Sun Members Kyoto Saga

“Superb dining, great location, great staff”

This place deserves a 5 star rating on the basis of the outstanding cuisine in its dining room. Truly excellent food, artfully prepared -- very original and creative dishes, beautifully presented.We stayed two nights and had their dinners each night -- each was very different. In our three weeks in… more

This place deserves a 5 star rating on the basis of the outstanding cuisine in its dining room. Truly excellent food, artfully prepared -- very original and creative dishes, beautifully presented.We stayed two nights and had their dinners each night -- each was very different. In our three weeks in Japan we had numerous really great meals, but the two at Sun Members Kyoto Saga were stand outs. The dining room has won several prizes and much of the credit has to go to its executive chef Mr. Takeuchi. The dining experience was all the better for the excellent service -- particular mention to Kanako and Chiaki for their personable and smiling manners. The breakfasts we had here were also remarkable for their preparation and diversity of dishes. The hotel rooms were fine and included everything you would expect -- little on the small side and a hint of previous occupants who had smoked -- but really just fine. The hotel has convenient access to the JR Sagano Line that will get you downtown quickly for less than 200 Yen. The station is a quiet 10 minutes walk from the hotel and the hotel offers a free shuttle too. It is also in walking distance of the tourist sites in Sagano and Arashiyama.

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“A beautiful Japanese gem in Saga-Arashiyama”

We booked at this hotel when everything else in Kyoto was either sold out or ridiculously expensive (it was cherry blossom season). And we're so glad that we did. The hotel is accessible from the JR local line from downtown Kyoto (take about 20 minutes) and this is covered by your JR Pass if you ha… more

We booked at this hotel when everything else in Kyoto was either sold out or ridiculously expensive (it was cherry blossom season). And we're so glad that we did. The hotel is accessible from the JR local line from downtown Kyoto (take about 20 minutes) and this is covered by your JR Pass if you have one. It's about a 15-minute walk or a 600-yen taxi ride from Saga-Arashiyama station to the hotel. The area that the hotel is in is within walking distance (1 km) of the Snow Monkey Park, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and the start of the Kyoto Trail. If those attractions are on your list this is a great choice. The hotel itself is very Japanese -- the staff may have limited English (although they were very accommodating and this was never an issue). The printed materials are mainly in Japanese as well although they can find English translations of things. But you're in Japan; if you're looking for a Japanese experience this is a good pick. Our room was excellent -- a small two-room suite (we were traveling with our adult son) with everything that we needed including pourover coffee and a small fridge. The windows even opened (a huge plus as we love fresh air at nights). The beds were large and very firm but quite comfortable. Our room came with breakfast, which was a Japanese breakfast served from 7:30 to 9:30 am. This was one of the highlights of our stay -- breakfast was served Japanese style with several different small dishes, and rice or a rice porridge as well as miso soup and many other treats. Everyone at the hotel was very helpful throughout our four-day stay there. I would stay there again.

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“Good for businessman; not tourist”

For the tourist, this hotel is not in a good location. I would recommend one find something more centrally located While there is a bus stop in the same block with frequent buses which can be taken to all the sites, time is lost in doing so. There is a JR station which is 15 minutes away, accord… more

For the tourist, this hotel is not in a good location. I would recommend one find something more centrally located While there is a bus stop in the same block with frequent buses which can be taken to all the sites, time is lost in doing so. There is a JR station which is 15 minutes away, according to staff, it always took longer for us to walk it. The rooms were typical Japanese hotel rooms: a bit small, with little storage. The bathroom is a step up, which can be tricky at night. Hair dryer provided. Large containers of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and hand soap are available. A electric pot for heating water is provided, as are bags of green and black tea. There is a small refrigerator in the room. Internet is free. The staff was friendly and helpful, but sometimes communication was a bit difficult. Price of room was reasonable, but sometimes location is worth the extra dollars. The neighborhood was safe, providing no concern about walking at night. A nice grocery is just a few blocks down the street.

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