your life” kind of way—not clinical or awkward. Huge props for letting us lock up our luggage before check-in, too. That small gesture bought us a few hours of freedom and prevented at least one potential suitcase-related meltdown. The location? Chef’s kiss. Food, shopping, side quests into alleyways filled with matcha everything—it’s all steps away. And let’s not gloss over the Luup bikes. Renting one felt like unlocking a cheat code for exploring Kyoto. We were zipping around like locals with better leg muscles. The amenities? A quiet flex. Having laundry access on-site is wildly underrated—being able to freshen up our clothes mid-trip made us feel like responsible adults. And the his-and-hers public bath? Clean, relaxing, and very much appreciated after a day of walking 20,000 steps and still pretending it was “fun.” The staff? Fantastic. Accommodating without being overbearing. Helpful without the fake smiles. Just genuinely good people doing a great job. Bottom line: If you want a hotel that feels effortlessly cool, freakishly convenient, and packed with little perks that make travel smoother, Grand Bach is your place. We’d stay here again in a heartbeat—laundry and lobby playlists included.

Actually. Of the three hotels we booked, this was the best.

Location is superb in Downtown Kyoto. Literally amongst right where you want to be as a first time traveller. In fact, I would stay there again. It's close to many train stations, lots of supermarkets, amazing shopping malls, Nishiki market, Pontocho alley (an absolute must at night!!) and the river. It's really well priced too, and there is a great little bar downstairs.

Nothing, I liked everything. The room is small but I knew this would be the case. It was not possible to lay my suitcase flat on the floor anywhere opened up, so I did this on the bed and stood the suitcase up every night. With two people it would be very tight. But I spent barely no time in the room so this wasn't an issue and I still recommend the hotel. ;-)

After couple of really small rooms in Tokyo, we arrived to superior double room that had sufficient space for our luggage (two big suitcases). The staff was friendly and all spoke in English. The hotel has a fun Music area were you can listen to vinyl records with earphones 🎧. We received a token for every night for a free drink (wine, saka, beer...) and the also have a privet onsen in the hotel only for residents! Location is excellent, close to Nishiki market and public transportation. Very quiet, not on the main road but in a walking distance. It was so good we cancelled our reservations in Tokyo to stay two more nights in Kyoto.

Nothing! It made our trip to Japan so much better!

I booked a twin room as it was cheaper on booking.com than a double room. It was much more spacious based on reviews for a double room for a solo traveller. I used the other bed for storage for my clothes/shopping and had my suitcases tucked away in the corner. Beds were super comfy and the shower was fantastic with different functions. Location was great - access to many cafes, shops, department stores and Kiyomizu dera temple. The hotel it self is beautiful, you get free drink tokens for each night you stay, public bath, Breakfast (I didn't buy it but it they have a special nutritionist organise the menu to ensure a well balanced meal), amenities bar near the lobby and a self suitcase storage. Highly recommend this place.

I like it here.

Location is brilliant, right in the middle of the shopping district, and there are 3 different subway lines all within a 5-10 minute walk. Breakfast was outstanding - vegan, vegetarian, western, Asian, hot and cold dishes. Incredible buffet catering to everyone. Staff spoke really good English which was appreciated. Coin washing machine was fabulous and in high demand. Free drink tokens and the self help beer machine were heaven after a day walking in the heat. The bar/lounge was really nice to relax in. This hotel was outstanding in every aspect. I felt so lucky I found it. Would highly recommend it. Incredibly good value for money. Well and truly exceeded my expectations.

I loved everything !!!

Beautiful hotel with great decor. Rooms were cozy, clean, and the beds and comforters were extremely comfortable. The rain shower and wall shower combo was relaxing and an unexpected highlight of the hotel. Breakfast was delicious, though repetitive if you stayed for many days. The room is small like most hotel rooms in Japan, but if you figure out a good luggage arrangement it’s not too bad. There is space under the bed to store shoes or anything you want out of the way. The hotel seems to cater to western tourists and the staff speaks great English.

The location is in downtown Kyoto, and while pretty central, is quite busy and not the most pleasant for my personal taste. Hotel was a little expensive compared to comparable stays in Tokyo, but that was true of all of Kyoto. Breakfast had tasty healthy options, but it’s overpriced if you choose to add it on outside of your booking. Breakfast staff is very kind but somewhat overattentive with clearing our empty dishes from our table while we were eating.

Staff was friendly and helpful. Rooms were clean and contained sufficient towels and water bottles. I forgot my passport in my room when I checked out. Several hours later, I received a phone call alerting me that the cleaning person found my passport and had turned it in to the receptionist at the front. This kind jester showed how honest the employees are and I was very grateful.

Hotel was difficult to find. We found a sign advertising the hotel but the hotel was no where in sight and the sign did not provide directions or instructions on how to get to the hotel. We had to ask an employee of a nearby store where we saw the sign for directions. It would help to have verbiage on the hotel sign alerting people that the hotel's location is right around the corner some ## meters from the main street.

Facilities and rooms were clean and modern. The beds were very comfortable and the shower in our bathroom was one of the best we’ve had during our trip to Japan. The onsen and laundry were added perks, and we had drink tokens for the hotel bar for each evening of our stay. The location of this hotel is perfect, right in the heart of Kyoto and easy to access other parts of the city by bus and metro.

The rooms are quite small, but that is to be expected in Japan and especially in a city like Kyoto. We didn’t have a problem with air conditioning while in the room and just made do with limited space.

+Great location, close to Gion, Metro station, Shopping streets , restuarnants, convenience store and anything else you need. +The staff was really nice and helpful. +The room was very clean. +The room was very specious and the bed was very big. +The lobby was very nice with the record player and a bunch of vinyls, a nice lounge and they even give you tokens to use for free drinks for every night you stay. +Crazy good value for money, the small things made the stay feel a lot nicer and more luxurious. Out of all hotels i've stayed in Japan throughout my 6 weeks (across two different visits) this is by far the best hotel I stayed at, and it is not even close, which is crazy because the price was the same as the other hotels we've stayed at.

- No safe in the room.