During our time in Japan we stayed in four different hotels and MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo was our favourite. The apartment offered generous space, a kitchen for self-catering and all the comforts we desired for a three night stay. MIMARU is well-versed in catering to a Western visitor’s needs and we appreciated the staff’s eagerness to provide local recommendations when asked. We booked an accessible family apartment to enable us to provide a review of our experience at MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo.
MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo review
MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo is located near the Kamo River, a local train station and is just around the corner from a supermarket. We found it easy to travel to other areas from MIMARU and when in doubt, staff were able to guide us.
Japanese accommodation is traditionally compact in size so we loved the more generous sized apartment on offer with 40 sqm of space for a couple or family to enjoy. Two single beds and a set of bunk beds provide bedding for four people.
Bedroom facts – entry door to room 87cm, bed height 37cm and under bed clearance 4cm.
It didn’t take us long to settle in and feel at home and it was lovely to have an area to sit other than the bed. A table was the perfect spot to enjoy our meals when dining in and it offers room for a wheelchair user to wheel on up too.
The kitchen is well equipped with a fridge, stove top and cutlery and crockery for several people. We found the microwave handy but it is at a tricky height for a wheelchair user to access. If you fancy toast for breakfast, a toaster can be borrowed from reception. A kettle is provided in the room but just remember to BYO milk if you need it for your tea and coffee as the majority of hotels in Japan do not provide it in the room.
As we were visiting in winter we were grateful for the efficient reverse cycle air conditioner which kept us cosy when we were in our room.
Access to the bathroom is step-free and via an easy-to-slide door. Accessible bathrooms in Japan tend to be smaller than those found in Australian hotels and roll-in showers look a bit different too. A shower chair is provided to use in the bathroom space beside the bathtub. Baths still rule supreme in Japan but this does reduce the circulation space in the bathroom.
Bathroom facts – door clearance 117cm, shower chair is height adjustable, toilet height to pan 37cm, toilet height to seat is 41cm and under wash basin clearance is 61cm. The bath tub sits at 41cm.
MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo caters well to families with a children’s playroom and a movie room with large screen.
We always love local suggestions and appreciated the noticeboard in the lobby with recommendations for seasonal events.
MIMARU Kyoto Kawaramachi Gojo offered us the most spacious and comfortable hotel stay during our time in Japan. We loved the friendliness of the staff and the apartment style of accommodation. Being close to a supermarket helped stretch our travel budget further and allowed me to indulge in my passion for wandering foreign supermarket aisles.
We hope that this review gives enough of an insight into the accommodation so you can decide if it is right for your access needs.
While in Kyoto we too a ride on the Sagano Romantic Train which you can read about in our review.
