Seikoro — Hotel in Kyoto

Seikoro is a full-service, first class traditional ryokan. However, there is a language/cultural barrier, so I think I would've enjoyed my experience even better if I understood everything. I think I could've been pampered even more. Also, I'm not used to being pampered in the first place. I always felt out of place when people try to help me. Anyways, on this visit, I tried to go with the flow as much as possible.||I had certain expectations prior to this visit due to watching Japanese television dramas based in ryokan. From the moment I stepped out from my taxi to checking out, my experience was everything like I expected. The staff was very attentive. From forming a line and greeting me when I entered and the staff salutation when I left. They really made an effort on first and last impressions.||The food was delicious. The in-room multi-course kaiseki banquet for dinner and Japanese breakfast were scrumptious. However, the dinner was probably the worse part of the experience. Each dish is presented in a specific order and timing. As a solo traveler, the slow pace was frustrating; therefore, I think it's best to have a meal companion. The pacing was expected and normal. The pacing is part of the full-service experience where your room attendant brings your meal one dish at a time. This is different from lower cost ryokans where the food is either brought to you all at once or you eat in a common dining hall.||The ryokan has been in business (iirc) over a hundred years and it's run by the same family. The common areas feel like a family home and you are a guest in their home. ||I don't remember if there is a curfew. I walked around Gion until 10:00. When I returned, the front door was unlocked and a gentleman helped me with my shoes. I took a bath at about 10:30 and I didn't see anyone walking around.||In summary, I wanted to experience a traditional ryokan and I believe I received what I...

Seikoro is a full-service, first class traditional ryokan. However, there is a language/cultural barrier, so I think I would've enjoyed my experience even better if I understood everything. I think I could've been pampered even more. Also, I'm not used to being pampered in the first place. I always felt out of place when people try to help me. Anyways, on this visit, I tried to go with the flow as much as possible.||I had certain expectations prior to this visit due to watching Japanese television dramas based in ryokan. From the moment I stepped out from my taxi to checking out, my experience was everything like I expected. The staff was very attentive. From forming a line and greeting me when I entered and the staff salutation when I left. They really made an effort on first and last impressions.||The food was delicious. The in-room multi-course kaiseki banquet for dinner and Japanese breakfast were scrumptious. However, the dinner was probably the worse part of the experience. Each dish is presented in a specific order and timing. As a solo traveler, the slow pace was frustrating; therefore, I think it's best to have a meal companion. The pacing was expected and normal. The pacing is part of the full-service experience where your room attendant brings your meal one dish at a time. This is different from lower cost ryokans where the food is either brought to you all at once or you eat in a common dining hall.||The ryokan has been in business (iirc) over a hundred years and it's run by the same family. The common areas feel like a family home and you are a guest in their home. ||I don't remember if there is a curfew. I walked around Gion until 10:00. When I returned, the front door was unlocked and a gentleman helped me with my shoes. I took a bath at about 10:30 and I didn't see anyone walking around.||In summary, I wanted to experience a traditional ryokan and I believe I received what I...

Not sure if this review will do justice to this place. It’s beautiful in a very unique way. Just about 5 min. walk from the subway station and 10-15 min walk from the centre of Gion, tucked in a narrow side street, this place is truly a hidden gem. It doesn’t look much from the outside, in fact, it kinda looked like a rather awful Air bnb. But the moment we step in through those curtains, it’s as if we have been transported way back in the past. The place is eerily stunning in a weird but amazing way. We were shown into our room by a lovely young lady dressed in kimono (we were a bit confused when we didn’t see any bed) she patiently explained to us everything we need to know about the place and it all made sense in the end - I guess the looks me and my partner gave each other gave her the idea of the extent of our culture shock😬. We were even provided a pair of yukata, which we wore for that “photo opportunity “ She went through all the “ritual” of serving us our tea which is really awesome albeit embarrassing as we’re quite unsure how to do it, who would have thought that drinking hot beverages could be complicated 😲|The onsen was lovely and even though everything in this place looks very old and traditional, it didn’t lack the modern, hi tech comforts we are all very used to. Our room opens up to the garden which adds to the feeling of tranquility you get from this place. As for their customer service- the best I had while planning our Japan trip. You send them a message (or a query)from overseas and they respond promptly, considering the 9 hour time difference, which is really great. Overall, it’s a very beautiful place and an absolutely amazing stay. It’s very different from what we’ve experienced before. It’s not just the ambience or the hospitality - it’s the whole experience this place provides that makes you truly proud to say “ I’ve...