One of the most visited cities in Japan is the old capital city of Kyoto. When we planned the Kyoto segment of the trip, we knew we would want a relaxing hotel experience after a bustling 4 days in Tokyo. Our main criteria were a spacious room, large comfy bed, and good amenities. Hotel Resol Trinity, near the Imperial Palace, checked all these boxes.
Through the welcoming exterior with its inviting front porch is a chic lobby. The front desk staff is attentive and helpful, and they speak excellent English. The restaurant and bar are located here in the lobby with an interesting hip bookshop-like decor. The hotel is comfortable with a good location and nice amenities. Read on for the rest of the details.
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Hotel Resol Trinity Room Review
We booked the” large king room” and it was really comfortable. (Hotels in Japan are notoriously small, so the term “large” king room is relative.) The linens were high quality and the hotel-provided pajamas were soft and comfortable.
Upon entering the room, the TV displays details about all aspects of the hotel such as breakfast, laundry, onsen hours, and more. I couldn’t help but smile because the playlist accompanying the hotel orientation screen was comprised of 2007-era indie songs, so naturally I loved it. The bathroom is outfitted with an “all plastic” wet room style set up found in about half of the hotels where we stayed. The bathroom may not look designer, but it has a high tech toilet and a deep, fast-filling bathtub.
The shoji screens pictured above and the soft tatami mats underfoot enhance the Japanese feeling, like staying in a ryokan instead of a large hotel. There is also an entry area for putting shoes on and off so as to not tread on the tatami mats. However, in our room, when the shoji window screens were moved to the side there was no view whatsoever out of our window. We did have filtered natural light coming in, however.
I really enjoyed wearing the hotel-provided pajamas. Every hotel that we stayed at provided them, and they were pretty consistent with subtle differences. I will say that those who wear US size L (or bigger) pants should bring sleep pants from home. Japanese clothes sizes are very small. The roomy top would probably fit up to a US XL for women or L for men.
The breakfast was not included in our booking but I recommend adding it on. You can book with breakfast included. I learned that breakfast culture is not that prevalent in Japan so if you are a person who wakes up hungry, just add it on to your lodging.
The breakfast is a Western-Japanese style fusion buffet. You will find continental breakfast standards like yogurt and pastries, plus Japanese options like rice, soft boiled egg, and different kinds of fish and pickled vegetables.
Onsen
Ladies Onsen photo from Booking.com
The main thing that makes Hotel Resol Trinity Kyoto stand out as one of my favorite hotels from the whole trip is the onsen. Doug agrees with me that it was the nicest facility out of all the places we stayed.
For those who haven’t visited one yet, these Japanese public baths are a common and important cultural part of life in Japan. Yes, one must get in a large hot tub or natural pool naked with strangers. If everyone acts like it’s no big deal, then it is no big deal. (If you’re lucky like me, you will have the whole place to yourself.) First, enter into a room where there is a shelf for shoes/slippers. Then proceed into a locker room with keys to store your clothes. Then move to the next area where there are low showers with buckets and stools. It is required to wash (truly wash with soap) before getting in the onsen. The onsen is not for cleaning oneself, it is for a relaxing soak after already being cleansed. After soaking, another quick rinse and back into the locker room where all manner of lotions, moisturizers, hair products and hairdryers are available for use.
Other Amenities
Other amenities include a helpful front desk staff that will call a taxi or make dinner reservations for you. The front desk sells tattoo cover-up patches for wearing in the onsen. There are also vending machines throughout the hotel for snacks and drinks. The breakfast area turns into a bar in the evenings providing a calm and relaxing place to unwind after a people-filled day of sightseeing.
This hotel is geographically in the center of town but a little farther from the most popular areas of Kyoto, but I really like the location close to the imperial palace. Transit stations are just a short walk away, and taxi/uber proved to be very affordable even during busy times. I’ll share a few more listings that caught my eye here: remember you can use the map tool to check prices across the city.
As a big Ace Hotel brand fan, I considered staying here but opted for something that had more traditional Japanese elements.
If you really want to travel on a budget you can consider a hostel like Piece Hostel Sanjo.
Booking.com has a box you can check to look for traditional Japanese Ryokans which is a nice way to spend the night especially in historic Kyoto. Ryokan Sanga’s photos offer a nice preview of what you’d experience.
There is no shortage of options at all price points. Search here:
