OMO5 Kyoto Gion is great, but not so good on the knees

Ever since Japan re-opened its borders post-pandemic, tourists from all over the world have flocked back to the land of the rising sun.

It has always been among the most popular countries to visit anywhere in the world. The weak Japanese yen, coupled with revenge travel, has made it even more appealing. Tokyo, of course, is a perennial favourite, with Kyoto coming in a very close second.

I’ve been to Tokyo more often than I can count. Well, maybe not, since I can still count to 26. Kyoto, though, was a totally different matter, as this would only be my second visit there.

The previous trip was way back in October 2018, where The Wife and I spent 11 wonderful days exploring the old imperial capital of Japan and other parts of Kansai.

Eleven days in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto

This time round, we planned to stay six full nights in Kyoto, before taking the train straight back to Kansai International Airport for our flight home.

Our last night would be a long-awaited return visit to Tomoko-san’s beautiful Shiraume ryokan, situated along the picturesque Shirakawa stream. Which meant that we had to find a place for the remaining five nights.

If money was no object, then it would have been hands-down the Ritz Carlton Kyoto. But since I still wanted to retain both my kidneys, I had to look for a more budget-friendly option that met our needs.

We wanted to stay near Gion, at a fairly new hotel with decent-sized rooms (>30sqm), ideally for less than ¥30,000 per night for the both of us.

OMO5 Kyoto Gion

The place I decided on was the OMO5 Kyoto Gion, pretty much in the heart of Gion. It was across the street from both Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社) and Hanamikoji Street (花見小路).

It recently opened in November 2021 and offered rooms of different sizes, the largest being 40sqm. Based on online photos, the interior was a harmonious blend of modern and traditional, complete with tatami flooring and wooden finishings.

One reason for choosing the hotel was because it was part of the illustrious Hoshino Resorts group. Even though OMO was a new sub-brand catered for the mass market, I figured that it had to be of a certain standard so as not to tarnish the parent company’s prestige.

I proceeded to book five nights at the spacious Double Zashiki Tatami Room on a cancellable rate. The total, inclusive of breakfast and various taxes, came up to ¥126,000 nett for the both of us.

The average nightly room rate of ¥25,200 was reasonable given its location and the room size. Technically, it was meant to sleep four people but since it was within budget, I went ahead to secure the 40sqm room.

Hotel Lobby

We were travelling with two luggage bags, both from Briggs & Riley. One was a larger four-wheeled spinner which we had shipped from our hotel in Osaka. And the other was my dependable two-wheeler that accompanied us on the Kyo-train Garaku.

Unlike most other hotels, the entrance was not exactly at ground level and I had to schlepp my luggage down a short flight of stairs.

Given how the Hoshino Resorts branding was integrated into the hotel’s name, it was clear that they were making use of it to raise their profile and attract customers.

Another strategy they adopted was to make it dog friendly. When we checked it, there was no signs of any canines in the lobby.

It turns out that only one room, out of a total of 36, fit the designation. Which was great for us, since we only like dogs on YouTube and not those in real life.

The lobby employed a lot of mood lighting, bathing the entire lobby in warm, yellow hues. On the main wall was a huge map of the surroundings, featuring famous attractions and popular shops.

No doubt it was designed to be an Instagrammable spot, as were the other feature walls with various traditional props and paintings.

While the check-in counter is manned, self service was the main modus operandi. There was a section with shelves that stocked (free) bathroom amenities and (paid) in-room clothing rental.

Since there was no hotel restaurant or cafe, there was a (paid) vending machine and (free) ice and water dispenser. Several konbinis were also within walking distance, so it was definitely not an issue.

I can understand why many negative reviewers on Google Maps could have been seduced by the Hoshino branding, only to be disappointed by the bareboned amenities.

Double Zashiki Tatami Room

One thing that Japanese companies do right, though, is truth in advertising. Because when we stepped into our room, it looked as pretty as what was shown on the hotel’s website.

The green, grey and beige colour scheme, together with the wooden furniture and tatami flooring made it feel very homely and welcoming.

It felt like stepping into a studio apartment, with clearly defined sleeping and living areas. Additional bedding (not pictured) was provided so that both sofas could be converted into single beds.

There was ample space for our luggage, as well as the many souvenirs that we had accumulated during our earlier stay in Osaka. Hangers were provided throughout the room, and compensated for the lack of a typical wardrobe.

And also, the room came with, in my opinion, the single most important appliance in Japanese hotels — an air humidifier.

Coming from a tropical country with 70-80% humidity all year round, my fragile skin does not take well to dry weather at all. I made sure to diligently top up the water tank every morning and evening.

Helpful instructions, in English, outlined the basic room features and provided directions to the 6F laundry room and hotel exits.

One thing to note is that eco-friendly housekeeping is employed at OMO5 Kyoto Gion.

Trash is cleared and towels are refreshed daily, but changing of the bedsheet and cleaning of the bathroom and toiled is only done on alternate days.

Bathroom

Unlike the salaryman hotel pre-fabricated bathroom module, the washbasin, bathroom and toilet were in separate rooms, segregated by individual doors.

The bathtub and shower fittings are separate, with big bottles of multi-use toiletries. We don’t normally use the bathtub when travelling, but it was great to end a cold, rainy day with a long soak in a steaming hot tub.

Slippers were provided for the compact toilet that, of course, was outfitted with a fancy Toto Washlet automated bidet.

Since I do basic home maintenance and simple plumbing, I couldn’t help but admire the simple yet elegant and functional piping system.

I was particularly fascinated by the stainless steel water trap under the sink that looked like a designer art piece. A perfect combination of form and function.

Kitchenette

The kitchenette area was located along the narrow corridor connecting the bathroom to the living area. A Balmuda gooseneck kettle was setup in one corner of the narrow table, together with four eco-friendly cups.

The cutlery and crockery were housed in baskets in the shelves underneath, and looked like they would fit right in at a Muji (無印良品) store.

A decent-sized sink was to the right, followed by fridge and microwave oven. We ate out every day, except for one takeaway dinner from a depachika. The kitchen supplies and equipment came in handy that night.

The fridge was larger than expected, and proved quite useful when I had to store several bottles of Japanese sake before our flight home. They’re usually fine at room temperature, but the namazakes were best stored cold.

Breakfast Bread

I normally exclude breakfast in our travel bookings, but the OMO5 Kyoto Gion offered one that was too interesting to pass.

The hotel provided a bread maker in the room, as well as the raw ingredients to bake our own bread. Included in the set was a selection of spreads, as well as a couple of drip coffee bags.

All we had to do was to follow the provided instructions the night before, and make sure the bread machine was switched on with the right timer settings.

It would do its thing while we slept, and wake us up with the smell of freshly-baked bread. There was even a customised soundproof box to put the machine in, to ensure that it completed its task silently.

I don’t know of any other hotel that provides this service, but I hope that this fantastic idea catches on and becomes mainstream.

Waking up to the smell of freshly-baked bread

Final Thoughts

We had a wonderful time exploring different parts of Kyoto, and OMO5 Kyoto Gion was a nice home away from home.

It was right in the historic geisha district and only a short walk from the downtown shopping area. Food options were plentiful and the nearest train station was just a few blocks down the road.

If I had one gripe, it was the uneven flooring of our room.

There was a step from the corridor to the bed, and another step from the bed to the living area. And yet another step from the living area to the back of the room, where our luggage was kept.

Coupled with having the bed on the floor, it meant having to climb up and down several times, just to get around the room.

Which is not a problem if I was still a spring chicken, with spring chicken knees. But alas, with age comes osteoarthritis, and the Double Zashiki Tatami Room is not kind on old knees.

Other than that, OMO5 Kyoto Gion offers a good combination of price, location and size, and is definitely worth considering if you’re searching for a place to stay.