京の宿しみず Ryokan SHIMIZU — Hotel in Kyoto

It was everything I wanted from a Ryokan experience! The Ryokan is in a quiet neighborhood with many traditional houses (despite being only 10 minutes walk away from Kyoto station); the Ryokan is very pretty and well-kept, the hosts and staffs are all super friendly and spoke very good English!

The futons were surprisingly comfortable to sleep in, I had a long dream that night. I was also very glad that our room had a private bathroom, which provided more convenience and privacy compared to some other traditional ryokans. I wish we had more time to reserve the use of the private onsen, but our schedule was too busy so we didn't try it. You can reserve a slot for the private onsen between 4pm9pm, and then from 9pm11pm it is open to guests on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The traditional Japanese breakfast at the ryokan was very nutritious and we are grateful to be able to sample the varied ingredients and flavours. We had to cancel our final breakfast due to changes in our travel plans, but the host surprised us in the morning with a bag of food and drinks for us to take on our journey - we were very touched by their care and hospitality!

When we checked out we were also gifted a Polaroid photo of us, as well as some coasters as a gift!

We would definitely stay with Ryokan Shimizu again if we ever visit Kyoto again, and I would love to stay for longer next time so we can appreciate it...

MUST STAY when visiting Kyoto, Japan!!! This is a bed & breakfast, all wooden traditional style Japanese hotel (Ryoken). The hotel is in a good location and was easy to find using Google Maps.

Cost - very competitive. $150 per night (for two people). Traditional Japanese breakfast included. We used Booking.com. Accommodations - traditional Japanese room with two beds (on floor), refrigerator, small table, water boiler, tea set, TV (limited channels), plenty of closet space, free WiFi, and Japanese style private bath (Yukata's provided). Location - walking distance to bus stations, subway line, and large shopping areas / department stores.

Quick note about the breakfast (pictures to come). The table setting was so beautiful and the food was tasty. I think the table setting made the food taste...

I had a wonderful stay at Shimizu for one night. At arrival, I was offered to use the private hot bath in the evening, which is included in the price - a very relaxing experience. The room was in traditional japanese style with tatami mats and a futon to sleep on, which was very comfortable. Every room has a private bath room. In the morning I was offered a delicious breakfast with fried salmon, tofu, prickled vegetables, miso soup, and a bowl of white or mixed grain rice, all prepared by the owners and beautifully arranged. I can absolutely recommend Shimizu to everyone who wants to experience a stay at a...