Ranzan Hotel, Kyoto

We've stayed in Kyoto several times before, but this is the first time we've stayed at the Ranzan Hotel. The hotel's location northwest of the city center makes it a quiet place to stay. Although there isn't much in the immediate vicinity of the hotel that stays open past 20:00, it's a ten minute walk to the streetcar station and a 25 minute ride into the center of Kyoto. One point to remember; the streetcar station is located on the bottom floor of a building with other businesses and is easy to miss. We missed it the first time. We felt it was a great place to stay for the price. The staff was always pleasant and helpful. The onsen in the hotel really put the finishing touches on what we already considered to be a terrific hotel. They even provide a written guide on how to properly wear the yukata the hotel provides for use to and from the onsen. The only negative thing we noticed is the beds are a little too hard. However, we will definitely stay here again when we go to Kyoto!

This is a really nice hotel. I love the food, the people, the area, etc. The garden is just lovely. It's a gem. The travel distance to central Kyoto is only 15 minutes, which is quite convenient, if you are in no big rush. BUT my only bad experience is the bed bugs and rashes I had from the bed I slept in. We stayed in a twin room. My partner in the other bed didn't have the bugs. So, it's just my bed.

This hotel is in a lovely spot near the river and minutes from Tenryu-ji temple. Rooms are generously proportioned (we stayed in a Western style room) compared to many other Japanese hotels. The baths are located in the basement and open until midnight. We didn't eat at the hotel and after dark, food options in the area are pretty limited. The hotel does have several vending machines including pot-noodle options. Our strategy was to eat in Kyoto and then take the 20 minute train ride back to the hotel afterwards. All, in all, a very comfortable, roomy, quiet stay and reasonable value for money.