KumoMachiya Kazahaya

A cozy, lovely place.

The house felt especially welcoming in winter. Almost every room has underfloor heating, and the lights and heat were already on when we arrived, so we never had to walk into a cold room. You can also look out at the little garden from the hallway. The tall-ceilinged kitchen stayed warm too, and had a fridge and freezer, microwave, electric stove, kettle, cookware, dishes, cutlery, and even seasonings. We could make simple meals there. There's Wi-Fi, but no TV. We had the whole Kyoto townhouse to ourselves. Upstairs are two roomy spaces that fit three futons each; downstairs are three connected rooms, each around 5-6 tatami mats. Six of us had lots of room. There are bathrooms on both floors. The upstairs one is a larger unit bath, while downstairs there's a big window facing the garden that opens and gives the bath an open-air feel. The entry uses a number code, which they send by email around 11 AM on the day of the stay. For payment, you can leave cash in the envelope on the desk, or call to pay by card and have a staff member come by. I was a bit unsure about there not being staff on site, but they always picked up or called back quickly. The location is handy in central Kyoto, and the traditional townhouse has a lot of charm. I'd happily stay again.

At night, I could hear the fire safety patrols from the second-floor bedroom, which made the old Kyoto townhouse feel very much like a lived-in neighborhood. The keypad entry felt secure, and Wi-Fi was available. The one thing I missed was a TV. I booked this old townhouse guesthouse through Airbnb and expected winter to be chilly. Instead, the main rooms had underfloor heating and double-glazed windows, and even the bathroom changing area had floor heat, so I stayed comfortable. The kitchen's earthen floor made it cooler there, though the air conditioning worked well enough that it wasn't too cold.

We spent six days and five nights here as a family and really enjoyed it. The two-story Kyoto-style townhouse keeps the main structure of a century-old home, while its interior has brand-new modern appliances that make the stay comfortable and convenient. We hope we get to come back.