Kamo Residences by Reflections

Staff, clean & location

Breakfast -mostly store bought stuff. Understand no kitchen in the hotel. Should never include breakfast in the price.

The beds were comfortable. The staff were very sweet and helpful. They seemed to lack direction and leadership but they were working hard and doing their best.

Extremely Disappointing Stay – Not Worth the PriceWe left a wonderful stay in Gion expecting Kamo Residences to offer more value in a less touristy neighborhood. Unfortunately, this was a big mistake.The reality is that this property is deceptively marketed. It looks like a Japanese luxury stay online, but in person it’s just a serviced apartment with nothing authentically Japanese about it. It even seems to be managed remotely through WhatsApp by someone not on the premises — possibly not even in Japan. The young staff who are there are kind and trying their best, but they seem very short-staffed and unsupported.The positives: • Staff respond quickly and kindly on WhatsApp. • The bed was comfortable.The negatives: • We were told we would be upgraded, and I packed everything to prepare. But when we returned, nothing had been changed, and we had to unpack again. • The bathroom is extremely small, with the bathtub just inches from the toilet — like something out of a Motel 6, not a “luxury” property. Who wants to take a bath right next to the toilet? • Shower water pressure was weak, and the water never got hot enough. • Only one towel per person with no space to hang them, so we had to reuse damp towels. • No yukatas, pajamas, or special bathroom amenities like skincare products, which every other hotel we stayed at in Japan provided. • The so-called “breakfast” was nothing more than random items bought at Family Mart (two croissants, wilted salad, and a couple of grapes).Overall:This was the most expensive place we stayed in Japan, and yet by far the most disappointing. It is not a luxury hotel, not remotely worth the cost, and travelers should be aware of the reality before booking.

This was my third stay. Staff and management really very care about me and remembered how I like everything. Rio sent me a guide considering all sites I have visited previously. Great restaurant reservations, I left it to them to decide as always. Casual lunch and fine dining for dinner. My electric bike was waiting for me, and they recharged over night. Back in spring. Lovely.

Good view of the KAMO river.New property with quality fittings.Enthusiast staff.

It is a Service Apartment with no common facilities at all. Service though very prompt works through staff responding through Wats App. Had to pay for parking at a common car park that required 5 mins walk for this high price. Miserable bottle of white wine n some small bites again for such a high price charged. For this price , I can easily get a nice hotel with full board nearby. Extremely disappointed with the offering.

A place to switch off my busy brain. The location is north on the Kamo River. The city is accessible 5min taxi ride. Temple and shrines all around. Fresh mountain air and water views. The personnel is always on call and made our stay just fantastic. We had a guide for one day with their chauffeur. Stunning suite, layout, and built quality are granite, marble, wood, steal, and leather. Very solid, neat, and clean. Great art photography. I inquired where they sourced their frames from, beautiful detail, every inch.

Their chauffeur was polite, the car was comfy and very premium, clean. Great start. We went straight to our suite and had tea and some crisp white wine waiting for us. I live in a portered building back home and had the same feeling, personalized - nice touch. Ms. Mahcha set us up with a few places to visit in the oldtown, we walked there just heading south along the river. After a light lunch and visiting some 'secret' shrines, front desk sent the car to pick us up. Dinner they had reserved a modern Kyoto Kaiseki restaurant. Owner spoke very good English and the course menu was also personalized - concierge had communicated all our likes to the chef. Beautiful Michelin rated dinner counter seats with view over the river. Our suite was also very very nice. The lounge area has a beautiful unobstructed view over the river. Soft leather sofa, coffee table and nice sound system. I was worried the blinds would not fully black out, but the open plan suite has separate blinds for the bedroom. The bed itself is huge, I think pillow top and high off the ground. Sheets and bedding very soft, very luxurious. Cleanliness is top notch, no dust or fingerprints anywhere. Probably one of the cleanest hotels I have ever stayed. Washer-dryer worked great, we washed two rounds and complete in 4h. Staff was even so kind to iron some things for us as we were away. Overall the entire suite is very comfortable - all amenities luxurious. Bathroom amenities are AESOP, the hair dryer is Repronizer :-).My hubby has a pollen allergy, Ms. Rio was so kind to visit the pharmacy to collect some meds for us and book a doctors appointment before we head to Tokyo. Everyone treated us so kindly - they really cared. We will come back for a long stay, 5-7 days or so.

Feels like home. Large suite great amenities. Everything is of the latest gen from hairdryer, microwave, TVs, washer-dryer, wine-cellar. Genuinely elegant and artful decoration. The furniture is also very solid and high-end. Different to other five-star mass produced furnishings. Beds are wonderfully soft yet supportive. We slept very well. Silk like sheets, fluffy bedding. Fresh smell. Cleaner said they wash their bedding in-house - a good sign. All amenities are premium, a very solid, heavy design, and thoughtfulness behind the choices made.Also, it's a very quiet location yet good to reach anywhere. Excellent views over the river walk. Check-in was less than 20 seconds. Complimentary chablis and mochi confectionary were waiting for us.Rio showed us to our suite and introduced everything. She genuinely cared we are happy with everything. Handwritten card + fresh fruit. They also helped us with the courier as we had some documents to send out. Very supportive. I had a bad knee and explained to staff that I needed an anti-inflammatory. They went out to buy Voltaren gel, which helped immensely. The concierge helped us with all our needs by the desk and on whatsapp. I saw at least 4 ladies cleaning our room, very particular and detailed. Bed turnover at 5pm. Restaurant reservations and recommendations were very nice, too. We had dinner at a one-star rated Michelin nearby. Lunch at a walkin famous tempura curry. The next day, we used their guide, which spoke fantastic English. The Chauffeur sent us to every location, and we saw a lot in a short time. Having said that, our next visit for sure will be at least 5 days as there is so much to see. Seems like a lovely place for a longer stay. We are very grateful for all the effort and your care.

Calm and serene location by the river. Quiet neighbourhood with authentic local shopping in the backstreets. We used the riverside walk to get around. Front desk staff, concierge and cleaning staff were very attentive. They provided a tour itinerary and arranged a guide for us. Suite is huge with artwork. Amazing view over river and mountains. Full kitchen, microwave, washer-dryer, everything you need. Support via WhatsApp, and around the clock in person. Fantastic.

New, modern, and bright. Very clean. Hospitality staff was onmnipresent and took care of the room every time we left. Beautiful flowers in the suite. Fantastic views. Tastefully decorated, a lot of small, fine details. The concierge was top! Knowledgeable and fast. We're planning to be back after our Tokyo visit.

Breakfast was amazing! The staff went out if their way daily to adjust Breakfast based on whatever we wanted to eat. We rotared between various fruits, pastries, eggs, croissants, different juices on a daily basis. The staff was extremely accommodating. On a separate note, the location was amazing! You were in the city, but on outskirts. So you had an amazing view from your unit - unobstructed scenic mountain and nature views - but could walk out the front door and we're minutes away from anything.

The units, location, staff were absolutely amazing! But there was not much else - meaning if you wanted a full service hotel with restaurants, spa, bar etc - this was not your place to stay.

Absolutely the best stay of our trip to Japan! The place is very roomy, with stylish decorations and a beautiful view. The staff do their utmost best to make you feel welcome and comfortable. It's about the same price as a 5-star hotel, but much better value for money, and equal if not higher levels of hospitality.

The staff were amazing, very attentive, helpful and personalized, nothing was ever a hassle.

There isn’t anything that comes to mind, other than perhaps a few more utensils in the kitchen area - a bottle opener, sharp knife, etc.

It's very quiet even though it's not too far from the downtown area.I stayed there on the day of Daimonji fireworks and the view was amazing.Many people gathered on the riverside to watch the fireworks,but I enjoyed the spectacular view from the rooftop with other guests.The amenities were also plentiful and I was able to have a very comfortable stay.The furnishings were sophisticated and very luxurious.It was so amazing that I want to come back again right away.

I stayed this hotel on a special day for Daimonji-fireworks. We could see the Daimonji from the rooftop garden. There was some relaxing garden furniture, so it’s the best way for enjoy firework.The hotel staff were all very kind and went out of their way to accommodate our requests, giving us the best possible experience. The rooms were also wonderfully sophisticated, with beautiful furniture, appliances and all the necessities.

Will definitely return for turning Autumn leafs. Fast and friendly service by the staff and complimentary breakfast, fruit basket and minibar. We had checked in before arrival. Knowledgable concierge. Beautiful room style, overlooking the river. All amenities High-end tech.

Our recent stay at Kamo Residences was extraordinary. So far our top experience visiting Kyoto over the years. I have travelled worldwide and used to stay at all the major luxury chains. I have switched to boutiques and more tailored experiences in the past few years.Location: Situated slightly north of the centre, by the Kamo River, with many attractions and fantastic restaurants, it is an ideal base for those who prefer quieter, in nature, and out of the major tourism paths. The neighbourhood is mixed residential and commercial, featuring many shrines, temples, and culturally significant spots popular amongst locals and Japanese visitors, so we prefer some hidden treasures near the crowded mass tourism sites. Kamigamo and Shimogamo Shrines, Kyoto Botanical Gardens are to the north, Imperial Palace is just nearby, and Higashiyama and Gion are to the southeast. Kinkakuji (The Golden Pavilion Temple) and Arashiyama are to the West.The river has fantastic north-to-south walkways, with impressive things to discover en route. There are plenty of bicycle and e-bike stores for rental closeby.Check-in: We checked in via WhatsApp on the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto. The manager showed us to our room immediately upon arrival. Our luggage, which we had forwarded one day before arrival, was waiting for us. A lovely, personal greeting card was in the suite, along with mochi from the famous local confectionary Demachi Futaba and complimentary champagne to celebrate our first holiday together, very thoughtful. It was the fastest and nicest check-in I ever had.Room: We stayed in the Executive River Suite. It was very generous in size, with a beautiful wood-covered high ceiling. It was airy, with a floor-to-ceiling sliding window facade opening up to beautiful floating views over the river and the stepping stones—a luxurious vibe with elegant high-end features.The bathroom was compact but modern, with a nice tub and bath salts. The Ms.

The manager allowed us to check in early and prepared a lovely surprise with champagne, mochi, and a romantic decoration—an extra bed for our kid free of charge. Originally, we booked a Panoramic Suite but changed to a Garden Suite as we wanted to have breakfast in the greenery. The staff was super accommodating and let us use their company phone, as I left mine in the taxi. Luckily, we kept the receipt, and it is on its way back to us. Thanks so much for arranging.We extended for another day. The concierge booked a great Teppanyaki experience, a taxi on the way back by the front desk, as we were exhausted. Very thoughtful. Ultra-modern. Smart home system. TVs supported dual Bluetooth headsets, and we made movie night while our sonny was sleeping. Complimentary minibar, refilled every day. Including white wine, snacks, coffee, tea, etc. Breakfast was delivered to our suite every morning, varying every day.Imperial Palace is a few minutes' walk away. It has beautiful gardens and Riverside cycling, and we used the picnic blanket from the room for riverside lunch. The local market is impressive, with delicious confectionary shops. This hotel is located in the north, close to nature and most attractions. The train station is also a few minutes walk, but we have not used it. Most attractions are walkable. We prefer it to be quieter than downtown, so this was perfect.

Large modern apartment-like accommodation, a very nice view, and a washer/dryer for laundry. The staff were lovely and accomodating. Even though they were unfamiliar with vegetarianism we really appreciate their open minds.

The accommodation did not meet our expectations. Specifically, it did not reflect the type of luxury experience we had expected from the advertising or what we normally get for the amount of money we spent. For example, breakfast was a paper bag hung over the door handle. There was no turn-down service even though it was advertised.

Lovely location away from touristy spots but still only a ten minute taxi ride to Gion. Great to watch the local people on the river and to see the black kites. Breakfast delivered to our apartment every morning … a nice touch. One of us developed a chest infection while staying .. the staff went to extraordinary lengths to help us with the doctor and made sure we were ok. Delightful people.

Wonderful greeting with local Mochi and a refreshing glass of champagne and green tea. We were able to check-in early at around 11:30. Thank you to the manager for her flexibility. This boutique is located by the River. Our suite had a clear view over local shrines and the river delta. Imperial Palace is 5min walking distance. Shimogamo Shrine, a 10 minute walk. Concierge booked a three day tour guide for us who took great care of us. We booked last minute and could not get good restaurant or guide reservations. Rio took care of everything. Lovely property, manager showed us other suites too, spacious and home feeling.