Homestays in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

For a hostel-type experience, it was probably really good, and very reasonably priced. However, as a couple with lots of luggage, we should have just booked a hotel as this was not very comfortable to stay in, in our personal experience. The room was an okay size, if you are a solo traveller, or travelling light, this will likely not be an issue. However, with 2 people and 2+ bags, it becomes cramped, and a bit like a game of tetris to move the table and your luggage to fit the futon beds on the floor. There is also no elevator (which we should have checked beforehand) but it took us a few trips to get our bags up to the 4th floor (the reception is on the 2nd floor, as you have to walk up some stairs from the street level, 1st floor, to get to the entrance) - I will give the owner credit here though, he helped us bring our bags upstairs when we arrived. Unfortunately, the room did not feel clean, the provided towels felt like blankets (70% polyester) compared to the hand towel which felt like an actual towel (100% cotton) - we ended up buying a cheap towel from one of the convenience stores down the road - and there was only the overhead light (which, although you could dim and change the warmth, it wasn't great in the evenings). The futon sheets did not feel super clean in our opinion, and AC is centrally operated, I think there was a note that said we could mention if the temperature was too hot/cold, but we always returned to the room after the owner had left the reception for the evening (after 9pm), so we just put up with it. Finally, my umbrella got stolen after a rainy day. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a big deal as I'd just bought it for cheap, and it was a shared space so was a risk to leave it, but it was annoying, even if it was taken by mistake - I didn't want to take a wet umbrella up into the room. The communal areas (kitchen, lounge area, shower and washing machine areas) were okay but I believe they were only cleaned at the start of the week, then left to people using the facilities to tidy up after themselves (which isn't always successful). There was a bag for composting things like tea bags etc, I think, in the corner of the sink which then decomposed as the week went on, which wasn't ideal. There were only 2 showers for the entire guesthouse (at least 4 rooms per floor - I think there were 3 floors for guests - not sure though), and were average. Body soap and shampoo is provided, the shower pressue and temperature control was good but the overall cleanliness wasn't great. You can imagine the state of the floors if multiple people with long hair are brushing/drying there hair in these rooms - definitely wear slippers when navigating that space. Now, I don't know how the owner could improve this as it's really down to who is staying at any one time - we might have gotten unlucky/being too precious. Suggestions for things that would have improved our stay: (1) A small lamp to use in the evenings instead of the overhead light (2) Better quality towels (3) A fan to plug in, to circulate the air, if individual room AC/leaving the window open is not possible (4) Air freshener spray (or equivalent) (5) Multi purpose spray & wipes for the shared slippers I will say that the price was really unbeatable, the owner supports great causes, and the location is fantastic for easy access to many popular Kyoto spots (mostly temples), and was only a 20-min walk across the river to Kyoto Station, with an even shorter walk to several others. If you are on a budget and travelling solo/lightly, I think this place is better than the average capsule hotel or hostel options, as you do get a private room instead of just a bunk bed. But if you have luggage, aren't able to use stairs, or have the means to (and want to) book an actual hotel, I would suggest doing that, as you get what you pay for.

The location is very good, just a few minutes walk from the subway station, but there are not many food options near the hotel, only convenience stores, and the hotel does not have an elevator. Guests with large luggage need to pay attention, because they need to carry their luggage upstairs by themselves

+ this hotel 01 station only from Kyoto Station, using metro and stop at Koji Station , and then walking about 15minutes to the hotel + The easy way to reach this hotel is using bus, and stop at Kujo Omiya. Many bus have direct route to Gion, and other tourist spot (about 30 minutes riding). Please take a notes, this hotel is not in tourist area, very quiet and you will meet with many local people here. + this hotel have a concierge and standby staff, so you can keep the luggage before checkin. + this hotel is very new, i think maybe open early 2026, when we proceed for the check in, the hotel staff gave us some welcoming gift, and we can saw many flowers buoquet there. And the good news, yes they have an elevator, so no issue for thise who bring big luggage + Room very clean and tidy. We book for 03 persons, and they prepare room with 04 twin beds (separate 02 rooms). Inside room have bathtub, laundry, kitchen + equipment, and 01 dining table. + I think maybe this is the best hotel we stay at Japan. Very modern, all brand new, many USB port inside the room, wifi connection is strong, really quiet and really convenient for stay + around 05 minutes walking, you will find japanese ramen noodle resto, and also local mini market. - a little bit troublesome for communicate with the hotel staff, because when we want to make sure about Yamato Delivery Service to this hotel, it was so hard to reach to hotel staff throung phone / email. When we asking to the hotel staff about this, they said they not receiving any chat from the trip.com / ******* platform. I dont know where is the issue, maybe because this hotel very new or they are not ready yet for the online communication Please take a notes that you have to pay kyoto city tax. We stay for 02 night, and we pay JPY 1.600 total Overall it was a nice stay, and definitely really recomend this hotel for stay at Kyoto.

I recently stayed at this hotel and overall, I would definitely rate it as a solid 4-star experience. From the moment I arrived, the staff was welcoming, professional, and attentive, which immediately set a positive tone for my stay. The check-in process was smooth and efficient, and I appreciated how clearly everything was explained. The room itself was spacious, clean, and well-maintained. The bed was very comfortable, and I had no trouble getting a good night’s sleep. The décor was modern and tasteful, and all the basic amenities were provided, including toiletries, a coffee machine, and reliable Wi-Fi. Housekeeping did a great job each day, keeping everything tidy and replenished. One of the highlights of the hotel was its facilities. The common areas were clean and nicely designed, and there was a relaxing atmosphere throughout the property. The breakfast was also quite good, offering a variety of options to suit different tastes. While it wasn’t the most luxurious breakfast I’ve ever had, it was definitely above average and satisfying. The location of the hotel was another strong point. It was conveniently situated, making it easy to access nearby attractions, restaurants, and transportation. This made getting around very simple and added a lot of value to the overall experience. That said, there were a few minor areas that could be improved. At times, service could be slightly slow during busy hours, and a few small details in the room showed slight wear. However, these issues were not major and did not significantly affect my stay. Overall, this hotel offers great value for money and provides a comfortable and enjoyable experience. It may not be perfect, but it certainly meets the expectations of a 4-star hotel. I would happily recommend it to others and would consider staying here again in the future

The perfect combination of all factors ☺️ wonderful hotel. Close to many attractions

I chose this hotel because it is close to the city center. After actually checking in, I found that the location is very convenient. It is only a 5-minute walk from Karasuma Shijo in the center of Kyoto. Moreover, there is a Lawson convenience store next door to the hotel, which is very convenient. There is also a Michelin ramen shop next door to the convenience store. Although the store was not open during renovations during our stay, we were not late. Come back next time if we have a chance. The room was very clean and the stay was very comfortable. It is also very convenient to use the password to operate the door lock if you don’t have a room card. You don’t have to worry about losing the room card. I lost my room card in other hotels before and I was compensated 5,000 yen😵💫. Because I don’t have a room card, it is very convenient to check out before the check-out time. That's it. Very convenient. Because the surrounding public transportation is very convenient to go everywhere, I left my luggage at the front desk on the day of check-out and continued sightseeing in Kyoto for a while before leaving. The only drawback is that the temple opposite will ring the bell every morning, but as long as it’s not like me who likes to sleep until 10 o’clock every day, it shouldn’t affect it😬

The location was very convenient as it is located just one block from the main street and the train station. However the journey to get the key for the room was a puzzle, they sent the instructions in English but the touch screen was totally in Japanese with no eng option. It wasn't easy to correlate the symbols there with the instructions provided, especially as the key room didn't have air conditioner and the hot air became very soffocating (we suggest to put instructions in English on the side to make this experience bearable) The room was fine, but it wasn't clean at all and the ceiling had mould on the corners due to poor ventilation. Since day one we found spiders inside the room, probably due to lack of cleanliness. Our daughters and I were bitten by several mosquitoes as well. The toilet space was very miniscule, yet it served its mission. There were not enough spoons and forks for our family even when we specified the amount of people staying in the room. Not to mention the beds were not very comfortable. On the last day, I was very surprised they sent an email requesting to leave before 10 am, mentioning they had a tight cleaning scheduled, we thought it was odd that the departure time was 10 am yet they wanted us to go before that. We had to leave early anyway but we still thought it was odd. But I think the rules just have to be followed and let people leave on the previous time agreed. It was a hotel that served its mission overall and with an excellent location yet the cleanliness and room overall has a lot to make it better for the comfort of its clients... But at this moment I would not recommend this hotel

We stayed at Rinn Kyoto Station for five nights in a King Room and it turned out to be a really comfortable and great value stay in Kyoto. The hotel is about an eight minute walk from Kyoto Station and proved to be a very convenient base for getting around. There are also bus stops only a few minutes away, along with some great coffee spots nearby, which made mornings easy. The room itself was beautifully designed with a very functional layout. The bed and pillows were both extremely comfortable and after long days of walking around Kyoto, having a bath in the room was a huge bonus for soaking and relaxing. The shower pressure was excellent as well. The hotel has a dedicated amenities section near reception where you can help yourself to items like bath salts, shampoo, conditioner and other essentials, which was a really thoughtful touch. The staff were consistently friendly, welcoming and always greeted us warmly whenever we came and went. One thing to note is that the room servicing is done once every five days during your stay, and if you want additional cleaning there is an extra charge. For us, this was not really an issue. The laundry facilities were also very useful, with two washing machines available in the building which made it easy to keep on top of laundry during the trip. Overall, for the size of the room, the comfort, location and overall experience, we felt it was excellent value for money and would absolutely stay here again on a future visit to Kyoto.

Very comfortable, spacious room, a sofa, a large clothes, washing machine, shampoo, clothes towels, clothes, hair dryer, ready to go to many The day is recommended here, not far from the train station, there are many restaurants, very close to the safety of the bottom, a little narrow, a very large soup, there are many restaurants, a little narrow, the cover is a little narrow.

Our recent stay at Ujo Soan was, without exaggeration, the finest hospitality experience I have encountered in my 20 years of traveling across Japan. From the moment we arrived, the level of service was nothing short of superb. There are three highlights that made our stay truly unforgettable: 1. Exceptional Culinary Surprise: We were deeply touched by the hotel's generosity in providing a complimentary upgrade to the prestigious ”Tsuiyama Blue Label Crab” set. The quality of the crab and the meticulous preparation were world-class—a true gastronomic journey. 2. Breathtaking Sunset Views: Spending time at the Lounge ”AO” on the 8th floor of Bettei Fuka was a spiritual experience. Watching the sunset over the Kyotango coastline with a drink in hand is a memory we will cherish forever. 3. Outstanding Service (Sakura-san): A special mention must go to Sakura-san. Her professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail were exemplary. She anticipated our every need and represents the very best of Japanese Omotenashi. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mr. Yasuhiko Okita and the General Manager, Mr. Nakanishi, for maintaining such an incredible standard of excellence. If you are looking for a sanctuary that combines luxury, nature, and heartfelt service, Ujo Soan is the only choice. We cannot wait to return.