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Very clean, pleasant. Best part by far: unlimited free use of their two onsen public baths (men’s & women’s alternate daily—look for blue flag for men, red for women) each with shower area, hot bath, warm bath with jets. Upstairs cold bath, sauna with TV, and outdoor bath. Silly me couldn’t open door and thought bath was shut -forgot they slide like a barn door! Wash first in the station-bring nothing in with you, baskets in changing area and lock box do room key before entryway. Baths open 6 am to 11 pm. Great after long day sightseeing. Ryokan provides bathrobes and obi sash, slippers and towels in your room.
Quintessential Japanese guest rooms with tatami rice straw mats, futon, and cushion for low table. Hot pot in room for the complimentary green tea and sweet. Staff very friendly and helpful. Massages reservations available after 1 PM to 9. $60/hour. M Checkout 7-10. Cool little neighborhood. 15 minute walk to Kyoto station. Walking distance to UNESCO Toji Temple and several other temples. Easy to catch bus nearby.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from , オーナー at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
Responded 11 Jan 2023
Dear Melissa c, Thank you very much for your fabulous comment and we are very glad that you enjoyed having stayed at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed bath facilities. We are also pleased to hear that you were satisfied with our staff. Once again, we sincerely appreciate for your comment you gave us. We certainly hope to welcome you back again in the near future. Best Regards, Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
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We wanted to stay at a traditional Japanese inn and eat traditional food because we had the opportunity to travel to Japan. We searched for several Ryokans on the Internet, found a place with reasonable prices and facilities, and made a reservation. Everything from reservation to accommodation went smoothly, so we didn't have any inconvenience. We made a reservation including dinner and breakfast. The Ryokan was not far from Kyoto Station, so we arrived quickly by taxi. We were guided by the kind manager in front of us, and we went into the traditional Tatami room and visited the restaurant to have dinner wearing traditional Japanese gowns. We were directed to a reserved restaurant, where we were able to eat traditional Japanese kaiseki food for the first time in our lives. We made good memories by eating neat and deliciously prepared food and drinking traditional Japanese alcohol. We also appreciated the kindness of the restaurant staff. "We went into the public bath in the Ryokan late in the evening. we were able to relieve all the fatigue of the day in the hot bath of the Ryokan, and we were able to go to bed after relaxing in the open-air bath (rottenburo) on the second floor." we were able to have a traditional Japanese breakfast the next morning, and it was a more enjoyable trip because it was chilly and I could greet a good morning with my eyes even though it was spring. Everything from reservation to accommodation to check-out was very good, and it seems to be an accommodation I want to visit again. Especially, it was good to experience the culture of human tradition in Japan.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:I recommend you try dinner and an open-air bath.
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Response from , オーナー at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
Responded 29 Mar 2024
Dear Climber64973028366, Thank you very much for your fabulous comment, and we are very glad that you enjoyed having stayed at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. We are delighted to hear that you were satisfied with our staff, and the traditional Japanese kaiseki food. We are also pleased to hear that you enjoyed the public bath. Once again, we sincerely appreciate the comment you gave us. We certainly hope to welcome you back again in the near future. Best Regards, Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
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It was a little difficult to reach the ryokan as it was located deep in the heart of a residential district. However it was a quiet stay, and a very pleasant one. The rooms were clean and well maintained, and the bath facilities spacious and clean. The ryokan provided some sweets and tea for visitors. I only visited the onsen once, and was able to visit the bath on the left (facing the entrances) with two heated onsens on the lower level and one with a jacuzzi, and an upper level with an open air onsen and a cold water bath. Do note that the public baths close at 11PM, and the gender restricted public baths swap in the morning. If you are interested in dining at the ryokan, you may want to indicate a reservation beforehand. I unfortunately missed breakfast. Dinner was superb; the braised fish set was easily one of the best meals I had during my stay in Japan.
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Date of stay: March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from , オーナー at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
Responded 12 Mar 2023
Dear Daikontaiko, Thank you very much for your comment and we are very glad that you enjoyed having stayed at Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the rooms and the bath facilities. We are also pleased to hear that you were satisfied with our Dinner, especially the braised fish set. Once again, we sincerely appreciate for your comment you gave us. We certainly hope to welcome you back again in the near future. Best Regards, Kyoto Ryokan Shoei
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I go to "Makoto no Yu" about once a month, and always have a delicious lunch at "Hanaguruma". The mackerel sushi is especially excellent. At long-established mackerel sushi restaurants in Kyoto, the quality is declining despite the ridiculous price. The mackerel sushi here is cheap and excellent, without question.
So this time, we, who were born and live in the city of Kyoto, decided to stay overnight, eat a delicious meal, and relax in the hot springs. For dinner, we had "Seasonal Kyoto Kaiseki." All the dishes served were very elaborate, and we were surprised at how delicious they were. The fish was very fresh and excellent (Kyoto Central Market is nearby). You can tell that the chef must be very skilled. I always relax at "Makoto no Yu," and both the open-air bath and the large bath are clean and spacious, and in winter, my body stays warm for a long time. The staff are also very kind. It seems that it is very popular, so you need to make a reservation well in advance to get a vacancy. We were lucky to be able to stay in a twin room. Next, we went on a day trip to "Hanaguruma" to try mackerel sushi and sashimi. The nearby Kadoya is also worth a visit.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Whenever I stay in Kyoto, I stay along the subway line, not on the bus route, and choose a plan with only breakfast. If you want to have a leisurely dinner in crowded Kyoto, you have to make a reservation in advance or move early, but this time I booked this inn's plan with breakfast and dinner to talk with a friend. While there are many buffet-style meals, I was able to enjoy a leisurely meal with a set menu and a course for the first time in a while. As other people have said in their reviews, it is rare to find a place in this price range where you can eat such quality food. The sashimi was fresh, the meat was tender, and the food was delicious with dashi stock. If you want to enjoy a leisurely meal, I highly recommend the plan with dinner. The non-alcoholic homemade drinks were also very delicious. It is a small, old-fashioned inn. It is completely different from the latest hotels, with new facilities, spacious common areas, and free drinks, but the staff were warm and gave me a nostalgic Showa-era feeling in a good way, and I hope that this style of inn will continue for a long time. Because there are only a few rooms, you rarely meet people, and the elevators are not crowded and you can't get on. Access is a bit of a walk from the station, so it may be inconvenient depending on the season or your age, but the parking lot is free and it is convenient for those traveling by car. (The surrounding roads are not very wide, so it is easier to get there if you check Street View in advance.)
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stayed here with three friends for three nights.
We enjoyed the luxury of having futons laid out in a clean, spacious room.
The yatsuhashi snack was also a nice touch.
The plan included breakfast, and the rice was very delicious, so it was the first time I'd had a proper breakfast in a long time.
I was surprised at the quality, and the breakfast menu changed for the first three days. On the first day, it was salmon, on the second day it was shishamo, and on the third day it was atka mackerel with yudofu (!)
I was very satisfied.
The hot spring was also great. The men's and women's baths changed daily, so I enjoyed it thoroughly for three days. You can enter the bath from 6:45 in the morning, so on a nice day, the open-air bath in the morning was also great. There is a cold bath with sauna, and you can also take an open-air bath in the open-air bath space.
It seemed that some people were taking day trips.
The front desk staff were also polite. Thank you very much for your help over the three days. I would like to use your service again.
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I was surprised to find such a nice and affordable hot spring inn so close to home. This is my second time staying here for work, and the facilities are clean and the food is delicious. I had Kyoto Kaiseki dinner. I had it in a private room for groups. The breakfast was so extravagant that I couldn't eat it. The entire building is now non-smoking, which I found to be a good experience and is also a factor in keeping the facilities clean. The hot spring water is gentle (not particularly intense). The bath isn't very large, but it wasn't very crowded so it was fine.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:フロントに中国語を話せるスタッフが居て助かりました。
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The street is narrow because it is in a residential area, but the buildings are beautiful and the rice was delicious and very good. I stayed in a slightly larger room, so there were two sinks and it was comfortable for four people. When I called to change my check-in time, they were very courteous. This is partly because my nails are long, but I also thought that the handles of the toilet and the sliding door of the room were too shallow to be strong. Other than that, it was nice to settle down with such a Japanese atmosphere that many people from overseas could come. I would like to stay there if I had the chance again.
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Automatically translated
Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were very accommodating to the gentleman for sudden number changes. The room was very nice with the spacious Japanese-style room! There was only one laundromat, so I had to wait a little bit, but detergent smelled good ( ¨̮ ) I thought it was a little difficult to buy detergent without change… But the rice was very good! It was gorgeous, morning and night! It would have been easier to use if the soap in the room was from a bottle! Thank you ꕤ︎︎·֜·
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Automatically translated
Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stay here every year during Golden Week in Kyoto. As the hotel is known as a "hot spring inn," it also has an open-air bath in the large communal bath, which I was very satisfied with.
If I were to be greedy...
It's a shame that the evening baths end at 11pm and the morning baths start at 6:45am. My wife arrived after 11pm so couldn't take a bath at night, and although I was able to take a morning bath, it was hectic due to breakfast and departure time. I wouldn't say 24 hours, but I think I would be even more satisfied if the bath time could be extended, from earlier in the morning until late at night.
I would also like to make this my first choice for accommodation next time.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:23時～翌朝6時45分はお風呂に入れないので、深夜到着や早朝出発時は要注意です。
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Kyoto area.
PRICE RANGE
₹9,001 - ₹14,887 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
JapanKinkiKyoto PrefectureKyotoShimogyo-ku / Kyoto Station
NUMBER OF ROOMS
36
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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