THE MACHIYA KAMIUMEYA — Hotel in Kyoto

I was in Kyoto on a self-exploration journey and stumbled upon The Machiya Kamiumeya. I wanted to experience living in centuries-old Japanese wooden townhouses (machiya) but I also wanted to have my modern-day conveniences. As you can see from the booking site’s photographs, Kamiumeya was exactly that neo-machiya, revamped with contemporary design and at the same time maintaining the traditional structure and charm. The machiya was true to the photographs, but there was also a sense of life and history that you can only experience when you visit.

Kamiumeya had two different types of rooms: western-styled or washitsu, Japanese-styled with tatami. I stayed in the western-styled room but I also had the opportunity to tour the washitsu. What amazed me about the rooms were the views of Japanese gardens. Each room offered you a personal garden. My room had a small row of bamboo outside the window by the coffee table and sofa, and above the sofa was skylight that I could open the blinds to. I enjoyed my mornings sitting by the window, making and drinking pour over coffee.

Yes, I said pour over coffee. The machiya went above and beyond to make my stay an experience to remember. The staff were friendly, helpful, and they spoke English really well. The entire machiya was immaculately clean and neat. The room was also very high-tech, with high-speed Wi-Fi, 45-inch cable TV, underfloor heating capabilities, AC/heating unit, multiple shower head options, Toto toilet and turbo hairdryer. The bed was the perfect mix of firm and soft, offering you different types of pillows to suit your preference. Other amenities that I thought were very thoughtful include: hot water boiler, aromatherapy shampoo/conditioner/body soap, laundry services, yukata (Japanese casual kimonos), and a map featuring recommended eateries and historical sites in the area.

Kamiumeya was conveniently located near Kamo River, where restaurants of all types dotted along the river banks. It was also within walking distance to Gion, Kyoto’s geisha district, as well as other historical sites such as Sanjusangendo (10 min), Toyokuni Shrine (5 min), Kiyomizu Temple (15 min), Yasaka Shrine (20 min). It also definitely helped that a Lawson convenient store was just a minute walk away.

I had walked to the Kamiumeya from Kyoto Station (~25 min), but if you have many luggage with you, I recommend taking a taxi from the Kyoto Station. Bus line #206 or #86 from the station can also help you get to the machiya. The staff are friendly, so if you get lost, they are just a call away.

Overall, I give Kamiumeya a 5-star experience and recommend this place to any other travelers wanting to experience Japanese history and their above-and-beyond...

I haven’t been overly impressed with this hotel – primarily the service. The room was nice. Location was ok.

The check-in experience wasn’t great. They told me that no one would be here if I arrived after 7pm and would have to do self check-in. I arrived at 6.40pm and still no one was here. I had to ring from a phone on the wall and wait a while for someone to answer and give me instructions to get into the room and explain the hotel details.

The room was nice, though very small with no space for a suitcase. The bathroom was one of those plastic corner ones you often see in cities in Japan. The wifi wasn’t good – it was a weak connection and dropped out regularly. The dehumidifier didn’t work, so I sent an email which over 24 hours later still no one has replied to.

We wanted to leave our luggage with the hotel for a few hours after check-out, a common service at hotels and hostels. When I rang the number, the person who answered simply didn’t understand what I was trying to achieve and kept offering a delivery service. They asked me to send an email so they could translate it. The person assured me they would answer tonight but they still haven’t, and I’m not expecting them to.

Also they told me there was an indoor phone to contact management with but it never materialised, so I had to go downstairs and stand outside every time I wanted to speak to them.

If I’d realised this was a hotel where no staff ever appear and they are unable to help with fairly basic questions when you need them, I wouldn’t have booked it.

All in all I don’t think it was really worth the price and can only imagine the top reviews here are based purely on the design of the hotel, which is...

This lovely machiya was our home base on our first trip to Kyoto, and we loved it. From our arrival in the quiet and charming neighborhood we knew we made the right choice. Reception was always helpful, friendly and ready with great tips on things to do, see and eat. The shared spaces are gorgeous, complete with art and traditional design. Our room exceeded all expectations. Every detail was perfect, including fresh ground coffee with a pour over setup, view of interior garden, Japanese wool blankets on twin beds, artful architectural and interior design details, heated floors, and more. It is one of the best lodging experiences we have had in our many years of international and US travel. The location is perfect, quiet but close to so many attractions. We ate beautiful breakfasts at Ichiyama, a lovely cafe just down the street. One evening we craved a simple and familiar dinner and loved nearby Smile Burger. All in all our experience at the machiya was a 10 out of 10. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we rearranged it itinerary in order to stay 2 extra nights in Kyoto at a sister property of...