Moxy Kyoto in Japan [In-Depth Marriott Hotel Review]

While traveling in Seoul, South Korea, I could not resist the lure of being a $100 flight away from Osaka, Japan, and its well-connected neighbor, Kyoto. After booking my family’s air travel, my social feeds were quickly overwhelmed with videos of shrines, markets, torii gates, bamboo forests, and amazing food.

My challenge was to find a hotel that would be easy to access by public transportation that could comfortably accommodate my group of 4. We found that Moxy Kyoto checked all of our boxes, providing a hip base with functional rooms and approachable staff at a budget price.

Learn more about how I maximized my booking, what I liked and didn’t like about the room, and what to expect from the amenities and dining.

Booking Moxy Kyoto

I was unable to find an affordable family-sized room in Kyoto for myself and my 3 kids (ages 10 to 11), so I explored options for 2 rooms. I had emailed and messaged Moxy Kyoto several times prior to booking regarding connecting rooms, but I never received a response. I ultimately took a gamble that we’d be able to get rooms assigned next to each other.

I booked 2 identical “Ume Standard Twin, Guest room, 2 Twin” rooms for 4 nights, each for ¥53,434 (around $365), for a total of ¥106,868 (around $730). Each room was about $91 per night. I liked having 2 twin beds in each room versus the queen-bed alternative, as this meant all 4 of us could have our own beds.

I checked the best cash-back rates through CashbackMonitor.com before booking and earned 4% cash-back ($24.30) through RetailMeNot.

I originally had this reservation held for ¥125,260 (around $856), but when I checked rates a month after booking, they had dropped, so I canceled and rebooked to save ¥18,392 total (around $126).

If I had had enough Marriott Bonvoy points to redeem for an award, the average rate for the stay would’ve been 28,700 points per night. This would have only represented about 0.3 cents in value per point, which is not a great deal.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite (through my Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card), I earned 7,476 Marriott Bonvoy points: 5,780 base points, 1,446 elite bonus points, and a welcome amenity of 250 points.

What Credit Card I Booked With

My initial booking was held with my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, but I was later approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, so I investigated if it would be worthwhile to change the purchase to that card.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A great option for business owners who stay in Marriott hotels and want automatic elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

A great option for business owners who stay in Marriott hotels and want automatic elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 3 Free Night Awards, valued up to 50k points each for a total value of 150k points, after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

3 Free Night Awards

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,050

Annual Fee

$125

APR

20.24% - 29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Business travelers who opt for Marriott as their hotel chain of choice will definitely want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card. The card offers great benefits to cardholders like a complimentary hotel night once a year, complimentary Gold Elite status, and multiple point redemption options.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy^® program.
• 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Moderate annual fee of $125 (rates and fees)
• No premium perks like airport lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• WELCOME OFFER: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
• Receive a 7% discount on eligible bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy^® member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy^® program.
• 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
• 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card.
• Terms apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents per point, and I would have earned 6x Marriott Bonvoy points for the reservation (4.2 cents for every dollar spent). But I decided to keep the booking on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card, as it earns 2x Ultimate Rewards points worth 2 cents each (i.e., 4 cents for every dollar spent). Even though the value is slightly less, I personally value my Ultimate Rewards points much more than Marriott Bonvoy because of their flexibility with Chase’s transfer partners.

Moxy Kyoto Location

The hotel is less than a 5-minute walk from the JR West Nijō Station, which is 2 stops from Kyoto Station on the Sagano Line (Sanin Main Line).

The hotel is within walking distance of several restaurants, LIFE Nijo Station Store for groceries, and a few konbinis (convenience stores). Though Nijō Castle looks close, the walk to the entrance took us around 20 minutes in full sun. Nishiki Market is about 30 minutes away by foot.

We found the hotel well-situated to access trains to Fushimi Inari Taisha and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. The Gion district and Yasaka Pagoda are best visited reached by bus.

Reaching Moxy Kyoto from Osaka

We arrived at Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, and the hotel staff had previously advised me via email to take the Kansai Airport Limousine Bus to Kyoto Station. The one-way fare was ¥2,800 for adults (around $19) and half-price for kids. Once at Kyoto Station, we changed to the JR Sagano Line bound for Kameoka and got off at Nijō. Tickets for the JR were ¥190 (around $1.30) for adults and half-price for kids.

Though I was easily able to buy the bus tickets with my credit card, the train transfer was confusing, especially finding the proper train operator and buying tickets. We boarded the 6:27 p.m. bus and arrived at the hotel around 9 p.m. — about 2.5 hours total transit time.

Alternatively, you can take the JR Haruka train from KIX to Kyoto Station and follow the same instructions to Nijō. Google Maps estimated this route at ¥3,930 (around $27) for adults.

If you do not want to navigate the train transfer at Kyoto Station or have lots of luggage, a taxi from the station to the hotel costs ¥1,500 to ¥2,000 (around $10 to $14).

Hot Tip:

The hotel staff advised that the airport bus and train take the same amount of time, but the bus is cheaper and easier to follow than the train.

Checking In

I emailed the hotel again a few weeks ahead of my stay to request directions from the airport and connecting rooms. A quick reply advised that none of the rooms were connected and that the hotel would try to arrange rooms next to each other. I emailed the hotel on the day of arrival after checking in through the Marriott Bonvoy app to again request rooms next to each other. I was pleased to receive a quick response that adjacent rooms would be arranged.

Arriving after 9 p.m., the lobby was functioning as a high-energy bar full of patrons.

I was quickly checked in, and the staff advised me of an additional accommodation charge per person per night of ¥200 (just over $1). The desk agent explained that the hotel did not have a way to include this in the online rate. As I was paying on arrival, this brought my total from $730 to $741.27. The math didn’t quite make sense to me, but as it was $11, I just paid it and moved on.

I received both sets of key cards and 4 welcome drink coupons.

The drink coupons were valid at any time in the bar for a Moxy signature cocktail, draft beer, highball, soft drink, coffee, or tea. A few days later, my kids enjoyed a lemonade while playing video games in the bar.

Elite Benefits

As a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, I received the following benefits:

• 25% points bonus
• 250 Marriott Bonvoy points as a welcome gift
• 2 p.m. late checkout

First Impressions

Stepping into Moxy Kyoto, particularly at night, felt a bit like sneaking my kids into a club. It had a very cool vibe, and I loved the design throughout the lobby.

While I checked in, my kids relaxed next to the faux fireplace.

To the left of the fireplace was a large gathering space anchored by banquette seating along the walls and a large coffee table. Throughout our visit, we found this to be a great spot to stop for a drink or snacks.

Also in this lobby space were several armchairs around a coffee table and a library area with a Mac desktop computer and seating around a long conference table. Along the wall, 2 giant teddy bears rested in a seating nook and platform area that were perfect for kids.

The entryway had a collection of umbrellas for guest use, an umbrella dryer, and umbrella bags. I also grinned at Moxy’s signature “jazz hands” wet floor sign.

Twin Guest Room

The hotel has 9 floors, and our “Ume Standard Twin Guest Room, 2 Twin” rooms were on the fifth floor.

I immediately noticed that the elevators had a separate set of buttons that were more height-accessible for guests in wheelchairs.

We were assigned rooms 515 and 516. My daughter and I shared 516, and the boys were in 515.

Upon entering room 516, I saw the entry hall had a magnetic noticeboard, a full-length mirror, and a sliding door for the bathroom.

The board held a “Do Not Disturb” sign, a guide to the facilities and services, house rules, and details for mirroring your device to the TV. It also had a small ledge ideal for holding key cards, coins, or a phone.

Past the bathroom door was an open shelving unit with an empty minifridge, a safe, and a kettle set for instant coffee. The minifridge was extremely shallow — it could manage just 1 row of cans.

The room had a pegboard-style open closet, with various accessories dangling from the pegs, such as an air freshener spray and hangers. As we were traveling with several days of clothing, these 3 hangers did little to help meet our storage needs.

Also along the pegboard was a canvas folding stool, a large flat-screen TV, a fold-down desk, a bag with a charging cable and plug, and a lamp.

The TV had Cartoon Network for my kids, but its shows were predominantly in Japanese. I tried screen-sharing Netflix from my iPhone, iPad, and laptop, but I had a myriad of issues and could not successfully mirror any shows to the TV.

Though I had a negative experience using my laptop with a small ledge and stool at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong just a few days prior, this setup worked surprisingly well. However, if anyone wanted to move around me when I was working, they had to climb over a bed.

With the lack of shelves, I used the stool and desk space in my sons’ room to stack their clothes.

Our room had 2 twin beds, each set with a waffle-texture robe, atop a wooden platform. A large, mustard-colored, leathery pillow cushion served as the headboard.

The bed platforms had an open shelf at the end. This is where I stored the striped bed runner, but it would have also been well-suited for a larger suitcase.

Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be anything anchoring the mattress to the platform, so simple actions like sitting on the bed would slide the mattress around with little effort. We constantly had to reset them to the proper position.

The beds were incredibly plush, but the duvet was on the heavier side, and I woke up several times each night feeling overly hot and smothered.

The hotel also used flat sheets instead of fitted sheets. With the mattress sliding all over the platform and the duvet being too hot, I woke several mornings to find the sheets untucked from the platform and my body in direct contact with the mattress. My kids didn’t have the same issue, but it was a pretty gross experience to wake up to.

The yellow nightstand had a clock, TV remote, pad and pencil, and a push-button but rotary-looking phone. My kids were thrilled to have a clock (so they knew when to wake me up), and they were a little too excited to learn how to call each other between rooms (which scared the living daylights out of me each time the phone roared to life).

Controls above the nightstand had light switches, USB-A ports, and Type-A power outlets. Type-A outlets generally accept U.S. plugs, but you’ll need a travel adapter to use a 3-prong Type-B plug.

We didn’t have much of a view, but to give you an idea of how close the hotel is to Nijō Station, the entrance is between the center and right buildings.

Bathroom

The bathroom was compact but entirely perfect for our needs.

The vanity had grapefruit-and-mint hand wash, a razor, a compact hairbrush, toothbrushes, and cotton swab and pad sets. A small shelf on the mirror had canned water and hand towels. A hairdryer, slippers, and laundry bag were below the sink, along with full-size towels and hand towels.

The shower had a rainfall showerhead, a handheld wand, small shelves, and a stool. The full-size bath amenities were a grapefruit-and-mint shower gel and bergamot-and-tea-tree shampoo and conditioner. They all smelled fantastic and fresh.

As is fairly normal in Japan, the toilet had a Toto Washlet with controls for the front, back, pressure, and position. The seat also had a warmer, which I didn’t realize I needed until I returned home to a boring, cold toilet seat.

Amenities

I was surprised by the number of amenities at Moxy Kyoto, which delivered more than I expected for my stay.

Gym

The gym was on level B1 and was open 24 hours a day. It was small but well-equipped, with 2 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, and a racing bike on a trainer.

A corner had a weight bench, dumbbells, and Connexus Compact training equipment with punching bags and rings.

A mirrored space had a mat, medicine balls, kettlebells, and a yoga ball. This space also had a Tanita floor scale.

Shelving near the door had a water dispenser with cups, towels, and sanitizer spray.

Laundry

The laundry room was also on level B1 and was open 24 hours a day. Costs ranged from ¥400 (around $3) for a 6-kilogram-capacity wash to ¥600 (around $4) for a 3-kilogram wash and dry. Pricing included detergent.

I liked that the machines had a QR code for tracking your laundry’s status. It was accurate and easy to follow.

My load might have been a little overstuffed and didn’t quite dry. You can normally add additional time to the dryer for a few more yen, but someone was waiting on my machines. I used every peg in both rooms to hang everything to dry.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi was incredibly easy to connect to, with no password necessary. All of our devices had no issues connecting and staying connected throughout the property. Speeds were 52.44 Mbps download and 36.72 Mbps upload.

Ironing Room

Floors 2 through 8 featured a designated ironing room next to the elevator bank.

While this was little more than a large closet, it was outfitted with pegs (but no hangers), water, an iron, and an ironing board.

Lockers

Free lockers of varying sizes were available for use in the lobby.

Library

The lobby featured a large workspace called the library, with adjacent shelving containing books and knickknacks. This space also served as a business center, as it had a Mac desktop computer for open use and a printer.

My son and I had attempted to print a map for Universal Studios Japan to do some reconnaissance ahead of our next stop, but the printer wasn’t behaving. A staff member desperately tried to help us and ended up printing the document from the check-in desk.

Additional Amenities

Guests could request mobile chargers or humidifiers from the front desk. Games could also be rented from the front desk.

Level B1 also featured rooms designated “Studio A” and “Studio B,” though my key card could not unlock these doors. I imagine that they might be conference-style rooms available for reservation.

Food and Beverages

The Moxy Bar & Lounge was open 24 hours a day, with designated meal times:

• Breakfast: 6:30 to 10 a.m.
• Lunch: 11:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• Tea Time: 3 to 5:30 p.m.

The bar space was dominated by a rectangular bar with check-in on 1 side, barstools on 2 sides, and an area for service on the side closest to the dining area. Each stool had access to a purse hook, Type-A outlets, and USB-A ports.

Lounge chairs and high-top counters and chairs lined the windows.

My kids loved playing Street Fighter II on this purple Super Nintendo. This space also had a handful of table games and drawers full of more games.

The lunch and dinner were available from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and included noodles, salads, rice bowls, and desserts. Everything was less than $9.

The bar advertised a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Hotel guests got 15% off, and walk-in guests got 10% off.

Drink prices for cocktails, beer, and wine ranged from ¥800 to ¥900 (around $6).

Breakfast

The breakfast room was colorful and inviting. It was dominated by a long communal table, but diners were welcome throughout the bar area.

The breakfast buffet cost ¥2,000 (around $14) if not included with the room rate. At the time of booking, the pretax nightly difference for the “Stay for Breakfast” rate was ¥4,782 (around $33) per room, so with kids, I likely would have been better off paying the à la carte price.

Breakfast consisted of 3 rotating hot dishes each morning. The first morning of our stay featured tater tots, a vegetable Spanish omelet, and meatballs in white sauce, with allergens noted.

Congee and rice were available with toppings such as salmon flakes, chili soy sauce, and salted plum.

Muffins, croissants, and bread were also available.

A cooler held hardboiled eggs, salad items, yogurt, cut fruit, juices, and milk.

Outside of breakfast hours, this cooler held a variety of items for purchase, including prepackaged cereal and milk, whole pieces of fruit, bags of muffins, prepackaged salad, canned and bottled drinks, and a freezer with ice cream and easy-to-heat options.

Finally, the buffet had dry cereals and onion soup.

In the afternoon, my kids and I bought amazing Japanese peaches from the nearby LIFE Nijo Station Store as a snack and utilized this area to grab plates and a knife.

Hot Tip:

If you want to dine outside of the hotel for breakfast, Nijō Station has a 7-Eleven and a bakery, and there’s a Komeda’s Coffee across the street. The LIFE Nijo Station Store is fantastic for groceries but does not open until 9 a.m. For lunch and dinner, we enjoyed Kura Revolving Sushi Bar (most plates were ¥120, less than $1), just a short walk away, and ramen from Yamashita Shozo (Yamasho-Ramen) (¥900 per bowl, around $6) next door to the hotel.

Service

Before booking, I had emailed and messaged the hotel several times to inquire about connecting rooms and never got a reply. Marriott Bonvoy customer service wasn’t helpful via email, either. I took a chance and booked anyway. When I emailed the hotel a few weeks ahead of my stay for directions and to place my connecting room request, I received a nearly immediate response. Email correspondence from then on was responsive and thorough.

The hotel’s in-person service also left a good impression, starting with the staff member who checked me in. The next day, after a phone call to the front desk team to request assistance with screen mirroring to the room TV, a team member headed right up to the room and was able to fix my problem. I also had a team member go out of his way to try to help me print a document. When the library’s printer didn’t work for us, he was persistent in finding a solution.

We only had a slight hiccup with one day of housekeeping service, where one of the rooms was serviced while we were out but the other room had not been. The housekeeper came by later in the day to ask if we needed service, and we declined. It was a minor blip in an overall great stay.

Final Thoughts

My family had a fantastic stay at Moxy Kyoto. This was my first stay at a Moxy hotel, and it embodied the brand’s reputation as a hip, urban property. The lobby was fun and funky, with a variety of comfortable spaces for lounging, eating, and leisure. The staff was approachable, friendly, and helpful. The rooms were compact but functional, though you may need to get creative if your travel style involves spreading out everything you own.

The location near Nijō Station was convenient for accessing the majority of activities we had planned in Kyoto, and dollar sushi less than half a mile away was a huge highlight for my kids. With room rates under $100 a night, I wouldn’t hesitate to return to Moxy Kyoto on a future stay.