I arrived from Fukuoka on the Shinkansen to be welcomed at Kyoto station by an attendant who directed me to a taxi, which delivered me to the Brighton. Arriving at the Brighton Hotel is a (pleasant) sociological experience in itself. Before you are out of the taxi, there is a young bell man (or more likely a young bell woman wearing a fetching pill box hat), there to help you with your luggage. It doesn't end there. Despite my suitcase weighing a ton, she resists my efforts to help and insists on loading it on to a trolley and into reception. Once you are checked in, the young bell woman shows you round your room - and, if you need, an extra adaptor, she is off like a shot to get you one. Almost needless to say, she speaks English. (If you call housekeeping for, say, additional coat hangers, there's someone knocking at your door within minutes presenting the said item with a bow and a welcome smile).

After the cupboard I lived in (sans wardrobe/closet) in Fukuoka, the size of my Brighton room was a pleasant change, especially the bathroom. In my twin room, there was also a settee, an armchair and a desk cum dressing table, where there is free and fast internet access. (Don't complain about the lack of wireless connection in your room. As I discovered minutes before I left two days later, there is an internet cable in the top drawer so you do not have to go down to the lobby to use the free internet room.) The room was spotless and maintained throughout my stayas near as possible to perfection.

The hotel has 4 different restaurants, all off the huge lobby - 2 Japanese, one Chinese and one sort-of western cuisine. I stayed for two nights at the hotel and tried the (slightly less expensive) Japanese and the Chinese. On the first night, I made a reservation for one of the Japanese restaurants and went to the wrong restaurant. The maitre D actually ran to direct me to the correct restaurant! Forget about European dinner times. The kitchens close at 9.30! Both meals were excellent and service was impeccable - even though no tip is expected or was offered. Given the choice, I would probably go for the Chinese. Although the Japanese meal was excellent, negotiating round the eye in the fish head with my chopsticks probably coloured my preference.

Yes, the Brighton is expensive but it is excellent value. It is also a little out of town, near the Imperial Palace, which I was unable to see because it was closed for the Gion Matsuri festival. (It also poured down. so I did not even see the grounds). However, the hotel has a regular shuttle bus to the nearby Idemewaga subway station, and then it's only three stops down (250Y) to Shijo subway station, which is the centre of the festival and a main shopping centre. A pleasant but unexpected bonus was an excellent half-hour classical music concert in the atrium on Saturday night. (Also barber shop singing on Sunday, if you care for this).

The concierges are also excellent and one must have given me about an hour explaining (in English) which sites I needed to visit, how I got downtown, and how, when I left, I could take a direct train to Nara from the Idemewaga station. They booked me on the Kyoto 1-day tour with JTB Sunrise, for which they have brochures. In intermittent rain, I visited Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji Temple, Kitano Tenmangu, had lunch (which is included) at the Kyoto Handicraft Center, where you can buy decent quality souvenirs, Heian Shrine, Sanjusangendo, and Kiyomizu Temple for 11,200Y. A long day and a lot to take in, but well worthwhile, particularly if you are travelling on your own and welcome a chat over lunch or someone to take your photo. The only downside is that they do not pick up from or drop down at Brighton. You have to take a 5-minute cab ride to the ANA Hotel and vv.

If I ever visit Kyoto again, I will not even consider another hotel. I will, however, hope the weather is better.