壬生宿 MIBU-JUKU Shichijo-Umekoji

Traditional Ryokon in a quite street, super clean & great room size

Nothing

Affordable beautiful Machiya house in heart of Kyoto.

It was fun to stay at a "modern" ryokan at least once on our first trip to Japan. The facility was located on a busy street, steps away from a Family Mart (convenience store chain) and bus stops. We were walking distance to the Kyoto Railway Museum, which was on my husband's must-see list. Kyoto Station was a few bus stops away. The home was quiet and you couldn't hear the street noise at all. The room was beautiful and felt spacious despite the small footprint. We got a room with a wood ofuro which was the icing on the cake. Sleeping on futons and walking on tatami mats was comfortable and emphasized the "Japanese" feeling of the stay. The foyer was large and spacious with an ideal height step in that allowed us to sit and put on/take off our shoes. The hosts were generous and supplied extra towels as we requested in advance. They also help us secure a restaurant reservation when no amount of online savviness could surmount the need for an in-country phone number.

The location was fine for us since we wanted to be close to the Kyoto Railway Museum, but Kyoto Station was 2-3 bus stops away, depending on which line you took. It's a bit more economical to have gotten all-day-bus-passes instead of using our IC cards each ride, but we were lazy. From Kyoto station you'd pass a couple temples on the way, but not the major touristy ones (Fushimi Inari and Kyomizu-dera). It is also not close to the Instagramable "Gion" district either. That said, it had it's own quiet, real-neighborhood charm. Location wasn't a major downside for us, but it might be for others who need to be in the "heart" of it all. We preferred hotel locations to be away from the major tourist traps.

Amazing apartment! We were provided with Japanese clothes and sandals for our stay! So beautiful decoration and very good location near the bus stop

Very good

For elder people, the stairs might be a bit difficult for them to move the luggage.

This place is exceptionally clean. I love their towels, clean sheets, warm floors. Everything you need when coming back from a day of vacation. I love the wooden theme of the room. It has a nice separation between living and sleeping areas. The bathroom is nice and spacious. Also amazing attention to detail, such as the cutlery and appliances in the kitchen. Everything is just so thoughtful for guests.

Only downside is if you get an upstairs unit, the stair case is very steep so careful going up with your luggage. But this is only a nitpick.

Extremely clean and perfect amenities