Tazuru

We had a great stay at Tazuru. Reiko Yoshimura, Yumiko Inoue, and a gentleman colleague were especially professional and thorough when answering our questions. I highly recommend it.

The river views were lovely, and the location felt calm. The Japanese-style setup gave us a more authentic experience, though it also meant everything was on the floor and there was no furniture.

Our family of four stayed in the Quad Room on the sixth floor. They gave us the whole top-floor room: two bedrooms with two beds apiece, a sitting room, two toilets, a bathroom, and a fantastic river-view balcony. The tatami mats and beds were really comfortable. The walk outside the hotel felt magical, and the riverside setting is peaceful, while Gion, Kawaramachi station, Nishiki Market, and other lively spots are only a short walk away. The staff were responsive and helpful. They called our previous hotel to check on something we'd lost, then arranged to ship our luggage to the next hotel and coordinated so the bags were already in our rooms when we arrived. I'd highly recommend it for a traditional Ryokan stay in a quiet neighborhood, close to the action.

There's some old-fashioned charm here, but the place was disappointing and very basic. There's no onsen, and they didn't suggest one nearby. Breakfast and dinner both cost extra, on top of a price that was already absurdly high. I think you can find much better value elsewhere.