Ryokan Azumaya

Given what I paid per night, I felt it was definitely worth it. First of all, the location is excellent. It put me at ease that I could simply walk to Kyoto station and without worry that a delayed bus might disrupt my travel timing. They make tea available plus have a really nice coffee machine guests can freely use. Borrowing a yukata at no extra charge is great with the public bath (included with stay). There is a rooftop patio that is beautiful at night time - I really love their set up with the softly glowing lights and patio furniture. They also have a little café with mini retro games, though I didn't try them. I did end up buying an extremely cute fox stress ball from their gift shop (I never saw this fox ball anywhere else)! The rooms are not updated, yet have air conditioning, mini fridge, a strong safe, and good racks for storage/hanging. It is an old establishment, so of course there is visible wear and tear, but given the price point, it is in reasonable condition. I actually had a more comfortable sleep on the futon at this ryokan than a different expensive one. The staff are extremely kind and accommodating - I arrived 2 hours before check-in thinking to just leave my luggage, but they instead got my room ready in just a few minutes! I asked for a towel to wipe off the rain from my luggage and they did it for me!! Plus they are very responsive to feedback - I wrote in about a couple issues, and by the next day they were all addressed. The staff are the best!!

It's Kyoto, you're going to walk regardless. My room was close to the smoking balcony, so you can catch a whip because it can go through the aircon vent. Free coffee, tea, and hot water. Great curry and ramen restaurants a few blocks away. Overall 10/10

Lovely traditional style hotel! The room has a very nice homely feeling and the beds are very comfortable. The location is also 15 minutes walking distance from Kyoto Station and is right across the road from the serene Nishi Hongan-ji Temple.