Guesthouse Waraku-an — Hotel in Kyoto

The hosts at Guest House Waraku-An were just so very friendly and lovely! They were more than happy to go out of their way to assist. Compared to the Air BnB we stayed at before Waraku-An, it was a much more pleasant experience with English speaking hosts who could help us work out which buses to take around Kyoto. The Guest House has so much charm. It's over 100 years old, so it is a bit creaky, however, it just adds to the character of the building. Initially, I was worried we would be too loud with our kids (9-year-old & 12-year-old), but it was fine, and the hosts were even happy to teach our 9-year-old daughter some origami. The common room is great. There is a traditional "Kotatsu" which is a heated table. There is a microwave, cutlery, and plates for guests to use, as well as hot water and tea & coffee. There are additional comforts, some of which can be purchased (Eg. Bicycle, earplugs) and some of which are free of charge. We did need to pay 100 Yen for the use of a towel, but considering the value of the rooms, we didn't mind. The hosts also washed a load of clothes for 200 yen, which we then hung up on clotheslines in our room. The shower and toilet rooms are smaller, but again, we didn't mind as the rooms are well priced. The rooms were also a fantastic size. Our family of 5 stayed in 2 rooms, one of which was the deluxe room with the garden view. I was worried it would be cold as the guest house is older, but it was actually quite cozy. There were reverse cycle air conditioners in the room, and gas heaters. The rooms were traditional tatami room, with a little table and makeup dresser. The location is fantastic. You can catch a bus west to the monkey park, or south to some of the famed shrines. There is a Family Mart "konbini" (convenience store) up the road, and what looks like a pharmacy but is a general store about 2...

The hosts at Guest House Waraku-An were just so very friendly and lovely! They were more than happy to go out of their way to assist. Compared to the Air BnB we stayed at before Waraku-An, it was a much more pleasant experience with English speaking hosts who could help us work out which buses to take around Kyoto. The Guest House has so much charm. It's over 100 years old, so it is a bit creaky, however, it just adds to the character of the building. Initially, I was worried we would be too loud with our kids (9-year-old & 12-year-old), but it was fine, and the hosts were even happy to teach our 9-year-old daughter some origami. The common room is great. There is a traditional "Kotatsu" which is a heated table. There is a microwave, cutlery, and plates for guests to use, as well as hot water and tea & coffee. There are additional comforts, some of which can be purchased (Eg. Bicycle, earplugs) and some of which are free of charge. We did need to pay 100 Yen for the use of a towel, but considering the value of the rooms, we didn't mind. The hosts also washed a load of clothes for 200 yen, which we then hung up on clotheslines in our room. The shower and toilet rooms are smaller, but again, we didn't mind as the rooms are well priced. The rooms were also a fantastic size. Our family of 5 stayed in 2 rooms, one of which was the deluxe room with the garden view. I was worried it would be cold as the guest house is older, but it was actually quite cozy. There were reverse cycle air conditioners in the room, and gas heaters. The rooms were traditional tatami room, with a little table and makeup dresser. The location is fantastic. You can catch a bus west to the monkey park, or south to some of the famed shrines. There is a Family Mart "konbini" (convenience store) up the road, and what looks like a pharmacy but is a general store about 2...

DON'T MISS THE CHANCE TO SLEEP HERE WHEN COMING TO KYOTO!!

Ok, let's give a little bit of context: my partner and I were in Japan for a 3-week holiday, visiting many cities and changing accommodation every 2-3 nights. So we were able to compare at least 5-6 hotels/B&Bs.

Waraku-an was hands down our favourite place for many reasons. First of all, it is the kind of experience a tourist is looking for in Japan: traditional ryokan, sliding doors, futons, and a fascinating tiny garden in the centre of the house.

Above all, the most important thing is the treatment we received: we felt really cared for by the staff. They provided us with everything: free sandals to walk in the house, free coffee, free umbrellas, or any kind of thing you might need during your stay. Besides the free things, they also have items you can easily rent for a few dollars, such as cool Yukata (it's the night Kimono).

Moreover, they were sincerely interested in our experience in Kyoto, giving us many smart tips that only locals could know.

There are a few cons maybe, but we forgot about them the very moment we entered the house for the first time. The place on maps doesn't look very central, but buses work very well in town and the main commercial district is just a few stops away (10-15 min). Toilets and showers are a little bit small, but when we were there, we saw the staff cleaning them EVERY TIME someone used them, keeping them more than clean.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this place and I hope I'll be able to go back a...