service that reaches the moon – hotel vista premio, kyoto

I knew that I would struggle to get hotel to a reasonable  price in Kyoto in April, it is their busiest month. All because of the Cherry blossoms.

Knew exactly where I wanted to stay, in which area, in short walking distance to the Gion district. There was a couple of hotels, but they neither was too expensive or they where fully booked for the dates I wanted. I can’t understand how they manage to come fully booked  … because I kept a very close eye on the hotels.

So with help Google map I found a hotel …. in the right area that hadn’t really popped up on booking sites for hotels. Had gone familiar with Japanese hotels booking set ups, not easy to understand and I manage to get a single room with breakfast for a excellent price. Happy as a puppy.

Then my friend Nancy, suddenly wanted to come along and there were no rooms left on the hotel and I refused to give up my booking for another hotel. At that time 95% of all hotel rooms in Kyoto was booked.

Hotel Vista Premio Kyoto
457 Matsugae-cho Kawaramachi-dori Rokkaku nishi-iru,
Nakagyo-ku Kyoto-shi,
Kyoto Japan 604-803
Phone; 81-75-256-5888

I found a hotel room for Nancy about 20 min walk from mine to a good price – but I decided to take contact with my hotel and ask them if they get a cancellation of neither a single room or twin room they should consider us. 3 days later I got a very nice mail saying that we had a none smoking twin room with breakfast included if we wanted.

 YES!!! We want it.

We paid in total for 5 nights; 112.500yen/7720SEK/$908/£595/€830 – and we split the cost 50/50 of course.

During this carry on with hotel room and bookings I got a fantastic contact with a beautiful young lady by name Sayaka Hori, one head receptionist at the hotel. I asked her if she could help us with booking a couple of restaurants in Kyoto for us and she did, she put so much afford into our bookings. She didn’t know anything about the restaurants I had listed, but I got an email the other day that she had visit one of them herself with friends and she loved it.

The hotel service is out of this world ..

Our room was on 6th floor, no view this time, the street below. What I didn’t know was the hotel was just next door to the massive Teramachi and Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades, nice surprise. All covered – which was a blessing with all that rain we got. Also with the great high street Kawaramachi Dori only 2 min walk away.

The taxi driver wasn’t allowed to drive us to the front of the hotel. Cars had only access between 10pm-10am, just because of all the people walking. So he let us off on the main street, Kawaramachi Dori  and we was a bit shocked … but it was only 2 min walk to the hotel.

My bag that I sent ahead was on our room when we arrived. Room wasn’t the biggest, but the beds was like sleeping on clouds. Bathroom small too, but big enough for one person at the time and it was provided with the most wonderful bathroom products from SHISEIDO . We also had a desk with chair, refrigerator,  two chairs and a table. The free Wi-Fi was fast and stable. 

Also next to our room we had a laundry room, which I had used if there was any information how to use and how to do in English. Neither had the hotel any English channels on the TV. None of the hotels we stayed at had. But there was loads of “blue movie” channels and BBC World News are dubbed on Japanese.

Breakfast was a small buffet, good enough for me … they had the most wonderful white toast bread and the coffee were excellent. Hotel had no restaurant, they had one, but there was so many restaurants just out side the hotel – I suppose the compensation was too big. 

There could have been improvement to the breakfast, but the offer kept us going until lunch. The restaurant didn’t have any atmosphere what so ever, just like a cafeteria.

The hotel got the Tripadvisor Excellent award this year and was 2* in Guide Michelin. They have got awards for outstanding service level.

I think the hotel was a Best Western before and it changed owner and name about a year ago, so they have done very good for themselves, also refurbishment has been done. What I like was that you needed your room key to use the lift.

All hotels we stayed in Japan at has that safety detail, which I think is fantastic. In UK Premier Inn have used the system for nearly 15 years.

Hotel Vista Premio has a sister hotel in Osaka. I have been looking on going back to Japan and fly in to Osaka, but only me playing around. I will without doubt stay on their sister hotel if I ever land in Osaka or I go back to this hotel.

Vista Premio is a gem – a hidden treasure – in Kyoto. The best location in town. In a very quite area of the town – with a busing main street full of shops and restaurants only in 2 min walking distance. Nothing fancy about this hotel, but it’s very clean, with very comfortable beds, good shower and the service nearly reaches the moon.

And just across the hotel there was a shop and cafe that specialize in croissants, Le Croissant – the best croissants I ever enjoyed.

“Every great business is built on friendship.”
JC Penney

Hotel images provide by and thanks to;
hotel-vista.jp/travelpod.com/tripadvisor.uk.com/agoda.net/tripadvisor.es