Korinkyo

Korinkyo in Kanazawa, Japan, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently receives high praise for its exceptional design, attentive service, and prime location. Guests frequently describe it as a luxurious boutique hotel offering a unique and memorable stay.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

Korinkyo generally garners an overwhelmingly positive sentiment. It holds an impressive overall rating of 9.0 ("Wonderful") from over 400 reviews on Booking.com, and a similar 9.0 on Agoda based on 430 reviews. Hotels.com even lists it as "Exceptional" with a 9.6 rating, noting 10 for staff and service. While some isolated negative feedback exists, the general consensus highlights an outstanding guest experience.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud Korinkyo for several standout features:

• Exceptional Design: The hotel, a former art gallery, boasts a "fantastic," "beautiful," and "super stylish" minimalist, industrial-chic aesthetic with a strong focus on Japanese art and design. Many appreciate how "aesthetically, they got every last detail right."
• Attentive Service: The staff is frequently described as "attentive," "friendly," "kind," "helpful," and "very welcoming," contributing to an "exceptional" and "unique experience."
• Prime Location: Its central location in Kanazawa is highly convenient, offering easy walking access to major cultural attractions.
• Luxurious Amenities: Highlights include spacious rooms with in-room baths, stunning rooftop cypress baths and sauna (though sometimes with an additional fee), complimentary minibars in some rooms, free drinks in the lounge, and high-quality toiletries.

3. Room Quality

Korinkyo's rooms are a significant draw for guests. They are consistently praised for being "beautiful and very big," "spacious," and "super clean".

• Design & Comfort: Rooms are bright and airy, featuring a serene palette of pale white, beige, and gray, exposed beams, and curving walls. Many rooms offer city views, and some include freestanding tubs or private in-room baths. Beds are described as comfortable. Details like teacups and bathrobes are often created by local artisans, adding to the unique charm.
• Amenities: All rooms provide 4-star comfort with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, a work desk, refrigerator, electric kettle, and free toiletries. Interiors are subtly perfumed with fragrances from the hotel's on-site distillery.
• Variety: Room types range from Standard (248 sq ft/23 sq m) to larger High Floor Suites with City View or Sauna (up to 667 sq ft/62 sq m).

4. Dining Experience

The dining experience at Korinkyo is largely positive, particularly the breakfast.

• Breakfast: Guests rave about the "delicious," "incredible," and "beautifully presented" breakfast, which includes continental and Asian selections. The Taiwanese-style breakfast, often featuring porridge and douhua, is a frequent favorite. Vegetarian options are also available.
• Restaurant: The hotel features a modern restaurant named Karch, offering Asian cuisine with local specialties.
• Additional Treats: Complimentary sweets are offered at check-in, and guests appreciate the free drinks available in the reception lounge, as well as specialty teas and handcrafted sweets.

5. Service & Staff

The hospitality at Korinkyo is a consistent highlight, with staff receiving ratings as high as 10/10. Guests describe the staff as "exceptional," "attentive," "friendly," "kind," "helpful," and "very welcoming and lovely". They are praised for making guests feel valued throughout their stay. Some guests, however, reported occasional language barriers with staff not always speaking much English.

6. Location & Accessibility

Korinkyo boasts an excellent and convenient location in downtown Kanazawa, situated at Katamachi 1-1-31.

• Proximity to Attractions: It's less than 1 km from Kanazawa Castle, a mere 6-minute walk to Kenrokuen Garden, and within easy reach of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Nagamachi Samurai District, and Omicho Market.
• Transportation: Komatsu Airport is about a 34-minute drive away. Kanazawa train station is approximately a 20-25 minute walk or 1.8-2.3 km, with a nearby bus stop (Kata-machi Chuo-dori) providing easy public transport access. Nomachi Station is also about a 20-minute walk.

7. Value & Pricing

The value for money at Korinkyo generally receives positive marks, with a rating of 8.5/10 on Booking.com and 9.1 on Agoda. Many guests feel the luxurious experience justifies the cost. However, some guests have described their stay as "very expensive" and expressed that the additional cost for private rooftop onsen/sauna, on top of an already high price, made them question the overall value. Prices can vary significantly, with some listings starting around S$154 (approximately $115 USD) but others indicating rates from $493/night.

8. Common Complaints

While largely positive, some recurring criticisms and issues have been noted by guests:

• Noise: A few guests have experienced excess street noise from the pedestrian crossing, though some found earplugs to be effective.
• Room Design Quirks: Some identified minor design flaws, such as a lack of towel hooks in bathrooms, beds on slightly elevated platforms leading to stubbed toes, and insufficient surfaces for open suitcases. The motion-activated entryway light was also found annoying by some at night.
• Breakfast Inconsistency: While many praise the breakfast, a few guests found the options limited or described the atmosphere as "sad, silent, uncomfortable and frankly miserable".
• Service & Communication (Isolated Incidents): Rare but notable complaints include slow check-in, initial unfriendliness from staff, or difficulty due to language barriers. One highly negative review mentioned being "thrown out" when trying to wait in the bar before their train.
• Rooftop Baths/Sauna Cost: The need to pay separately for the private rooftop cypress baths and sauna was a point of contention for some, considering the overall room rate.
• Slippers: The use of reusable fabric slippers was mentioned, with a suggestion for disposable alternatives for those desiring an "enhanced feeling of cleanliness".

Sources

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3. agoda.com
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