Rakuten Stay Urban Shijo Teramachi Kyoto: My 2026 Stay Review
Discover incredible value at Rakuten Stay Urban Shijo Teramachi, Kyoto! Read my honest 2026 review, covering room features, transport tips, and accommodation tax essentials.
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Discover incredible value at Rakuten Stay Urban Shijo Teramachi, Kyoto! Read my honest 2026 review, covering room features, transport tips, and accommodation tax essentials.
Hey there, fellow travelers!
Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on a place
I absolutely loved during my recent trip to Kyoto.
It is hands down the best budget-friendly accommodation in Kyoto!
'Rakuten STAY Urban Shijo Teramachi'
Here is my detailed, honest, 100% self-funded review of my 4-day, 3-night stay.
🚖 Tips for getting to the hotel from Kyoto Station
It happened to be raining when I arrived,
so I decided to take an Uber taxi
from Kyoto Station to the hotel.
I was pretty exhausted from traveling and the rain had me worried,
but we arrived in just about 10 minutes!
The fare was surprisingly reasonable too,
so I highly recommend taking a taxi if you have heavy bags or if it's raining.
👇How to get from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station👇
How to Get from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station 🚄 Haruka vs. Limousine Bus vs. Nankai Comparison!
An amazing budget Kyoto stay for ~$243 (4 days, 3 nights)
[Rakuten STAY Urban Shijo Teramachi]
✅ Standard Twin Room (Non-smoking)
✅ 4 days, 3 nights: approx. ~$243 (approx. ~$64 per night)
Generally, accommodations in Kyoto
can be quite pricey, right?
But this place was around ~$64 a night,
which helped me save a ton on my travel budget! 🥰
⚠️ Hold on! Essential Check
Kyoto Accommodation Tax Info
Many people traveling to Japan for the first time might be caught off guard
by the accommodation tax! Just so you know, Kyoto
mandates this tax for all overnight stays.
Specifically, the tax rates have been updated
as of March 1, 2026. Make sure to check
the table below before you go!
[Kyoto Accommodation Tax Rates (Effective March 1, 2026)]
Room Rate (per person, per night) | Accommodation Tax (per person, per night) |
Under JPY 6,000 | JPY 200 |
JPY 6,000 to under JPY 20,000 | JPY 400 |
JPY 20,000 to under JPY 50,000 | JPY 1,000 |
JPY 50,000 to under JPY 100,000 | JPY 4,000 |
JPY 100,000 and over | JPY 10,000 |
Since our room was around JPY 10,000 per night,
we paid JPY 400 per person per night!
Keeping these revised rates in mind before your trip
will help you avoid any surprises at check-in!
☕️ 1st Floor Lobby Amenities
(Morning coffee is a must!)
At the back of the 1st-floor lobby, you'll find
some super handy amenities.
✅ Amenities Available
Vending machine, water dispenser, ice maker, microwave, coffee machine
Since I can't survive without coffee,
every morning I grabbed a disposable cup on the 1st floor,
filled it with ice and espresso,
and made my own iced Americano.
Morning coffee fuel-up complete before heading out!👍
🛏️ Standard Twin Room
8th Floor Stay Review
We were assigned a room on the 8th floor.
As you step inside, there's a compact table, a TV,
pajamas, a mini-fridge, and air conditioning all neatly
set up and ready to go.
👇Check available dates in advance👇
Rakuten STAY Sijo Teramachi Reviews & Deals, Kyoto 2026 | Trip.com
🚿 Absolutely Loved It:
The Spacious Bathroom & Great Water Pressure
My absolute favorite part of this stay!
The fact that the bathroom was incredibly spacious
especially by Japanese hotel standards.
Most hotels in Japan have tiny bathrooms
where you constantly bump your elbows against the wall while showering,
but this one was so spacious and comfortable,
plus the water pressure was amazing. Total satisfaction!
🪥 Quick Tip for Amenities
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and
disposable toothbrushes are provided in the bathroom.
For any other amenities you might need, just grab them
at the 1st-floor lobby when checking in.
It’ll save you a trip back down later!
🤫 Flawless Soundproofing
& Cozy Bedding for Deep Sleep
During our stay, we didn't hear a single sound
from upstairs or the neighboring rooms,
so we could fully relax in complete peace.
Also, the pillows here are really unique!
They aren't your typical fluffy pillows, but rather a supportive memory foam
type that holds its shape nicely while remaining comfortable.
If you're someone who can't sleep with flat, low pillows,
you'll absolutely love these.
Not only me (and I'm a super light sleeper),
but my husband slept like a baby too.
The bedding quality is definitely certified!👍
🛒 Bottled Water Tip & Quick Street Views
Since this is a budget-friendly hotel, complimentary bottled water
is not provided.
However, there are convenience stores nearby,
and a supermarket right in front of the building,
so you can easily buy a large water bottle
to keep you hydrated throughout your stay.
(If you're feeling lazy, you can also use the water dispenser on the 1st floor!)
The room had good natural light thanks to the window,
but I didn't really look outside much,
so I can't quite remember the view. 😂
Oh! And right in front of the hotel,
there's a restaurant called 'Mirinae Gopchang'...
The sign alone made us wonder, "Wait, are we in Korea?"
My husband and I had a good laugh about it.
It must be a popular spot because it was packed with people every day,
but we actively resisted the temptation
since we wanted to stick to local Japanese food.🫥
If anyone has actually tried this place,
please let me know how it was in the comments! I'm so curious!
✨ Final Thoughts & Would I Stay Here Again?
Later on, we moved over to Osaka,
and the accommodation we stayed at there—even though it cost more—
was so much smaller than this place, which made me so sad.😢
That experience made me realize all over again
just how incredibly budget-friendly and high-value
'Rakuten Stay Urban Shijo Teramachi' really was.
I'd definitely stay here again 200% on my next Kyoto trip!
If you're looking for a clean, quiet, and value-for-money place to stay in Kyoto,
you should definitely keep this place on your radar!
👇Book your budget-friendly Kyoto stay at a discount here👇
Rakuten Stay Urban Shijo Teramachi Review & Deals, Kyoto 2026 | Trip.com
Taking an Uber taxi from Kyoto Station will get you to the accommodation in about 10 minutes. It is a convenient and reasonably priced way to travel, especially when you have a lot of luggage or when it is raining.
If the nightly room rate is around 10,000 JPY, an accommodation tax of 400 JPY per person per night is charged. According to the revised Kyoto accommodation tax standards effective from March 1, 2026, the tax is applied differentially based on the room rate.
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and disposable toothbrushes are provided as standard in the room, but bottled water is not. You can buy bottled water at the supermarket right in front of the accommodation or use the water purifier in the first-floor lobby.
The first-floor lobby is equipped with vending machines, a water purifier, an ice maker, a microwave, and a coffee machine. Guests can make their own iced Americano using ice from the ice maker and espresso from the coffee machine.
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