AKARI Nijojo turned out to be the perfect spot for our two-week Kyoto stay. While fitting five people in a Japanese room can be tricky, they made it work, and having that simple kitchen was a game-changer for a longer stay. The artist-designed spaces gave it way more character than your typical hotel room.

The location near Nijo Castle Station was ideal - easy to get anywhere in Kyoto but just far enough from the tourist crowds to feel like we were living in a real neighborhood. Having multilingual support and reliable WiFi made everything smoother, especially for longer-term stays like ours.

Pro tip: Having a kitchen in Kyoto is worth its weight in gold - between the amazing local markets and the money you save on breakfast, it makes a big difference for family stays.