Muromachi Yutone Kyokoyado

The room, location, and ryokan feel were all lovely. Our room was spacious and luxurious, and the bath was amazing. It’s a small, quiet place with only a few rooms, which suited us. The seasonal Japanese dishes were delicious, and the dinner had several courses. But we didn’t get to enjoy all of them: we were pressured to skip a dish or eat quickly later on, after taking our time with the earlier courses. The chef wouldn’t give us extra time when we asked to let the food settle. We’d booked dinner and breakfast and picked our dining times. We were warned that arriving 15 minutes late would mean cancellation, but nobody mentioned the kitchen’s strict closing time. We chose the latest dinner slot and arrived on time, not knowing we had only an hour to eat. The time limit itself seems reasonable to me, but guests need to know upfront so they can pace the meal. Once we’d slowed down and our appetite had faded, it felt more like stuffing ourselves to get out on time than enjoying dinner. That lack of information seriously soured what was meant to be an in-house Kyoto dining experience, and we missed out on the full meal. I suggested telling guests at check-in about the intended one-hour meal time, especially those with the latest dinner slots, and removing the “930 closing time” from the check-in form. We saw it and made our own assumptions, though to be fair, nobody mentioned it to us. Just be aware you might be rushed at dinner. An unfortunate three stars from me.

The cypress tub was the best part of our honeymoon stay, especially after a long day walking around Kyoto. We also appreciated the thoughtful minibar snacks and drinks. It’s a quiet, intimate place with only a few rooms, and our room was beautiful. The staff were very helpful with recommendations and reservations, which comes in handy in a city like Kyoto. There’s a sweet little lounge and library with interesting guidebooks and magazines, and the traditional breakfast was delicious.

We had three fantastic breakfasts and a delicious beef kaiseki dinner, and the location was excellent. When we arrived late, Yoshi welcomed us warmly and carefully explained how the ryokan and room worked. All the staff were terrific.

The food at dinner and breakfast was delicious, and the service was quick and thoughtful. Our room was roomy, clean, and comfortable. Such a peaceful, lovely retreat in a beautiful city.