The Junei Hotel Kyoto Imperial Palace West

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2026

Tawni

Amazing experience. The staff was so friendly and helpful. The bento breakfasts was delicious. We love the whole experience and would recommend this to visitors if they want a traditional Japanese experience. The location was great bc it’s outside is the hustle and bustle.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jul 2026

Blair

Wonderful stay!!

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jul 2026

Peter

We loved our stay here. The staff were so nice and the room was perfect for our family of four to experience a more traditional type of accomodation.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2026

Valentina

This boutique hotel was the absolute highlight of our trip to Japan. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the exceptional, personalized service. The staff is remarkably attentive and goes above and beyond to make you feel welcomed—even greeting us with thoughtful complimentary snacks upon arrival.The attention to detail is evident in every corner of the property. The decor strikes a balance of traditional Japanese aesthetics and modern comfort, creating a cozy and serene atmosphere. We absolutely loved waking up to the beautifully prepared and delicious traditional Japanese breakfast—it was a culinary experience in itself!While the hotel is a bit outside the central tourist hubs, it was actually our favorite part of the location. It is nestled in a quiet, peaceful, and genuinely authentic Kyoto neighborhood, allowing you to experience the local charm without the crowds. Yet, it is still incredibly convenient, being just a short, pleasant walk from the Imperial Palace and a nearby subway station. We also booked a relaxing aromatherapy massage in our room with very professional and attentive therapists that helped our sore muscles recuperate from all the travelling. If you are looking for a personalized, tranquil, and authentic stay in Kyoto, look no further. Highly recommended!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2026

Kristin

We had the deluxe twin and the sunken bath was wonderful. Japanese breakfast was out of this world.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

monica

It was such a pleasure staying at The Junei Hotel Imperial Palace. The rooms were quiet and comfortable. The bentobox breakfasts were delicious, nutritious and had a variety of foods that even our pickiest family member enjoyed sampling. Most impressive, though were the hotel service team. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and consistently went above and beyond to help us make the most of our time in Kyoto. We felt comfortable and cared for throughout our stay. We look forward to seeing Kazuma and the whole team again on our next visit to Kyoto.

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 May 2026

Celine

Great staff, quaint hotel. Super charming

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2026

Ewa

A wonderful, quiet and beautiful place. Great staff!

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2026

Kieran

The Staff here at Junei, especially Concierge Rie, went 10X beyond expectations, with such kind and heartfelt dedication.

Cannot recommend highly enough , Bravo 👏

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jan 2026

john

exceptional room design and service. elegant and sophisticated. could not recommend more.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2026

Vladimir

It’s a great little hotel in a very quiet part of Kyoto. If you wish to get away from all the crowds and just experience how the locals live, this is a hotel for you. We had a room with a private onsen bath, which was just perfect at the end of all the sightseeing.

Special thanks to the staff, who went above and beyond to make us feel very comfortable.

We also booked a kaiseki dinner at their restaurant (in a sister hotel) Futago. Incredible food and service. I highly recommend you try it if you get a chance.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

22 Dec 2025

RACHEL

One female staff member provided exceptional customer service based on her alone, the experience would have been a 10/10. Unfortunately, the rest of the stay declined quickly after check-in.

The carpet in our room felt very dirty and visibly stained. The rest of the room was as pictured. We were placed in a first-floor room right by the lobby, where all guest traffic passed directly by our door, making it consistently noisy. The front door to the hotel was a sliding door pretty much next to our room wall/window and imagine it sliding open and shut constantly.

Due to the age and boutique nature of the hotel, the walls appeared to be extremely thin. Normal walking from the upstairs room was very loud, and any dropped items or luggage movement could be clearly heard. As a result, I was unable to sleep.

When I contacted the hotel to explain that we couldn’t sleep, the response I received was that another guest had complained about my children being loud. This was an inappropriate and disappointing response rather than addressing the issue or offering a solution, it felt like a defensive attempt to dismiss my concern. There was no resolution offered.

The situation was later blamed on a language barrier, which I do not find acceptable. Emotions, tone, and gestures are universal.

I do not recommend it for families with children, light sleepers, non-Japanese speaking, or those that pick their hotels based on Michelin guides - as I pick my hotels based on that always.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2025

LiMay

The staff were very friendly, polite and helpful. They go above and beyond to make my stay easy and comfortable.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Nov 2025

Nicole

The room set up was amazing, great amenities, and staff were fantastic!! Highly recommend if you want a traditional, quiet, vibe. Countless thoughtful touches that really elevated the experience. From curated music to local tea and beer the suite was a treat.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Oct 2025

Daniela

Staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. Nice location away from the hustle bustle.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2025

Nat

Didnt see spa but bath/shower room great.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2025

James

The most attentive staff you could imagine. Honestly one of the best hotels I’ve stopped at. The rooms are beautiful and the bed was soooo comfortable. I could not recommend this place enough.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2025

Daniel

Great sleep,safety & caring customer service.

My stay at the JUNEI surpassed my expectations. The customer care was amazing. The amenities were bespoke to my needs and the quality of the rooms facilitated the best sleep and relaxation. My advice to family and friends would be to stay at the JUNEI

Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2025

Elizabeth

Fantastic hotel. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Aug 2025

Celine

The property is very nice, clean beautiful setting and quiet neighborhood. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Very nice experience.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2025

Elizabeth

The staff is very professional and kind! Thank you, it's also just a lovely respite. The bath for me was heavenly

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2025

Anne

Our room was large and very compact with a spa located like bathroom. The staff was very accommodating. The neighborhood is quiet and uncontested but convenient to attractions and public transportation.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

02 Jul 2025

diane

Very nice boutique hotel. Small and quiet. Only reason for not giving a perfect review is that the room we had was very musty and moldy smelling.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2025

Todd

staff were all so kind and helpful. amenities and welcome gifts were amazing. room facilities are all great quality. hot tub and bathroom in general was top notch.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2025

Kathrine

Good location. Staff very friendly. Very clean.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2025

Michele

Great property. Staff was very helpful and spoke great English which was a bonus.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2025

Mackenzie

We loved this small luxury boutique hotel and its traditional Japanese experience.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2025

raja

The staff provide an outstanding service and support. They even helped us to order food to our room with dietary restrictions. Staff are very friendly and extremely helpful. We had a wonderful stay for our Valentine's day in Kyoto.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2025

Rasika

We are a family of 4 and we booked 2 rooms. The service was incredible from start to finish. Aya and Rodrigo go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need. There was also a young Japanese man, I forgot his name. He was the sweetest person you will ever meet. The rooms were spacious and very clean. The neighborhood is very quiet and a little bit away from the city, but there are places to eat within walking distance. I would stay here again if we ever came back to Kyoto!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Dec 2024

William

This was our first time in Japan, the staff are super nice and welcoming to tourist. They helped us navigate the area and even booked reservations for us.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Dec 2024

Christina

This is the nicest hotel staff on the whole planet. I'm not exaggerating! As my husband is a vegetarian, we were concerned about getting decent meals. Not only did the staff arrange a special vegetarian breakfast for him (served in the room), but helped us make dinner reservations, and, on a memorable occasion, raced a block away where we were waiting at the laundry, with three options printed out with QR codes and everything, to help us decide which one we preferred. Great with taxis, too; and always remembered to learn our plans for the day and to ask how our day had gone.

The hotel is in a small-scale residential neighborhood, quiet but with many services. It is a bit of a hike from the nearest subway station, but it is not hard or genuinely expensive to call a cab if you haven't the legs for it.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Aug 2024

Susan

The entire staff was amazing! We would stay here again.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2024

Maria

The staff at the Junei Hotel was amazing. They were attentive and helpful in every way. We loved how clean the room was, and the soaking tub was wonderful at the end of the day. The hotel is in a quiet, more residential part of the town, and we did travel by taxi quite frequently.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2024

Lachlan

Extremely friendly and helpful staff

Exceptional staff and beautiful rooms. We had a wonderful time here and would recommend it to anyone. The location is excellent for the palaces if that’s what you’re into but not near the main shops and older districts. We caught taxis everywhere which the hotel organised for us and we were very happy with that. Taxis weren’t too expensive.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2024

Lachlan

Extremely friendly and helpful staff

Exceptional staff and beautiful rooms. We had a wonderful time here and would recommend it to anyone. The location is excellent for the palaces if that’s what you’re into but not near the main shops and older districts. We caught taxis everywhere which the hotel organised for us and we were very happy with that. Wasn’t too expensive compared to Europe and other places visited.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2024

Pavel

For the price, JUNEI Hotel Kyoto Imperial Palace West is an excellent option for those interested in having a more traditional, ryokan-type experience. While there is not a huge list of amenities, the service was excellent (shout out to my man Rodrigo, who hauled our luggage up three flights!), the rooms themselves are excellent. We chose a room with a king bed, which was very comfortable, more so than other ryokan-style hotels we stayed at. The bathing tub was wonderful, with relaxing music and high quality bath products. Our king bed room did have a window, and was extremely clean, quiet, and peaceful. The location is convenient to the Imperial Palace but not necessarily to much else. There are some nice cafes nearby, though! Next door is a petite donut shop with a very nice owner that we recommend.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Mar 2024

Francis

A very charming small property with a large room and great soaking tub.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2024

BRINDHA

Amazing rooms & staff could not be any kinder. Loved it. A

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 Dec 2023

Christie

I really enjoyed staying at this hotel and would give them a 10 star review.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2023

Jess

Beautifully kept. Generous staff. Near nice restaurants.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

23 Apr 2023

Judy

We were really disappointed with our stay at JUNEI considering how much we paid. We were placed in the room right next to reception which meant that you could hear everything going on outside including people coming and going and speaking to the staff. It felt like we had absolutely no privacy and we weren’t able to sleep well due to all the noise. The pillows were uncomfortable and I’ve been to cheaper hotels that have used better linen. They didn’t provide a phone charger which every hotel seemed to provide before we came to JUNEI. Overall very disappointing - hotels should never place guests right next to reception with zero sound proofing facilities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jul 2019

RG

the staff at front desk was just amazing and i cant remember her name but she was really helpful.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2019

Angeline

Wonderful stay

The hotel is a nice blend of the old and the new. Room is big and has futon and western bed option. The tatami was well maintained, had a natural freshness of the flooring. The overall ambience was relaxing.The service at the hotel is fantastic; helped us to make reservations for dinner and any quick questions was followed up promptly even if they do not have an answer on the stop. We wanted to go Arashiyama and they came back with the transportation options. The breakfast was on time daily and fresh!

Only downer was that they only have Japanese tv channels and the place can be abit of a search.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2019

Henri

What a fantastic little hotel. Off the main tourist drag, but conveniently located. I can’t say enough about the staff. This hotel was a wonderful surprise, as I had booked it in desperation when I couldn’t find another hotel in Kyoto. Turns out it was my lucky day. I am almost tempted not to write a great review, as the hotel is quite small...however, this little gem deserves a major shout out for its excellent service and value. To those who book here...take care of this place.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Beautiful and very relaxing experience,the deep water bath was so tranquil and also the staff were extremely helpful.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Oct 2018

Carol

The hotel is beautifully decorated with very, very modern facilities including a hydrogen bath which was lovely and a raised tatami area for having breakfast which was terrific. Staff could be more knowledgable about nearby restaurants as the location is a bit out of the way. Very quiet.

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2018

John

very nice boutique hotel spacious peaceful rooms

Nice spacious rooms, a lot of nice features. However aside from the one hostess, the rest of the staff was absolutely clueless about staying at the hotel. They didn't know about any places for breakfast no tours, couldn't even call a taxi. However the main girl was wonderful. When she wasn't there however, it was hard to do things.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Nice boutique hotel

Incredible bathroom and high quality furniture
The stuff was very friendly and attentive

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

William

Séjour parfait avec un personnel aux petits soins.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Stefan

Perfect stay in Kyoto. Highly recommend this hotel.
Thank you all!

Partner