If the nice hotels around Kyoto Station are too expensive for you or you plan to take the Hozugawa River Boat, consider staying the night at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae (サンロイヤルホテル亀岡駅前). The hotel, filled with various facilities, is just a one-minute walk from Kameoka Station. Plus, all hotel guests can enjoy the delicious complimentary breakfast!
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If you are wondering why the hotel is surrounded by fog in the photo, it is because Kameoka is also known as “The City of Fog” (霧の都)! Refer to our Kameoka article for the best spot to adore the fantastic sea of clouds scenery!
The Guestrooms at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae
Because Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae isn’t in Kyoto’s city center, the cost of staying there is a lot cheaper. We stayed in a double room, which only cost us 8,000 yen per night. The room was only 17m² but at least we had enough room to open our suitcases!
As the Simmons bed is 140cm x 200cm, if it is too small to fit two people, book their twin room. The twin room has a size of 20m² and two single beds of a size of 110cm x 200cm.
The guestrooms’ toilets and bathrooms are much better than those in hotels in a similar price range. Instead of a small room packed with a bathtub, a toilet, and a washbasin, Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae gives its guests much more space!
The toilet and washbasin are outside the shower and bathing area, so you can still use the toilet even if your travel buddy is showering!
The desk in the room is big enough to fit a laptop, so if you need to work remotely, you can!
The Complimentary Breakfast at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae
While you might not expect much from a hotel’s free breakfast, the stereotype could not be more wrong for many cases in Japan! The breakfast provided by Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae was delicious. Although there were fewer dishes than those you have to pay for in other hotels, Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae still have a pretty good selection of Japanese and Western-style options!
Breakfast at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae is served at the restaurant called Kirameki-tei (きらめき亭) on the second floor. As breakfast is served between 6:45 am and 9:30 am, remember to set your alarm clock on if you tend to sleep in while traveling.
The best seats at Kirameki-tei are the counter seats and the table seats by the floor-to-ceiling windows. They offer a panoramic view of the open space in front of the hotel.
Important:
☛ Because seats in the restaurant are limited, there might be a queue between 6:45 am to 7:30 am.
☛ Please enter the restaurant by 9 am.
☛ Not all dishes are vegetarian. Please confirm with the staff.
We spent two nights at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae and had breakfast at Kirameki-tei two days in a row. While the dishes in the buffet were the same, we had no issues with that. There were a few of them that we didn’t have enough space in our stomachs to try on the first day, and a couple of others that we would love to have again!
Because we were traveling in Japan, we inevitably enjoyed a large bowl of rice with various side dishes. As tofu lovers, we were thrilled to see a large serving of tofu at the buffet bar (refer to the last photo in the IG post). The tofu goes really well with the rice after adding soy sauce and ground ginger.
If you prefer a Western-style breakfast, various breads and jams are available. Milk and yogurt are also on the shelf.
The Spa and Relaxation Facility at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae
Not only are the bathrooms in the guest rooms are better than its competitors, but the public bath area is nicer too! Besides the usual washing space and bathing pool, there are also jacuzzi spas, a cold spring pool, and sauna(s). In addition, there is a bedrock bath space for your body to relax in!
Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae‘s spa and relaxation facility is also open to non-hotel guests. Like other public bathhouses in Japan, there are lockers at the area’s entrance. When you get there, put your shoes/slippers inside the lockers. After that, hand in your hotel key to the staff member, who will give you a key to a locker in your gender’s changing room in exchange.
If you want to utilize the bedrock bath, let the staff know. You will be given a small bag with a bath towel and a set of changing clothes. Before using the bedrock bath, please change into the changing clothes to avoid your normal clothes becoming damp. Cover the bedrock with the bath towel before relaxing, as it is quite hot!
Note that the bedrock bath costs 330 yen if you are a male guest.
In the same space, there is also a relaxation room with comfortable reclining chairs. Comic books in Japanese are also available on the shelf. If you are hungry or want some soft drinks or alcoholic drinks, light meals and drinks are available from 5 pm to 10 pm at Kirameki-tei. The same place where the breakfast is served is connected to the hotel’s spa and relaxation space.
Laundry and Other Facilities at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae
The laundry room at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae is very close to the hotel’s reception. There are three washing machines and dryers. One wash cost 300 yen. The machine inserts detergent/washing powder as a part of the washing cycle.
Tip: Let the washing machine do a quick 30-second pre-wash to ensure that it is clean before use. Check with the staff for the button you must press after inserting the coins and closing the lid.
Next to the laundry room, there is a microwave and an ice dispenser.
The Rentable Items at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae
Like any other hotels, Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae also has a couple of things you can rent from the reception. But the only two things we needed cannot be provided. At the time, we bought some apples and persimmons during our trip, so we wanted to borrow a peeler and a knife.
The staff told us that a peeler isn’t available and a knife cannot be rented out for safety reasons. But the reception staff who served us kindly asked the kitchen staff to cut the fruits for us.
We thought it would be quick but waited around 10 minutes. It turns out that people there don’t tend to use peelers to peel the fruit skin. Instead, they use a knife, which is why it took the lady so long; the persimmon’s skin was hard to peel with a knife.
Just note that this fruit-cutting service isn’t a standard service the hotel provides. It was from the kindness of the staff.
Not only did the lady peel and cut the fruits for us, but forks were also provided! We were so thankful that we gave them two packets of crackers we brought over from Taiwan.
So, back to the topic, we have compiled a list of rentable items from Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae‘s reception:
- Trouser pressers
- Irons
- Thermometers
- Blankets
- Nail clippers
- Umbrellas
- Wine/bottle openers
- Mobile chargers
- HDMI cables
Discover Other Parts of Kameoka City
Arashiyama in Kyoto is one of the most popular destinations in the prefecture. But Kameoka City’s scenery is just as amazing, if not better, than that in Arashiyama. And the best thing is that it is only half as crowded!
If you choose to stay at Sun Royal Hotel Kameoka Ekimae, how about discovering a couple of attractions in Kameoka before taking the Hozugawa River Boat or the Sagano Romantic Train to Arashiyama?
For more information about the city, please refer to our Kameoka City article (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
