Kaikoan

Real authentic experience, extremely friendly host

Our apartment was very cozy and it felt like being in a real traditional japanese house with a great atmosphere. The owner is lovely, very kind and friendly. The quietness of the neighborhood was very appreciated after days exploring busy Kyoto.

Great location, spacious, and comfortable. Great staff.

This is the best place to stay to enjoy the Kyoto atmosphere. Some antiquity and difficulty are part of the charm. Only by enjoying them can you fully enjoy a trip to Kyoto, Japan. The owner of the accomodation and the female staff made a very positive impression on us.

It was difficult to close the upstairs window, but if you need help, talk to the staff right away. They are very helpful. We found it even more convenient to have mosquito coils and trays (we wanted to carry food and drink upstairs).

The location was convenient and Chiye, the manager was available when we needed help. Although she was limited in what she could do.

For context, we stayed in a total of three Machiya style properties in our one month travel in Japan. This place was by far the most disappointing. Many reviews mention aesthetics and this can be relative so I wont go into that but I want to warn other folks on the following 
(1) There is no private bath as the owner claims - the bath is shared and its an outdoor area that is barely 1.5m by 1.5m and requires sticking your hand into a drain to get the temp right
(2) the door to our property literally came off its hinges multiple times. This door marked the only exit from the property and it either locked and didnt open or came off hinges. The manager herself struggled with it but shrugged off any fixes. So we slept with an unlocked door so we didnt trap ourselves in an emergency. This is a basic safety requirement that was shrugged off. 
(3) We stayed for three nights and it’s shocking that no coffee was provided. Only two green teabags for the whole stay - SHOCKING for £200+ per night
(4) This place is form over function - things look pretty but dont actually work. The kettle was broken, the sink was too small and the toilet was more like a shed attached to the room.
(5) The pictures are misleading - pictures across all their properties have been jumbled up so you dont know what you are getting until you get there - older folk and people with children beware! The staircases are dangerous and rickety!!
(6) The downstairs gets super cold and upstairs is super warm. They offer gas heaters that come with warnings of poisonous gas so thats something! Other Machiyas we stayed in provided proper toilets and baths (not a shed), tea and coffee each day and great ways to regulate temperature. Not to mention, a door that locks and staircases that does not pose a risk to children or elderly. This place is marketing itself as ”quaint” and using it as an excuse to not provide an honest and basic service to customers. 

We will never stay again.

Superb. Thank you for the opportunity to stay at this atmospheric traditional house. Our host was welcoming, gracious, helpful and all-round lovely.

Fantastic stay in a gem of a townhouse. Very kind and attentive owner, good location, quiet if you don't mind briefly waking up to the prayers call of the nearby temple.

It was perfect. Our bad we just stayed for two nights instead of a the whole week.

Perfect location, traditional Japanese decorations, and the most friendly hosts 🫶