Watazen Ryokan — Hotel in Kyoto

Staying at this ryokan was a highlight of our stay in Kyoto. I had always wanted to experience staying at a Ryokan but didn’t have the budget for it 8 years ago as a college student. I came back to Japan this time with the intent to stay in one, specifically one in Kyoto, as Kyoto is known as the cultural capital of Japan.

This ryokan is located in a convenient location that is really close to Nishiki Market and several other shopping streets. We were doing a lot of other cultural activities in the neighborhood, so this place was a great option. Getting to Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji is easily doable by City Bus from this ryokan as well.

The service of the staff is impeccable. Everyone is really patient and friendly. We left our luggage with them before check in time and when we came back for the night, all of our things were already brought to our room. We had a bit of a spill accident on our comforter the first night and they had it fixed for us the next day. When we forgot our breakfast ticket in the room where we had our kaiseki dinner, they had staff fetch it for us right away. And even when we checked out on our last day, they helped us with our luggage to the taxi.

They have a lot of amenities (toothbrushes, haircombs, hair ties, facial washes, etc.) you can pick up from the first floor as well as yukatas in various sizes you can borrow to wear around the ryokan. You are also provided flipflops to be worn around the ryokan, but do not wear any shoes when you step onto the tatami. There is also a laundry room conveniently located in the basement. The dryer isnt super strong though, so be mindful. They also have a public bath in the basement. I only got to enjoy it for one night, as I only enjoyed going when I was alone and the second night there were three other people lol. But I really enjoyed it when I was by myself. A/c worked like a charm and we had plenty of outlets to plug our electronics into.

We opted for one kaiseki dinner (which isnt brought to our room but a communal room specifically for dinners) and one breakfast (set up in a dining hall on the first floor) as we were only staying two nights. I really enjoyed the dinner experience overall but the food wasn’t my favorite. This could just be that Im not super used to the style of it, that’s all. But the staff was super great at making us feel like honored guests through the whole experience. The Japanese style breakfast was much more to my taste and the service was also impeccable. Overall I would recommend trying both services if you can.

I definitely recommend...

This was our first experience in a traditional Japanese Ryokan and this inn made sure that we had an excellent one! When we first arrived we were greeted politely by a very friendly man (unfortunately can't remember his name now- older man, very pleasant with glasses whose name means 'under a tree'). His English was very good, and he explained to us where to visit, the festival that was going on in Kyoto, etc.) The reception area was big and looked good.

Our room was extremely clean, and it was a real novelty being able to experience staying in a room with the tatami mats, and the low tables with the floor chairs. I can imagine it would be lots of fun if you brought children here to stay too. They are so quick when it comes to putting your futon out or putting it away. It was like a Japanese fairy came to do it! My wife didn't have the best sleep on the futons.

The onsen was just divine. There was a mat in the room that told you the etiquette of using the onsen. It was well worth reading! It's a bit weird at first going in but you realise that everyone's in the same boat! I made sure that I used it another two times (in our 2 night stay) after that!! It is sooo relaxing!

Breakfast was basic- boiled eggs, toast and coffee- literally that. I didn't mind as I'm happy with that but I can imagine you might not be too impressed if you were looking for more. You can pay a bit more for the Japanese breakfast. It was nice to try what that was like. It was tasty and nice but I would have been happy to stick to the normal breakfast had we stayed more nights.

All in all I would definitely return to this place. All the staff were friendly, efficient and the location was just perfect- in the middle of all the quaint little streets and very close to the main parts. The stay was one that I will never forget. Thank you Watazen-...

I stayed at the Watazen in spring of 2015, but I doubt it has changed much since that time.

As I was wrangling sightseeing family the entire time, I can't say that I had the chance to fully explore all that Watazen had to offer, however, the staff were exceptionally kind to the large group of foreigners and were well aware that sometimes different expectations come from those groups. Extra pillows and futon were set out for some extra padding when requested, and the rooms were reset every morning and evening for either use or rest times. Likewise, the amount of care that the front desk took to answer my (somewhat older) relative's questions whenever needed was fantastic, even going so far as to call a cab to take us back to the station to get to early morning shinkansen.

With all the charm that comes with being in an older building, but little of the downsides as a professionally operating business, Watazen is an exceptional find. It is affordable, but classy. Simple, but in the way that provides exactly what is needed from a hotel - a place to stay and be welcomed.

With a location close to the river and the Nishiki market, it really is difficult to find this level of comfort in the area. Sure there are business hotels, but those are not good for larger groups of family who might want to share rooms to cut down on costs.

I will almost assuredly return to the Watazen the next time I...