Gion Ryokan Karaku
About this ryokan rental
Gion Ryokan Karaku is located a 15-minute walk from Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
Amenities
Air conditioner
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Smoking allowed
Parking
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Family friendly
Map of Kyoto
Ryokan in Kyoto
Reasons to book
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Includes essentialsKitchen / Kitchenette, Air conditioner, Internet / Wifi and more
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Reviews
4.3/5.0
Excellent(324 Reviews)
100% verified reviews
7.0
could have supplied some drinking water in room
9.0
The friendly and polite staff is the highlight of our stay at Gyon Ryokan Karaku. They were all stars.
The Japanese bed and pijama were very nice to try during our stay. The location of the hotel is great if you plan to explore the city, but there will be about 10min walk to the closest station for transportation.
Well, it won’t be fair if I say the only downside was the breakfast because it was totally Japanese and this stay meant to be Japanese style. But it might be good to offer some tourist- friendly options to eat. We were leaving hotel every day hungry as we could not have the given foods. But it was great seeing they change the contents of the breakfast with information paper explaining what they put into all those tiny cute dishes.
10.0
A fantastic authentic Japanese experience. Welcoming and helpful staff. Great rooms in calming traditional environment. The Japanese traditional breakfast was phenomenal!!!
The bathroom and toilet was quite small but as expected in most Japanese accommodations.
8.0
The staff were absolutely wonderful, our train to Kyoto was delayed until 0100 due to the typhoon, but they stayed open until we arrived. The staff were smiling and cheerful every day. The location is fantastic, right in the middle of old Kyoto and walking distance from many of the sights, as well as all the restaurants in Gyon, but it's also in a very quiet area. Traditional breakfast wasn't always a success, but a lot of effort went into it and on 3 consecutive days it was never the same. Traditional ryokan room was also fun.
No laundry service - we were directed to a coin laundry nearby. No proper chairs to sit on in the room, I had to sit in the wardrobe ! No wifi reception in the room. No view from our room - there's a beautiful old pagoda next door, but a bamboo screen outside the window blocks the view, making the room a little claustrophobic. I also felt the price was very high, but I guess that's to be expected in old Kyoto. Taxi drivers also struggled to find it, even with a print out of the booking and Google Maps location in Japanese.
10.0
Amazing traditional Ryokan for a full immersion in Japanese culture. Amazing breakfast. Helpful personnel
10.0
The staff were perfect.
The food food superb.
I have only good things to say about the property.
8.0
Everything from breakfest to location was great
No onsen
10.0
Very good location and breakfast, amazing staff
10.0
The breakfast was amazing. It was Japanese style. I know that fish as part of breakfast may not be for everyone , but it I found it to be nicely prepared and delicious.
10.0
all traditional elements, proximity to Gion area and the temple right next to it. lots of good restaurants around, everything was just perfect
there was a bit of an ‘uptight’ feeling, the personnel seemed quite controlling
6.0
Gion Ryokan Karaku was well located and the family room for four that we booked was large and light. The breakfast was quite impressive if you are wanting a fully traditional breakfast experience.
I found this ryokan lacking a little charm compared to some others we stayed in. We also had trouble getting the kids to eat the traditional breakfast and there were no western options. We ended up having to seek out other places for breakfast instead. We were not offered a refund for the cancelled breakfasts which I found a little difficultly to swallow given the 40AUD pp we had paid.
10.0
close to transportation, sightseeing and restaurants.
nothing
7.0
Very lovely staff and the location is unbeatable (2 minute walk from Maruyama park), at the heart of Gion. Good food.
It’s a bit pricey for what it has to offer (you mostly pay for the location). This ryokan is fairly big and impersonal, no onsen, no guest laundry (which would really be convenient). Walls are not super well isolated within floors so you hear your floor neighbors and the room doors are loud whenever someone comes in or out. The room itself is fairly spacious but there isn’t much space for luggage. I only had a carry-on roller luggage and carry-on backpack and it was difficult to find space for them. Fairly basic ryokan comfort.
10.0
great location!
amazing stuff
beautiful and very clean hotel
they may be should not include dinner in the price.
as guests most likely want to explode other dining options
7.0
location was good, room was big and in general very interesting traditional experience
the property is old not in a charming way, the food was overpriced and very specific (was not tasty to us as to a western tourist but maybe this is how traditional food is) we ate much better in restaurants in town for a fraction of the cost
5.0
The location was great. I liked the Gion area. The staff was awesome as always.
There were only two pillows in our room for two people. No extras in the closet. The wifi was awful. The router was located just outside our room, and we had one and a half bars the entire time. We complained twice and to their credit they did reset the router both times but the signal just didn't reach to our room. The dinner that we paid extra for was mediocre at best. The hot pot beef meal I ordered was made with literally hot water so the beef tasted like boiled beef plus soy sauce... the view from our room was of a fence which was disappointing on our honeymoon. This place we paid more for than any other place we stayed at on the trip and it was by far our worst accommodation. This was the third ryokan we stayed in on our trip and we were just completely underwhelmed.
9.0
We enjoyed the traditional breakfast each morning - a great way to start the day. The room was large and comfortable for our family of 2 parents and 3 grown children. The traditional style fit so wewll with the location in the temple area.
The cost was high, but you get a thorough Ryokan experience.
10.0
the accommodation
the less food options
9.0
the hotel staff are very friendly and nice. the hotel room also very clean.
none
10.0
staff were incredible, food was amazing
room was small, no onsen
8.0
Nice little lodge ran by a loving couple. Goes out of their way to make your stay special. They even made special arrangements for a celebration we had during our visit.
Bathroom situation could use an improvement, but the hosts tried their best to make do with what’s available ,
10.0
Breakfast was amazing
Nothings
10.0
Location is perfect, walking distance to many temples and the restaurant district.
Beds were quite firm.
8.0
The location was amazing and the staff was very attentive and professional!
It wasn’t quite the full ryokan experience after speaking with some of our friends staying in a different ryokan but this was a more cost effective option.
8.0
Close to many attractions. The staff was really helpful.
nothing particular
10.0
staff was very attentive and food was great. We stayed 3 nights and the food was almost the same every day. you can pick different hotpots e.g. turtle, chicken ( my favorite), beef, fugu, tuna. I would have wished for some different food, but the quality and service was really excellent. the rooms are traditional and the futon and featherbeds super comfy. the proximity to a lot of attractions was great! overall a great place to stay
1.0
the location was central to many tourist attractions
the cost of the food was way overpriced to the point of feeling like I was being taken advantage of
10.0
Great rooms and great value
FAQs
How much does this ryokan cost compared to others in Kyoto?
The average price for a rental in Kyoto is $132 per night. This rental is $24 above the average.
Is parking included with this ryokan?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Gion Ryokan Karaku. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this ryokan?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this ryokan. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Gion Ryokan Karaku pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this ryokan is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Gion Ryokan Karaku?
We found 8 amenities for this rental. This includes air conditioner, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, smoking allowed, and parking.
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