Arashiyama can get super busy during the day with people coming from Kyoto/other areas to see the famous bamboo forest. I wanted to avoid the crowds by exploring the area early in the morning instead– and I’m so glad I made that decision by staying overnight in Arashiyama.
The hotel I stayed in made my Arashiyama experience even better. MUNI Kyoto hotel was perfect and these are why I think you’ll like it too:
1. They have the best location!
The hotel is located just by the Katsura River, a short walk to the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge, the insta-famous % Arabica Coffee Shop is right in front of the hotel, and it’s around 10-15 min breezy walk to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
It’s the perfect location to take a walk in the morning or even in the evening. Arashiyama can get really quiet at night, but it’s still beautiful– and staying at a nice hotel by the river really does help make the experience even more beautiful.
How to get there from a nearby station?
MUNI Kyoto helped me arrange a taxi from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station to the hotel. But unfortunately I got lost at Kyoto Station 🥴 and didn’t make it in time for my taxi.
So, from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, I went on a 4-min walk to Randen-Saga Station (not a JR station), took a 2-min train ride to get to Arashiyama Station, and walked for about 5 minutes to MUNI Kyoto. It was raining, so otherwise I think a 10-min walk should be feasible from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station to MUNI Kyoto.
How about taxi?
I took a taxi from the hotel back to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station. I paid 800 JPY for the taxi– which was not too bad either. So yes, pretty good location I’d say!
2. Amazing facilities – they have Dyson Hairdryer!
Their facilities and amenities are top notch! Full set of amenities are provided in a minimalistic wooden box at the bathroom.
I did mention that they also have a Dyson Hairdryer, didn’t I?
Yes they do! I couldn’t believe my eyes lol. It’s my first time seeing this fancy hairdryer at a hotel so pardon my excitement 😍
3. Beautiful architecture
Their architecture design is on another level. Now I don’t know much about architectural terms, but I’ll just say that it’s giving zen-minimalistic-peaceful-i could meditate here vibes. There’s a huge water garden at the back of my room, which I could enjoy from the terrace. The sound of the water was soooo calming. I even tried to do a short meditation session at night when the surrounding got even quieter. This kind of ambiance is just perfect for Arashiyama.
4. Excellent service
At check-in, they provided us with several selections of welcome drink. I chose Matcha Plum Wine and it tasted amazing. They also gave us an assortment of pastries in our room.
I was probably one of their most needy or even their worst guest, but they were so patient and attentive to me 🥺
Here’s the service that they helped me with & I’m so thankful for:
- Getting me a reservation at a popular restaurant, Shoraian.
- Arranging a taxi from JR Saga-Arashiyama to the hotel, which I then had to cancel because I couldn’t make it in time, and they did not charge me with a booking cancelation fee.
- I left my tripod at this hotel 😭 but they sent it back to me the next day to Kawaguchiko. They definitely put lots of care in delivering the package– as you can see with the thick bubble wrap below.
I really appreciate how they put in so much love and care for their guests.
5. Large room with modern design
You might be wondering how does the bedroom look like, so here it is! Not a lot of hotels in Japan offer large spacey room. But this one is huge and there’s even a large garden at the back.
The interior is bright and simple, and definitely modern. The lighting and curtain can be operated by a switch on the wall. There’s even some intricate but amazing mechanism for the terrace door– you can close it, open it, or open it slightly for ventilation. They way I’m describing it might not be the best, but I was so amazed to see how it worked.
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Overall, I had the most pleasant stay here and would love to come back one day.
If you’re planning an overnight stay in Arashiyama, would you choose this hotel? 😊
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