Is staying in Kyoto a must?

I wonder if it would be worth at all to stay in Kyoto if only sleeping there, not nessisarily visiting a ryokan.

I thought if other alternatives like Osaka, Nara or even Kobe would be better, as I assume there are good and early railway connections to Kyoto from these cities (pays out if having a JR Pass or Kansai Thru Pass).

kyoto can be full up at times and expensive i stayed in a ryokan in kyoto the rules were strict you had to be out by 11am and couldnt return until 5pm lights out 12pm and i could only get 2 days as it was always full and everywhere else i tried was also full or only had a night here or there free. but it was near the station and kyoto is a good base to go to other places maybe i didnt find the "right" places maybe kyoto was not for me my most enjoyable times were travelling on local trains as i didnt have a pass and ending up in the middle of nowhere.

Yes. Personally Kyoto is a must. Try to book early or pay more and stay in a hotel near the Shijo Karasuma or Kawaramachi areas.
It is really vibrant. I hv visited Kyoto many times at different seasons and have not tire of the city. Do Google and do your research as to where to go and what to do as well as where to hv dinners. You will not regret it.

Yes. Personally Kyoto is a must. Try to book early or pay more and stay in a hotel near the Shijo Karasuma or Kawaramachi areas.
It is really vibrant. I hv visited Kyoto many times at different seasons and have not tire of the city. Do Google and do your research as to where to go and what to do as well as where to hv dinners. You will not regret it.

Some say Kyoto is or have become a bit overrated, swarming with foreign tourists all day long. Of course it depends on the season but be warned.

I went to Kinkakuji temple last summer and it was packed. What annoyed me most was the non-Japanese people bumping me aside acting like kings and queens. When I was trying to get to the temple shop I was getting elbowed in my stomach all the time by people who just cared about themselves. Fortunately there were a tearoom rest house where none of those came...

Personally I have grown tired of Kyoto because of this, because everyone goes there and can't behave.

Slenderman makes some good points, which brings me to another point, what time of year are you planning to visit?

Peak seasons, such as autumn (koyo season) and spring (sakura season) can make Kyoto a very hectic, and somewhat stressful, experience.

Having experienced Kyoto countless times during these seasons, I have opted only to visit in May (typically from the second week of May forward to avoid the Golden Week crowds).

Kyoto is very quiet in mid-late May. Indeed, I often find that I am the only visitor at some temples!

I have never been in winter, so I do not know how quiet it is then.

That said, I have good friends there and some favorite places, so I continue to return. Kyoto is definitely worth a visit, if you have never been, but Slenderman is correct in that some of the 'charm' has worn off of Kyoto over the years.

I love Kyoto, but I really limit my time in the must see places, and like to just hang out in other areas, which are usually much quieter. Staying in the station area is convenient for getting around, and is generally not as busy at night than if you stayed somewhere like near Gion. I've never stayed in a ryokan there, and have still had great experiences.

It isn't necessary to do anything, it's your own trip. Taking a few days at the very least to explore Kyoto is ideal in my opinion, but you don't have to stay in the area to do that.

If you want to stay somewhere else, I'd choose Osaka as there's lots of nightlife.

Good advice Mon, as it seems most posters don't seem to realize that the OP is looking to use Kyoto as a hub rather than for sightseeing.

Kyoto can be a good place to base yourself but it depends on your itinerary. Can you post your full plans?

"I thought if other alternatives like Osaka, Nara or even Kobe would be better, as I assume there are good and early railway connections to Kyoto from these cities."

I believe the OP wants to sightsee in Kyoto, but is not sure about whether to stay in Kyoto itself, or use Osaka, Nara, or Kobe as a base.

I see why there's confusion. I interpreted the first question (I wonder if it would be worth at all to stay in Kyoto if only sleeping there, not nessisarily visiting a ryokan.) to mean they won't be doing sightseeing in Kyoto, but it seems that might be contradicted by the second part of their question. Either way, it would still be helpful to know their itinerary.

I think there is no definite correct answer. For example, I searched a hotel room on 18th July for my son to take a exam in Suita (northern part of Osaka) and found that the most affordable hotel was in Kyoto (Coop Inn Kyoto, 9900 yen including breakfast). On that day I cannot find cheaper and comfortable hotels in Osaka. From Coop Inn it takes about 40 min (Karasuma to Suita) while it takes about 15 min from Umeda (Osaka).

Also I searched a room in Osaka on 27th June for myself and found a special deal for Rhiga Royal Hotel (12250 yen including breakfast). This is quite cheap for this hotel.

If you find a good deal for Osaka, Kyoto or Nara hotel, you should take that chance. Of course you should consider the commuting time for your itinerary. If you want to sightsee Kyoto, and if the hotels of the identical level offer the identical price, you should take a Kyoto hotel. I myself assume 1 hr of "commuting" equals 5000 yen, but this depends on the person.

The op is saying he is only using the hotel for the bed facilities. He doesn't care about whether it has a pool, great baths, hot spring, good food. The bed is sufficiently comfortable and clean is what he wants. Also, whether staying outside kyoto is going to give him trouble sightseeing kyoto.

In my opinion, kyoto has various accomodations. if the OP is just finding any clean lodging with or without privacy, then there a number of hostels and cabins.

Also depends on what the OP wishes to do in Kyoto. Whether late night or early morning activities are included in his itinerary.

So yes, knowing his/her plans is important. Especially if it is a busy period. It might just be the OP using the wrong hotel booking website. Or perhaps trying to book December 2016 which hotels probably have not open their servers for the reservations.

As a base to start from? no. If your spending a lot of time in Kyoto then it's worth considering, but chances are hotels book up fast and the ones that don't tend to be away from the station.

As a base to explore the Kansai area and beyond i always stay near shin-Osaka station. It's a bit boring, but has excellent links to the entire region.

Hmm, I'm still not convinced that the OP is not just looking at Kyoto as a base for exploring other cities. Gonna bump this thread and wait for the OP to tell us his intentions...

NO. Honestly I much prefer staying in the more urban areas of Osaka, hitting the trains in the morning and travelling to Kyoto to explore during the day whilst enjoying Osakas nightlife. For the most part, Kyoto can be covered in a matter of days so no need in paying more money just to explore for a few days, make the most of your trip and stay in Osaka.

Wonder what happened to the OP, Peter Pettigrew?