Courtyard by Marriott Kyoto Shijo Karasuma Hotel: A Lovely Hotel in the Heart of the City
I stayed at Courtyard by Marriott Kyoto Shijo Karasuman Hotel and had a splendid time (by the way, I also stayed at the Hotel Emion Kyoto during my visit here). It’s a hotel ideally located in the center of Kyoto and I was very comfortable during my stay.
The entrance to the hotel led to a large, clean lobby and reception area.
The floor was made of shining marble and there were potted trees in the corner.
The hotel offered a semi-buffet breakfast.
The hotel staff were seated at the reception desk and were helping customers with their check-in and other issues.
There were a number of seating areas and tables around the lobby. It looked like people could even have business meetings there!
On one table sat a coffee machine and a water dispenser for hot and cold water.
Lockers stood in rows on one side of the lobby in case people needed to store their valuables (and before I forget, they also have a gym and laundry here).
There was a warm woody vibe to the whole hotel. Ambient lighting highlighted the artwork.
I walked towards the elevators so that I could go up to my room.
I was quite impressed by the espresso machine in the lobby. Guests could request anything from an espresso to hot chocolate.
Then I went to my room. The first things that caught my eye were the clothes hangers on the racks just inside the door.
Hooks lined the little corridor outside the bathroom, so guests could hang their clothes or coats up.
Fresh bedroom slippers had been kept on a tray on the ground. And I could see a bag with an iron on a shelf in the closet.
I pulled open the drawers and found a pair of pajamas for the guests to use.
A room freshener had been placed inside the room so that it always smelled good.
I opened the iron bag. Inside it was a handheld steamer to steam my clothes and get rid of all wrinkles.
One very interesting thing was that the locker had been fit inside a drawer. I could just set a code and lock up my wallet or passport inside.
Next, I checked out the mini refrigerator. I was curious to see if the hotel had provided any drinks or snacks.
Unfortunately, when I opened the door, I saw that it was completely empty.
However, they had provided a coffee machine and an electric kettle for tea and coffee.
On a shelf above the machines sat a wooden basket.
I peeped inside the basket and found some tea bags as well as a few espresso pods. They had also provided sugar and creamer sachets.
The room had a pair of single beds. They had been neatly made with clean sheets and each had a pair of pillows.
Reading lamps in between the beds made sure that one person could read without disturbing the other.
I really loved the art on the wall above the bed. It almost looked like graffiti and depicted the traditional buildings of Japan.
The hotel had provided a telephone and intercom system, as well as an alarm clock and a notepad with pen.
The numbers of the reception and room service were written on the telephone.
A Bible and The Book of Mormon had been provided by the hotel.
The temperature control was inside the room and could be easily navigated.
There were two bins, one for recyclable waste and one for non-recyclable waste.
A huge TV screen took up the wall opposite the two beds.
A couple of chairs and a coffee table had been placed in front of the window.
The sheer curtains had been drawn for privacy. The seating area would be a good place to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.
A humidifier was plugged in at the corner of the room.
I pulled open the curtains and looked out into the dark night. There were buildings all around.
A broad street lay right outside the hotel.
Glasses, spoons, cups and saucers had been neatly arranged inside a drawer.
An emergency exit route had been mapped inside the room, in case of a fire.
I went into the bathroom.
Hand towels were kept folded beside the washbasin. There was a huge mirror behind the sink.
All kinds of toiletries had been provided.
I found a bag with a hair dryer inside the bathroom.
It looked like it was new and of good quality.
The hand-wash and body lotion smelled good.
The mirror made the bathroom look bigger!
Then I turned towards the smart toilet. A roll of toilet paper had been provided.
The toilet had various settings.
The bath area was behind a glass wall and door.
There was a bathtub and a hand shower.
The tub looked like it was easy to climb in and out of.
All the necessary bath products had been provided.
A small stool made it easy to sit down and shower.
The dressing area outside the bathroom had a huge mirror.
I thought it was a lovely hotel room, all in all.
