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.

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!

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.

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.

Everything was great; I really enjoyed staying there. It was one of the four hotels we stayed at in Japan, and it was the best of them all. The location is very convenient—there are plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafés nearby, and getting around is easy since there are many train and bus stations in the area. The room was very sweet and cozy. I especially liked the shower; all the necessary amenities were provided. Also, you could ask the staff for anything you needed, and they were always willing to help. All in all, it was a pleasure to stay there, and I highly recommend it. I hope I'll be able to visit again.

I've stayed at a dozen different accommodations in Kyoto over the years, but this one has been my favourite. It's probably my favourite in all of Japan. After searching for ages for good place to stay in Kyoto, I'll definately be coming back here for future visits. When I arrived I was greated by someone who spoke shockingly fluent English with almost no accent. Through out my stay I spoke to a number of different staff who all spoke great English. I don't expect it, but it just made things a bit easier for me. All the staff helped me with whatever I needed, such as providing an extra pillow, and extending my stay. The staff member even suggested I book my extension via booking.com as it was cheaper, and made sure I didn't have to change rooms. The room was wonderful. The bed for very comfortable, and not too hard like most beds in Japan are. The window had these nice overlapping shades for blocking out light. The shower was very nice, with sprayers on the sides. The room was always warm, even though it was the middle of winter, just from the heating in the hall way. It was so warm I had to even lower the tempurature on the thermostat. I always like having an onsen in my hotel, as it's a great way to unwind after a long day. There were a decent amount of combined washer driers for the amount of guests. They were also a model that's common throughout Japan, so it was already familiar with how to operate them. Also, each night you stay, you get a token for a free drink at the in house bar. However I don't drink, so I can't speak to how good it is. I was a little worried about the location, as it's in the middle of the busy Kawaramachi area, and I prefer to stay in quieter areas, however I was pleasently surprised. At night the area is very quiet, with few cars on the road. However there are a heap of restaurants and stores around so you can get everything you need in a short walk.

It was a bit pricier than I'm used to, but for what you get it's good value. I also had a little trouble finding the entrance, as you have to access it via a little path of a side street. The main street the building is on is a store at ground level. However the path in to the hotel is beautiful. Gardeners were decorating it with snow covered plants as I was checking out.

The location was brilliant, near to shops, restaurants and attractions. The tube station was a short walk away and from there you could get to the main Kyoto station for JR and shinkansen lines. The housekeeping was a bonus, bins, towels and water changed daily. Loads of complimentary toiletries and coffee available. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Beds were comfy.

Brilliant that you had free coins to use at the bar for a complimentary soft drink per person per day, however, every time we went there was no one at the bar, either behind it or in it.