Guest house Rakuza

It's an old style Japanese house with small rooms and two shared restrooms. The location is super convenient, with tourist attractions, shopping malls, and restaurants all within walking distance. The young people at the service counter were very nice and spoke English. Still, you should try the place for its Kyoto atmosphere.

We had a lovely three days in Kyoto. It's not a 5* hotel, but it gave me just the traditional feeling I was hoping for as a foreigner. There's air conditioning and wifi, with a shared bathroom. The friendly staff helped us plan how to spend our time and recommended places to visit.

The old house gives you a feel for spending the night in an old Japanese style, and the room was quite comfortable for two. With just one or two bathrooms for all the guests, you may need to clean up at nearby bath houses. Winters can be really, really cold, so if you're used to the tropics like me, come prepared.

We spent eight days here in the western room, which I think used to be an office. It had a nice little view of the inner garden. The place was pleasant, quiet, and relaxed, just right for unwinding after a day out. It felt safe for solo travelers, and the staff were friendly and full of useful tips. The house is 100 years old and used to be an Ochaya, where geisha and maiko entertained guests. A French and Japanese couple set it up as a hostel with a traditional feel. Rooms have AC and were very clean. Downstairs there's fridge storage and tea making in the living area. There are a shared shower, two shared western toilets, and a shared Japanese toilet. The upstairs toilet near the rooms is locked after 9, so you have to use the downstairs ones. There's a mini convenience store and subway entrance at the top of the street, handy for walking to Gion, the shopping district, and getting around. We saw a few off duty Maiko in the store after 9pm and some on duty ones. We also found what seemed to be an Okiya further down the street, a good spot if you hope to see a real maiko or geisha. There are no TVs, and the walls are thin. If you're bringing young children, keep in mind that other guests may not appreciate little feet and screams running through the hallways late at night. Will defiantly stay again.