Sauna & Capsule Hotel Rumor Plaza

Phenomenal; makes me want on in America.

Could benefit from a free weight gym if there’s a basement floor!

First I will share something interesting—this place is extremely highly thought of by every rickshaw driver in Kyoto, and when you see the baths you understand exactly why: Multiple indoor and outdoor baths, multiple types of saunas, and the highlight, a rooftop bath with a surprisingly magnificent panoramic view of Kyoto. For a capsule hotel it presents extraordinary value. My stay had breakfast in the mess included, and again, the value of what was on offer was actually quite surprising to me, I had a full breakfast of eggs, rice, miso soup, yogurt with berries, and juice. The mess is also open through your the day and night for guests to grab a quick bite or some peace and a coffee. Massive common reading and tv areas and a level dedicated to offering massages to guests continue the extraordinary value on offer here. The capsule is what it is, a capsule bed with a small shelf for personal items or drinks, a charging port, tv and light. Privacy is obtained by lowering retractable blind…this does mean there is virtually no soundproofing—earplugs are provided in the pod by way of compensation for this setup. For airflow reasons I preferred to have the blind partially open at the bottom, and even so, I did not find noise much of a problem, Japanese boarders (which are the vast majority of the guests) are respectful of other people’s peace in a way that makes this kind of design more suited and comfortable than it might be elsewhere. Overall, I think what is offered at rumor plaza in terms of facilities and value for money is superior to any similar budget accommodation I’ve experienced elsewhere.

The lockers and bedrooms are on the same floor so you don't need to change floors to access them, bathroom is spacious and bathroom lockers are plentiful, honestly a perfect spot. Toothbrushes, face cleanser, and razors were very useful

Considering I picked a very non-tourist capsule hotel, the staff was extremely helpful and professional—even in English when my limited Japanese was insufficient. The central location in town was also a huge plus, putting me close to many local activities I had planned, several excellent restaurants, ATMs and konbinis, and plenty of shops.

The idea of a capsule hotel is alluring in novelty, but not in practice. The lack of privacy, temperature control, security, or dining and bathing options grossly outweighed the novelty. Food options in the restaurant were limited, at least for breakfast. Storage space was limited to a slim locker and vaguely-monitoring large luggage in the lobby hallway. The onsen, despite being advertised as practically 24hr, is shut down for cleaning not late at night or early in the morning but from 9-10am—I’d blame this on being geared more for salarymen than tourists, but I watched several Japanese men get kicked out of the outdoor area right as I finished showering, so clearly there is a demand at that time of day. Maybe cleaning could be moved to 3am at close? Or immediately before opening? Seems very inefficient.