Mogana

I am kind of shocked with the amazing value of this hotel! It’s a great overall location in Kyoto, quiet, room size is appropriate, and very nice looking. The breakfast in room was amazing! And the staff were all so helpful and lovely. It’s a great base for exploring Kyoto overall and having a nice place to rest at night. We would absolutely stay here again!!

Starting with opportunities, there aren't black out shades so the sun was tickling our eyes by 4:30am each morning. I would like to see them add something to the windows to help with room darkening. Mattresses (ours and the day bed for our daughter) were not quite as hard as a rock but were VERY firm. Lights are automatic and the light in the bathroom is quite bright if you have to get up for a mid-sleep tinkle. Location is quiet and tucked away from the action but that makes for some extra walking to get most places. Overall, we would have liked to be closer to the action but I will say that this location was a nice change of pace. Finally, there is only a small curtain separating the shower room from the bedroom. This may have been fine for just my wife and I. However, potential to get awkward with our teenage daughter with us and when the staff brought breakfast. Those small items aside, the Mogana is a beautifully modern looking place to stay. The staff is friendly and their grasp on the English language was enough to get by. Breakfast (brought to the room) is very good and beautifully appointed. I will say that my teenage daughter did not appreciate the offerings but my wife and I appreciated the flavor and uniqueness.

The hotel has an incredible design; the rooms are spacious and well-organized. However, it is not a five-star hotel, starting with the service, which leaves much to be desired—especially by Japanese standards and compared to other hotels we've stayed at in Japan. Only two staff members spoke English and were able to communicate with us. One staff member was consistently rude and unhelpful, making us feel unwelcome from the moment we arrived. His responses to any request were always negative. Additionally, there was a billing error at checkout, and we had to wait for it to be reviewed and corrected. We saw the same issue happen with another guest. As if the poor service wasn’t enough, the hotel charges 2,000 yen for any lost room key, something they never mentioned in advance. When we asked, they simply told us it was in the “hotel rules,” which we were expected to read. The cleanliness was unacceptable: for four days, dirty glasses were left in the room until we called to complain, the trash was not removed, and the drawers where we placed our clothes were full of dust—so our clothes ended up dusty too. The air conditioning works, but the vents blow directly onto the bed, making it impossible to use while sleeping. Also, the bathroom has no curtain, and light comes through from there. Lastly, there is no restaurant in the hotel, room service only offers three options, and breakfast must be ordered two days in advance so the chef can prepare it. I usually don’t leave reviews, especially negative ones, but this was the worst experience we’ve had in Japan.