Gion Oyado Kikutani

Loved the quiet, the staff was very helpful and spoke English, loved the o-furo!

This was such an amazing place to stay. Very small, so felt very personal. The staff were all so kind and helpful when needed. The location was first rate!! Quiet side street only steps away from Temples, Shrines, parks, restaurants, and the gorgeous streets of Higashiyama, while just minutes from the bustling downtown shopping district. While not a ryokan, it was definitely more traditional than a standard hotel. Shoes were not allowed anywhere in the building (there were lockers at the front desk to keep your shoes in), there was an amazing wood bathtub in the bathroom and bamboo mats on the bathroom floor. Our adult daughters, 21 and 26, liked this more than the modern, traditional hotels we stayed in while in Tokyo and Osaka. We would absolutely stay here again if we are ever back in Kyoto. And be warned, you will fall in love with the butter soft pajamas that are provided. Thankfully you can buy a pair from them, which we did!!

Nothing

The room was fantastic and the bed very comfortable - loved having an authentic Ryokan experience - loved our little moss garden.

It’s not close to any of the subway stations, making getting around more dependent on taxis unless you tack on a 20 min walk to and from each day.

Very central location - which is both good and bad. Gion is overwhelmed with tourists, but early mornings were beautiful. And Chion-in temple and its garden seemed to be overlooked (and were great, and within walking distance).

Seemed a little under-staffed. Everyone was very nice, but it’s not cheap, so I would have expected a higher level of service, like tea served in your room on arrival. Also, breakfasts were exceedingly simple compared to what we got elsewhere in Japan for the same price stay, and served in a common dining area as opposed to in-room. Maybe it’s just that everything in Gion costs more.