Hotel Court Kyoto Shijo (Kyoto, Japan)

Whether you want to travel by train or bus, this hotel will put you within easy reach of both. The property is in the centre of the city, meaning there's much to see and do. There are many eateries within easy reach, and the bus can get you to Gion in only ten minutes.

There's free wireless Internet available, and it works well enough on most days so you can do a few things online. The buffet breakfast features mostly Japanese dishes, which may be a good chance for you to try something new; there are also a few western dishes.

Just in case you're travelling light, there's laundry service available in the hotel at very affordable rates.

If you don't speak Japanese, the television will be more of a decoration to you. The number of non-Japanese channels available is negligible. This might make staying indoors a bit boring.

Japan is well known for its compact rooms and, with the exception of a few, most of the rooms in this hotel fit well into the category. There's very little room to move around, especially if you're more than one in a room. Finding a place to even store a suitcase is equally challenging.

The bathroom is a strange attempt, which combines both Western and Japanese styles. The result is a rather high stair when you want to get in or out. This can actually be dangerous if you're not used to it.