Gion hotels & places to stay

Hotel is in the perfect location on a quiet side street in Gion. Hotel is modern, efficient and incredibly spotless. The Onsen - separate for men and women - is a nice touch, especially when traveling in colder weather months. Seamless check-in and check-out, friendly staff, warm interiors. Some room types are small and very compact, yet efficiently designed. Stayed four nights and did not mind the small size. It worked well for the two of us.

PROS: - extremely friendly, helpful, multilingual, efficient staff/owner (She was so sweet!) - gorgeous house - nice facilities - excellent location - less than 10 mins’ walk to Gion area CONS: - glass-panelled sliding doors on single room allowed in light from sensor lights every time another guest walked around the house - other guests somewhat disregarded the nighttime noise reduction guidelines put in place by the owner Overall, I had a lovely stay at Kyoto Guesthouse Lantern in Gion, and would gladly suggest it to anyone! 😊

My wife and I traveled to Kyoto from Osaka. We took the Hankyu Line over JR because the terminal stop at Kawaramachi was just a 10-minute walk to the hotel in Gion, near the Yasaka Shrine. This was the perfect location for us as we explored the eastern side of Kyoto from the Ginkakuji to Kiyomizu and further south to Byodo-in and Fushimi Inari. The hotel room was small but comfortable and well designed. If you're traveling with large suitcases, it might be too tight. Check-in/out was quick and easy, having pre-paid thru Agoda. The front desk is on the second floor, and we bypassed it most of the time during our four-night stay. So we didn't interact much with staff, but had no needs or complaints. Many top sites are within walking distance, and several nearby buses take you everywhere else. This is a colorful part of Kyoto, where dozens of visitors rent yukata (summer kimono) to stroll the streets, and you can still catch a rare Geisha or Maiko going to or fro.

I just finished staying four nights at Laon Inn Gion Nawate in early February 2019. My stay was perfect! First off, the location is fantastic, just a couple minutes down the road from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Line. You're also in easy walking distance to Kawaramachi Station on the Hankyu Railway and all the shopping and nightlife nearby. As the hotel is in Gion, you're obviously in close distance to all the temples, shrines, and culture found in Southern Higashiyama, as well as being close to the Kama River, Pontocho, etc. I really can't say enough good things about the location. As far as my stay was concerned, the room was large and comfortable, and I liked the convenience of having washing machines and dryers on the first floor (though the dryers could use a cleaning). What I liked most was the staff was helpful yet hands-off. They only clean your room or empty your trash when you request it. Frankly, I liked the privacy and comfort that allowed.

We booked this ryokan relatively last minute and as a group of three, we were very satisfied with our stay. The room was very clean and spacious and we had a great view looking over the garden. The ryokan is located near several attractions such as the Philosopher’s Path and Eikando Temple. There is also a bus station nearby so you can get to Gion and other parts of the city relatively easily. Overall, we had a fantastic stay!

The place is easy to find. Just follow the instructions in the map the staff will give you. The only downside is that the booking office is at a different place. It's near the JR station in central Kyoto and the hotel is at Higashiyama near Gion.. but still the place is still awesome. It's very clean and the place is peaceful. Walking distance to Gion and some shopping areas and near subway stations

We loved our peaceful and elegant stay at Gion Hatanaka. The cuisine was outstanding; interesting, beautifully presented, and wonderfully served in our room. Yes, there are rules regarding timing of meals, but we did not find this to be a problem. We loved the Japanese breakfasts. We booked a dinner one evening with Maiko, which was quite expensive, but a fun experience with terrific food. On the third night we had a sukiyaki dinner in our room. The presentation of every dish at every meal was lovely. The staff was very attentive - the women who had served us during our stay came to say goodbye as we left. The rooms are large, immaculate, and the craftsmanship of the building is something to be admired. The photos on the property's website don't do it justice! We enjoyed the public baths as well. After a day of site-seeing, a relaxing meal in your own room followed by a hot bath is so For an authentic Japanese experience, we highly recommend Gion Hatanaka.

Our stay in The Westin Miyako Kyoto Hotel was perfect. If you're not looking to stay in a Ryokan and would like to have a comfortable conventional western hotel to stay in Kyoto, i would highly recommend this one. Although it's a little pricey, the service is perfect and the comfort you get is definitely worth is especially if you spent the whole day walking and exploring Kyoto and in serious need for a comfortable room for a good night's rest. It is also not too far from Gion where you get to see the Geisha culture. The best thing is they have free shuttle buses to bring you to Gion and Kyoto station. Definitely will go back to this hotel.

It was my second and my parents' first time visiting Kyoto so I decided to give them a traditional Japanese ryokan experience. That's why we chose to stay at Yuzuya in Gion area. We stayed here for 2 nights with Japanese style breakfast, and had Kaiseki dinner in the evening of our second day in Kyoto. The food was so great and beautifully displayed when they were served one by one. The staff explained the ingredients with fluent English. We had the 10 dishes course during this 3-hour-dinner at Yuzuya. Even my mother-in-low got to enjoy her specially made vegetarian meal (if you know how hard it is to find a vegetarian restaurant in Japan)! This was truly unforgettable wonderful experience for all of us. We will definitely come back to Yuzuya next time we visit Kyoto!

Interior is exact to photos. Location is impressive. A few mins walk to Gion Tatsumi Bridge. Nearest station: Sanjo Keihan & Gion Shijo Station. Love their detailed touch on pyjamas, skin care, face masks, cable extension, converters, accessories organizer, Dyson fan & hair-dryer. Space considered very big compared to other hotel in Japan. The staffs are very helpful & friendly. Will definitely go back for a stay! Love this place very very much!

We stayed 1 night at Ryokan Gion Sano, but I wish we could've stayed longer. The staff were incredibly friendly and nice. The location was great (just south of Yasaka Shrine and Gion St.), maybe 10min walk from the 206 Bus line stop. The hotel was in a quiet location, and had a nice garden entrance. It is run by I assume a husband/wife team, and while they are very attentive, they are running the whole hotel with a few part-timers. At times we had to wait 5-10mins to get someone at the front desk (they were off cleaning, or attending to other business). I don’t mark them down for this, as it’s indicative of a small shop and they are very attentive when available. The lady, older gentleman, and the younger lady were extremely friendly and helpful. After checking in, they provided tea service and explained the their policies and how to use the room in great detail. They even helped us get our luggage shipped from Kyoto to Shibuya, and got us a discount too (1000/bag). The room itself was fairly large (3rd floor, standard ryokan), and was comfortable with a/c, mini fridge, tv, modern private bathroom, and futon beds on the tatami. We had a great view of what I think was the tower at Yasaka shrine from our room. We went out for dinner, and when we came back they had setup our beds, cleaned up our tea service leftovers, and restocked our bottled water. We left early so we didn't get to try the breakfast. I was surprised, but they did have an elevator. They do have 3 golden retrievers/labs that hang around. They are friendly and well-behaved, and usually behind the front desk, but occasionally are in the lobby area. There’s an 11pm curfew, but if you let them know in advance that you will be back late, they will give you a key to get in after hours. One of the biggest positives was that the staff were super nice and provided great service. They made our stay extremely pleasant. I will be back to Kyoto, and I would like to stay a few days again at Ryokan Gion Sano.

We had a really good 3 days here in Kyoto. Though a little bit of a walk from Gion-Shijo and Kawaramuchi stations, the location was excellent smack dab in the middle of gion, you can walk to nishiki market etc from here as well. The surrounding alleys here makes you feel like you’ve been transported into a whole new time period. The ryokan itself had very warm and friendly staff, and was consistently clean and cosy. Enjoyed the private bath as well as the breakfast served to our room. Koji-san was also extremely helpful and spoke impeccable English. It was a very relaxing stay, thank you!

We had a western style room (they also have Japanese style rooms with futons), very spacious and comfortable. Many temples and shrines and beautiful gardens to see in this traditional, old-Japan neighborhood . Everywhere you look, beauty! The Maifukan staff was excellent, everybody pleasant and very helpful, with good English speaking skills. A lovely Japanese style breakfast is available right in the hotel, for an added price. We loved the peace and quiet of the hotel, with the main streets of Gion just a short walk away. Convenient to public transportation, and also a great area for walking. For me, the only negatives were 1) the firmness of the beds, because I am accustomed to a softer mattress, and 2) they did not have a public bath (hot tub spa) on site. But these small complaints were outweighed by the many positives.

This is a relatively new hotel, so everything is new and clean . They provide great amenities, the shower is to die for! Breakfast is simple but good. The hotel is walking distance from Gion, Pontocho, and the takashimaya area. There is a great bicycle rental place nearby, really recommend it (get the electric assisted one), good way to explore the city without having to walk too much. The staff there are really nice and helpful.

The location is very convenient since it is already in the historical streets of Gion. The place is very clean, the shower is small and you have to constantly press the button in order for the shower to operate. But it doesn't matter since everything works well and you have enough room space for changing your clothes. The toilets also have a separate room from the shower so it is hygienic. The bed matress is clean and comfortable. The staffs are friendly, helpful and kind. They can speak English so it's not a problem if you can't speak Nihongo. Just ask them which places they recommend to visit in Kyoto and you'll be amazed. The common room is a tatami-type and most travelers here are also friendly. Plates, chopsticks, cups, bowls, heater, and microwave can be used for free. You can also watch TV in the common area. I'll definitely stay here again when I go back to Kyoto. - Martin (Philippines)

Thumbs up. This is a great budget hotel option in Kyoto, particularly if you get a good deal through Agoda. The hotel is older and not fancy, but has everything you need for having a fun stay in Kyoto. Check in is at 3pm and they didn't have the option of checking in early when I arrived around 1pm, however you can store your bags there early and if it's check in time before you come back to the hotel, they'll drop your bags off in the room. I thought the service was great and everyone that works there was incredibly helpful and accommodating. The front desk associates when I stayed there spoke basic English, so checking in wasn't a problem, nor was asking questions about sightseeing in Kyoto. The hotel is in a great location, near the Modern Art Museum, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Nanzen-ji, and a 15-20 minute walk to Gion. It's also close to Higashiyama Station on the Tozai Line. You have the option of a Western style room or Japanese style with a tatami mat and futon. I stayed in the Japanese style room, which was compact but fine for me as a solo traveler. The restaurant serves both a Western as well as Japanese style breakfast, which I really enjoyed, particularly for the price (I think it was 1000 yen). Other notes: good wifi, washer and dryer in the building, and a nice hot bath (spa). Definitely a solid choice while staying in Kyoto.

It was our first time staying at a Ryokan, and it happened to be the best one so far! Before we arrived at Ryokan Genhouin I was already anticipating the the famous Ryokan Hospitality, and we were not disappointed. The staff were incredibly friendly and even guided us around the place showing us the facilities that are available. The facilities and rooms were clean and well maintained, the garden is really beautiful. All in all it was an amazing experience and place to stay the night!

Hotel Staff especially Midori-san was very helpful. Kyoto hotels r unique. Commonly they hv staff during stipulated time for check-in/out. Luckily for us, Rinn Gion could keep our luggage as our departure flight was late at night. Their staff work inside a room, hence one would hv to knock on door for help. Rinn Gion Bishamon was a perfect hotel for us. It was in a very quiet neighbourhood, location was superb with bus stop of about 100m away. What didn't impress was, the coffee/tea set were provided complementary only for first day of stay. We stayed for 4 nights, paying same price,.. This doesn't make sense. Mediocre quality could be provided too if cost was an issue. There's a movable rack in the washing machine enclosure. Guess this should have been used for hanging clothes and towels just outside the toilet door. As no hooks nor racks were provided anywhere the toilet for towel n clothes. This place is overall great. Heater worked well. Room super cleaned with kitchenette.

I had a great, (though short) stay here. It would be within 15 minutes walking distance to the shopping areas (Karawamachi area) but if you are taking the subway there, you may be a little confused about which Exit to take. I would recommend Exit 10 (closer to the Hotel) or if you want to get out at Book-off, Exit 9. I got a small package of sanitary goods from them (because of New Year?) which was nicely placed in a small bag. I was really delighted and touched by the warmth of the staff. There is a Conbini next to there hotel, in case you need snacks. and if you are too lazy to walk to the shopping area, then there is a bust stop just opposite the hotel. All in all, I find it most suitable for my needs, and would highly recommend Hana Hotel to those who want to have a quiet, convenient stay near the Gion area. Thank you, Hana Hotel for a wonderful time and memories and I will definitely come by and stay with you again in my next trip to Kyoto.

i couldn't think of a better hotel to stay in if you want to experience the convenience of being in the heart of kyoto gion district with western comfort. i stayed in a single room for 4 nights for a very reasonable price. the room was surprisingly spacious for a japanese hotel standard with a big bathroom with a shower and a tub with jacuzzi. the staff were friendly and helpful. the room didn't have internet access, but there was a room on the first floor with a computer as well as a usb cable you can hook up your own laptop to. there was no laundry facility, but i found a coin operated laundromat only a couple of minutes away from the hotel, so it wasn't a big deal. the hotel doesn't serve breakfast but, if you are in gion, you won't have a problem finding a decent breakfast place near by, so it wasn't a big deal either. i would definitely go back there.

Good location, very close to Gion old village and Sanjo train station, family mart nearby, across the river you can find lots of restaurants and bars and open til late night. Also very close to Forever Museum of Contemporary Art where we had a chance to visit Yayoi Kusama’s artworks. Short walking distance to Gion shopping areas, Terramachi etc. The apartment is big enough for family of 5, we all love this place because after spending whole day outside, we can relax and watch Netflix/ Apple TV when we are at home. The staff is very helpful, you can send them emails or call when you need some infos. We will surely go back to this place next time we are in Kyoto.

The garden room view is spacious and stunning. The staff speak fluent English. The location is perfect - very quiet, very peaceful and just a short walk from Gion, the bus, railway and subway stations. Lots of restaurants and convenience stores nearby. You will love walking around the hotel. I would definitely come back here again. They only have vegetables available during breakfast (it’s delicious but I’m a carnivore) and having guests dine together on the same table may not be everyone’s thing. We only signed up for it on our first day.

The family and their partner who operate the Shirakawa are cultured Kyoto people with background in the traditional arts and textile crafts. The rooms are small tatami quarters, and so require a bit of getting used to, with the futon changing and so on. The interior mini-garden adds a nice touch, and bathing facilities adequate. Bicycles can be rented at the desk, and biking or walking the paths along the Shirakawa stream is a wonderful experience day or night. The inn is just around the corner from the East-West subway line, and so very convenient. Gion, Pontocho and Kiyamachi, the three nightlife and dining areas, are a short walk away. The Shirakawa stream flows down to the riverside quarter in Gion, a nostalgic part of the old Miyako. Upstream is the Kanze Noh Theater, the Heian Shrine and a delightful French bakery called Aux Temps Perdu, or Remembrance of Things Past, a perfect description of the Shirakawa neighborhood and the walk toward the Philosopher's path and the Silver Pavilion. For academics, the location is close to Kyoto University.