初音(はつね)

The host, Kevin, was so nice and caring. He checked in with me when I had a query and always tried to make my stay better. The bathroom was also incredible! The best and cleanest bathroom I have ever had in.

Three things: The location was pretty far from the main area of kyoto. In the heat, the amount of walking to the train and walking was giving me headaches. The second thing was the fact I was on the first floor, there was a few bugs in the room and I didn’t have a great view like the pictures say. The third thing was the laundry. There is no laundry there. Coin laundry is nearby but it isn’t good and I had to go somewhere else and it took a while and my clothes didn’t dry properly.

The guesthouse is wonderful, and Kevin, the manager, goes above and beyond to ensure a comfortable stay. It is conveniently located just a 15-minute walk from Kyoto Station, and about 20 minutes from both the historic and commercial districts. The neighborhood is marvelous, situated right in front of a quiet canal where local kids fish and no cars pass by. There is also an onsen right next door that stays open until 2:00 AM, which is fantastic for unwinding before bed. The guesthouse operates like a self-service apartment and is fully automated. Everything you might need is conveniently stocked in the entrance—cables, water, cleaning supplies, a microwave, and a kettle. While the entry area is a bit cluttered, you quickly get used to it, and for any questions, you can simply WhatsApp Kevin. Although we originally booked the garden view room, we asked if anything else was available, and Kevin gladly upgraded us to a two-room apartment on the third floor, making it truly feel like our home away from home in Kyoto. To top it all off, he was at reception during check-out and drove us to the station—an absolute lifesaver since we had so many bags!

I really loved this hotel. One of the best hotels, if not the best, I ever stayed at. The owner was one of the nicest persons I’ve ever met, when I didn’t have any coins for the laundry, he gave me 500 yen. He was sure the property felt nice, clean and comfortable and even left free detergent and water at the counter. The hotel was very practical, since you could come in at any time after your check in. The doors are locked by a number lock, which is given to you, before you arrive. This makes it very practical and you don’t have to take your key or card with you everytime. The location is also very good, all the big sightseeing spots and Kyoto station was very close by. Even the shopping street, the river and conbinis where very close. The communication was mostly through WhatsApp, which is very practical since I always had my phone with me and I could contact him at any point. Replied were very fast and he came over every morning to make sure everything is alright and I even got to see him one time and he was very nice. I really recommend this hotel to everyone who wants to stay in Kyoto, the price is very good, the location is great and the owner is very nice.

Nice windows in room, friendly host, great location

The lobby was super messy with boxes and tons of cleaning materials in the entry way. I took the stairway down from my room and the staircase is full of storage, super dangerous if there were an emergency.