Karavansara Retreat and Residences

Siem Reap, Cambodia

12 June 2011

Weekend Retreat in Siem Reap

I had a great weekend meeting with some old friends in the hotel industry and testing out some new restaurants in town. We invited a friend of ours who manages one of the South East Asia's largest hotel groups to come and visit the Karavansara Retreat and Residences as a 'mystery guest'. The purpose of the trip was to secretly audit all our hotel operations, food and beverage services, and tours.


The findings were very exciting and we are as optimistic as ever about our new hotel.  While the service apartments have been in operations for almost three years, the hotel is only eight months old. The main comment from our invited expert was that our place is actually better than it appears on the on-line page. The expert really loved to hear and about the history and environmental construction technique used in the two properties. Now all we need to do is get out and:


TELL THE STORY!


Our background is in design and we are not marketing specialist. ....I suppose that we will have to get better at this.

 Reception and Restaurant

 View towards Reception from the Garden

A new shrine within the garden

 great new italian restaurant near Pub Street.

The Karavarsara Retreat and Residence is perfect for that romantic weekend away or a cultural trip with the family.  We offer both classic hotel rooms and a full service apartments to meet your vacation needs.

Karavansara Gosho Machiya
Kyoto, Japan


19 June 2011


Father's Day at the Asahi Oyamazaki Museum

On Father's Day we went to the Asahi Oyamazaki Museum (asahibeer-oyamazaki.com) located in the Southwestern section of Kyoto. The had an exhibition of chairs by modern furniture makers in the Kansai region. There were several styles of chairs on display from the hyper-modern to the traditional. One of the highlights of the exhibit was that the museum guests are allowed to sit in all the different chairs.


The two main permanent features of the museum are a collection of Monet's water lily paintings and a building addition designed by the architect Tadao Ando. Both the paintings and the building are worth the 15 minute train ride from Kyoto Station.


We didn't have a chance this trip but it seems that there are also a series of other historical sites  in the vicinity of the museum as well as a walking path that climbs through the mountains.

View across traditional garden towards Ando building

Detail of Ando building and flying children

Flowing pond separating the Ando building and Existing Tudor inspired home

Small fence made out of the heads of brooms

View from balcony of Tudor Home

Children flying everywhere!

The Karavansara Gosho Machiya is a traditional Japanese house directly adjacent to the Imperial Palace in central Kyoto.  It is available for vacation rentals and short term rentals.  Please contact us for further information.

Hike along Kamogawa in Northern Kyoto

Karavansara Gosho Machiya Kyoto

21 June 2011

Today I took a walk from Kitayama in nothern Kyoto along the banks of the Kamogawa (Kamo River) towards Kumogahata. This is a road that I often take on my road bike, but, I have decided to train for a climb of Fuji-san next month and a 100km trek in Nepal in October.

It rained all morning and was overcast when I set out from the house. The damp weather and heavy fog really brings out the depth of the green colors in the trees of the canyon.  it is a very picturesque road,  easy to find and the incline is very slight (about 300m over 10km from our house). 

 I am expecting the Yokai to come out anytime now

  These mirrors are very useful when on the bike...and fun when walking, too

 View to moutains enroute

Rice Fields in Kumogahata

The Karavansara Kyoto Machiya is a traditional Japanese house directly adjacent to the Imperial Palace in central Kyoto.  It is available for vacation rentals and short term rentals.  Please contact us for further information.