We stayed at this hotel, in the suite with kitchenette, with our 20 month old son and we're perfectly comfortable. The kitchenette had the basics for preparing food, a fridge and microwave and there is a convenience store very close by for essentials. The beds are very comfortable and we had room for a large portacot as well. The staff were the most kind and accommodating we have experienced travelling with our child. There was baby soap in the shower and a nappy bin in the room without us even asking. They booked us taxis and called for takeaway food for us one of the nights, and arranged luggage forwarding. They were always considerate and helpful. The bathroom is large, with a bathtub. There is a rooftop with tables which has a great view and allows space for kids to play and the breakfast at the cafe downstairs was excellent. Highly recommended for families travelling. Please note that there are no elevators so stairs only to the third floor. This was not an issue for us but worth noting if stairs are difficult for you.

This little hidden gem of a property tucked away on a somewhat residential cute street far exceeded my expectations for the price. The room was HUGE and comfortable, but moreover, it was the staff who went above and beyond during my stay. There are not phones in the room so the woman who works at the front desk had to handle numerous calls for me during my 24 hr stay because the airline had lost my luggage [which, frankly, I preferred given the language barrier -- her assistance w/ communicating to the airport/airline was immensely helpful!] and the other thing that made this place beyond exceptions is the AMAZING complimentary breakfast at the cafe downstairs. It was my favorite breakfast of my entire 2 week trip throughout Japan! An adorable atmosphere and a very delicious breakfast.

Not much - everything about this place, especially for the price, was worth it!

I stayed with my son for 12 days. The spacious rooms are perfect for families. I loved the neighborhood, you can explore Arashiyama after the buzz and the mass tourism from the afternoon made their way back to the city. Take a stroll alongside the Hozugawa river, enjoying nature. It is close to nice places like the Matsuo Shrine or the Arashiyama Monkey Park. I can also recommend to take a boat tour on the Hozugawa river, you will end your trip close to the hotel.

The size of the room is amazing. The rooms are roomy, clean, and just very relaxing. Very well lit and many windows. It was a breath of fresh air. The beds are incredibly comfortable, and it was difficult to leave in the morning because I was so comfy, haha. The hotel is in a very quiet area. It is close to the Hankyu Arashiyama Station. The hotel keeps your luggage if you're still puttering around Arashiyama after you check-out. The bathroom is probably the best I've had outside of luxury hotels in Japan. There is a very useful coin laundry and a wonderful little rooftop terrace with a kotatsu available to hotel guests.

The hotel only has very steep stairs, which makes it inaccessible for some. It is also a little far from train stations that aren't Hankyu, or any kind of convenience stores.

Staff is helpful, room is a good size and clean. Location is off Central but quiet and good for walking to key sights.

No elevator so lugging suitcases and prams etc is difficult if you're in the highest floor. Breakfast is allocated by a time slot, so if other guest have already taken a time slot you have get a very early slot or a very late slot. This messes up a lot of plans for day trips out since breakfast time is not flexible. Walls and floor is very thin, you can hear the noise from nextdoor and also(more annoyingly) people running or walking in the upstairs room.

First class experience from start to finish! Everyone working at The GrandWest were incredibly welcoming and we cannot fault their focus on customer service, whether helping us with bike rental (free for 2 hours) or providing towels/discounts, etc for the local Onsen. The breakfast was delicious and they had a great array of teas/coffees available for free. The quality of materials used in and around the hotel were sustainable and stylish and the roof garden a lovely idea. The location was ideal, a short stroll (5/10 mins) from the key locations on our itinerary in Arashiyama, which is the most gorgeous place. Thanks again to everyone at The GrandWest. 10/10

The Grandwest is an excellent hotel. Earlier reviews talked about a lack of signage, but they had a large sign in front as of August 2024. The hotel was easy to find and it was easy to check in. The staff speaks English fairly well, which was a welcome relief. Our room was the “suite with kitchen.” The suite was huge, at least 500 square feet, with two king beds and a large bathroom. If you stay in other areas of Japan like we have, you will realize very quickly how special it is to have such a huge space to yourself. The suite was clean and had everything one could possibly need. The free bottles of water in the reception area and in the fridges each day are a lifesaver, especially during the summer heat. Those costs can add up in other parts of Japan, so it is much appreciated that the water is free here. Breakfast each morning in the cafe was excellent. While they have a standard western-style breakfast, they can easily make a traditional Japanese breakfast as well. The area around the hotel is very quiet, way more quiet than any other neighborhood in Kyoto. This is great for sleeping, as after 6 pm there is virtually no noise in the neighborhood. Shops and restaurants close early, but there are still a few restaurants within walking distance that stay open until 8 or 9pm as well as convenience stores nearby. The Togetsu bridge is an easy five minute walk, then another 5-7 mins to the outskirts of the bamboo forest. The Monkey Park is also an easy 4-5 min walk to get to its entrance, which was great fun for my family (but lots of steps and walking uphill for that particular park). This hotel is a huge value, especially compared with other luxury hotels in Arashiyama that can cost over 3x as much money. Taxis across the city to Fushimi Inari, Gion, etc cost about $25 one-way using the Go app. We loved our stay at the Grandwest and if we are ever again in Kyoto we will stay here!

Nothing

An excellent hotel with spacious rooms. They offer bike rentals, which allowed us to visit the Bamboo Park in the morning. The breakfast was very basic—I'd say too small, and we waited too long for it. We could have done without it. The only issue I had was with the parking. Upon check-in, we arranged to leave the parking spot at 2 p.m. and then continue our journey to central Kyoto. However, during check-out, a different receptionist told us we had to leave by 12 p.m. and didn’t seem to know anything about the previous arrangement. This lack of coordination caused us some inconvenience, as we had planned our day based on the original agreement, leaving us with a bit of a sour note.

As already mentioned: The only issue I had was with the parking. Upon check-in, we arranged to leave the parking spot at 2 p.m. and then continue our journey to central Kyoto. It was confirmed by receptionist. However, during check-out, a different receptionist told us we had to leave by 12 p.m. and didn’t seem to know anything about the previous arrangement not check it. This lack of coordination caused us some inconvenience, as we had planned our day based on the original agreement, leaving us with a bit of a sour note.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. When we needed to grab a taxi, the woman at the front desk called one for us and made sure the driver knew our destination and they also offered complimentary waters in the lounge room. They also brought up our bags so that when we first got to the room, the bags were already there. The room was notably clean and spacious. There was also a gorgeous view of the tree filled mountain side out of the window. They also placed corner covers on all the bed edges as a safety measure. The cafe downstairs served a delicious breakfast and they too were friendly. At the end of our stay, the woman at the front desk left us a kind note thanking us for staying at their hotel and hoping that we enjoyed our time in Arashiyama.

The stairs going up to the room were quite steep and long (if you booked on the upper floors).

I’ve been to Kyoto 2x and the last time we were here 2 yrs ago I’ve rented a Machiya but it’s far from Arashiyama, I wanted to soak and savor the tranquility of Arashiyama so I went to search a place that’s close to Togetsu bridge, and I came across Grandwest Arashiyama, I’ve been contemplating on booking the the other place with onsen and ryokan but my children ages 20 and 14 told be that they chose comfort vs traditional experience (we did quite few ryokan and tatami and they don’t like the musty smell of tatami) so this time we chose Grandwest, we have a very spacious too With 4 beds so imagine our comfort, the bathrooms are amazing and those aromatic shampoo and conditioner are the best! There’s a coin laundry which we love. It’s so close to bamboo forest, the bridge and since they can provide a free bike for 2 hrs we went up all the way to the bamboo forest at night where it’s not crowded with people. Also the receptionist and workers are very accommodating

Location Cleanliness Spacious room