Kyoto Ryokan Shoei

Japan , Kyoto
KYOTO, 128 Nishishinyashiki Kaminocho Shimogyo Ku
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75 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2026

Corin

Wonderful ryokan experience in Kyoto! We stayed as a family with our one teenager and really enjoyed the experience. The staff are superb. The meals were works of art. The bath experience was incredibly special. The entire facility is just lovely. So glad we included a night here during our visit to Kyoto!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2026

Jennifer

Beautiful Onsen- don't forget to go upstairs (stairs between dressing room and inside baths) for the outside onsen.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

10 Mar 2026

Briana

I cannot stress enough how much I loved our stay! The public baths are BEYOND anything I could have imagined. We stayed for 2 nights, and I used the facilities 4 times! They are also tattoo friendly! The rooms are adorable and are cleaned daily. The staff was very helpful and there was really no issue with the language barrier. I wish I could stay in this place honestly, FOREVER! I cannot recommend ENOUGH!!:)

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jan 2026

Pia

The service and the onset were fantastic. Absolutely a joy.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2025

Adam

Friendly staff, nice rooms that are clean, amazing Onsen, great breakfast!! Would come back!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2025

Kevin

The best value for a hotel and onsen in Kyoto. We loved the restaurant and bathhouse. Nothing better than walking 30k steps and coming back to this hotel to relax in the spacious rooms, hot bath and tea room. Staff is friendly. It's a bit out of the way, and a decent walk from any train station, but the 8 minute walk from station to front door is worth every step.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Nov 2025

Dayna

Such a fun stay. The room was cleaned each day of our stay and the amenities were so wonderful. Not a far walk from a train station and there were a handful of restaurants a short walk away. Staff was very quick and efficient with accommodations and requests and they thoroughly explained all the amenities they had to offer.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Oct 2025

Kenneth T

Very much enjoyed experiencing this large modern Japanese ryokan. Helpful staff. Enjoyed the restaurant and the onsen. Liked being in a neighborhood and away from the crowds, with interesting walks toward whatever was next on our agenda. Great rate vs others.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2025

Marie-Eve

Breakfast was japanese style, copious and amazing. The public baths and sauna were very comfortable.
Not very walkable to sightseeing spots, but it’s not a problem with public transportation.
Great staff.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2025

Jamie

Amazing traditional accommodation. The onsen on site is nice, tattoo friendly!
Make sure to have dinner there as there is plenty to choose from and great value.
We had a massage done on site and it was one of the best ones we’ve ever had.
Highly recommend

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

16 Sep 2025

Diane

Authentic Japanese hotel with awesome sento facilities. Breakfast is Japanese food, no western option. This hotel is not close to public transportation or any tourist destination. Rooms were good sized and well appointed. The beds are floor mats and comfortable.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Sep 2025

Darwin

great location great staff

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Aug 2025

Alessandra

Excellent facilities, staff and food!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Aug 2025

Phillip

Very nice Ryokan and Onsen. Glad I had the experience. The breakfast was not something I would typically order. I would have preferred a western room. Staff is friendly and helpful.

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

06 Jul 2025

Kiran

We were hoping to have a Ryokan living experience instead we got a below average accommodation and service . The place was not very clean . There was limited food options inside the hotel and outside area didnt have much to offer either . We had to walk quite a bit from hotel to take train . Or we had to do uber . This “hotel” is in the middle of residential area . Which is just weird .
Limited hours for front desk . Check out was a hard 10 am which was very annoying.

They gave us slippers to wear inside the room which is fine but the one for bathroom looked used - Gross!

Inside the room for the basic amenities like fridge tea tray all were just old and dilapidated looking . I am all for simple living experience but dirty I cant stand.

Shower was another challenge. It was a short length hand shower attached outside fo bathtub . Only my 11 year could use it , rest of us had to bend down in wierd positions to use it .

Overall a very frustrating experience. I would not recommend this place to anyone . If you have want to have a pleasant Rykon experience please do your research and find something else .

So disappointing!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2025

Brian

This was exactly what we wanted. We got the traditional Japanese experience in Kyoto. The transit was a small walk through a quiet and safe neighborhood. They had a restaurant that we ate at and a nice traditional Japanese breakfast. The small beds on the floor were a surprise to us all how comfortable they were. Loved this experience!

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2025

A traditional Japanese 'O fulu' bath hotel, you can experience the typical tatami style room and enjoy the public indoor and outdoor public bath. Only problem is the location, a bit far from the transpotation, you might need to call uber every time going out.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jun 2025

Helen

My daughter and I stayed here for one night and stayed in the Japanese style room. It was very comfortable and we had the traditional breakfast in the morning. The food was ok it wasn't to my daughters liking, but I enjoyed mine. The only negative I could say is that Expedia did not inform us of the extra $90CAD we had to pay for the Tourist Tax.
Apart from that the staff are very friendly and helpful, and the hotel is very clean and well maintained.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2025

Mariel

What a fun experience. I came here with my husband and 10 year old daughter. The food was great, the onsen was amazing and the area around the location was historic, quiet, and beautiful. We loved our stay.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2025

Eric

Very nice facility, located in a quiet residential neighborhood. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was excellent, onsen was very clean. A bit of a walk to the nearest train station and convenience store, but not bad at all. Would stay here again if ever in Kyoto.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2025

Rebecca

The property is fantastic for a truly traditional Japanese stay, meal, onsen, massage experience!! Staff went above and beyond!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2025

Tania

Great place and location

Fabulous stay; excellent clean room, comfortable and a friendly team. Good location.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2024

Latrisse

Cozy traditional stay

Although the room appeared small for 4 travellers with luggage it was perfectly big enough. The futons were extremely comfortable but wish I had more pillows. The bathroom was large but not necessary with the bathhouse included in the stay! The bathhouse was one of the highlights of my Japan trip. It had two baths (indoor and outdoor), sauna, cold plunge, and showers with soap, shampoo and conditioner. The changing room also included all necessary and some extra amenities. The coin laundry within the property was small but was extremely handy. The location was mildly inconvenient with an 8 minute walk to a bus stop and 25 minute walk from the train station. Wouldn’t recommend with luggage. The hotel staff were extremely friendly and the luggage forwarding service very handy! The in-house restaurant was also a great feed.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Nov 2024

Simona

Amazing first stay at a Japanese Ryokan. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate us and the rooms were cosy and clean. Also, the onsen was delightful. I recommend the restaurant on the premises where we had some of the best local food. Will definitely come here again!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2024

James

Wonderful hotel! Loved the staff and the hot baths! The front desk staff were extremely kind and helpful!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2024

Sandra

Fantastic property. The description of the property is accurate. The staff were very friendly and accommodating… they waited for us to check-in very late even though we were outside the check-in hours. The onsen experience was fantastic. Our boys ages 19, 16 and 13 originally said they wouldn’t use the onsen, but after they tried it once, they went each day. Some reviews complained about the area being remote, we didn’t find the distance to transit to be an issue at all. It was a quiet neighborhood and probably a better experience than being on a busy street. We enjoyed our walk to the subway each morning and back in the evenings… always felt safe and right at home.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2024

Ryan

Don’t typically write reviews, but this place is amazing. Staff went above and beyond for us and all services were exceptional. Highly recommend staying here!

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

12 Aug 2024

Joanne

The public onsens at this property were incredible! It was so perfect to have an onsen to relax in after a long day of adventuring. Even though it was the middle of summer when I stayed, I found myself going to the onsen at the end of every day.

The rooms were also beautiful and so spacious. The location of the property was in a quieter neighbourhood, while still being walking distance to 2 stations, bus stops (I found myself using the buses the most while staying here), and some restaurants. Both the rooms and location really immersed me into the culture of Kyoto.

The meals at the restaurant are very traditional Kyoto meals, which require an acquired taste in my opinion. Nonetheless, it was still a great experience to dine in there.

The only downside was the bathroom. It had an odd smell, either from bad plumbing or lack of ventilation. I was leaving the bathroom fan on even when I wasn't in the hotel, which seemed like a waste of electricity. However, it's worth noting that everything was impeccably clean and the daily cleaning services were exceptional.

Overall, the whole place had a charm of tradition and authenticity, which I absolutely loved as a contrast to all the hotels I was staying in on my trip.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jul 2024

Tyler

Best Ryokan, bed and onsen!

If you are looking for a ryokan, this is the place! Amazing service and great location near bus and train stations.
The onsen was amazing and tattoo friendly. They even had a cold tub (perfect for the summer or after the sauna).
I was worried to sleep ryokan style bed, but it was actually the most comfortable of the trip!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

01 Jul 2024

TIAN

We chose this hotel to let the whole family experience traditional Japanese tatami rooms and hot baths. Located in a residential area, the hot baths are open to the public as well as guests. The facilities are quite old. The public bathhouse has two floors, with the upper floor being open-air, making for a very comfortable bathing experience. The staff is very friendly. However, I don't understand why the booking price is higher than other four-star hotels. It's just a small Japanese inn, so don't have high expectations.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2024

Arisa

This place was wonderful on every level. It was traditional, peaceful, great onsen, wonderful restauaranr, friendly staff, etc. it’s a gem!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2024

Sandra

Wonderful traditional stay in Kyoto!

This ryokan was beautiful, new and modern but in a traditional way. Love the two different onsens that changes daily. The food at their restaurant was great and conveniently located at the facilities as well. Their breakfast is wonderful too!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2024

Siddharth

This is amazing!!

5-Star Luxury. Hidden Gem. We stayed as a family of four and enjoyed the onsen/public bath every morning before leaving and evening. Be ready to get comfortable with no bathing suite spa.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Jun 2024

Krishnakumar

Veey nice and quiet neighborhood. We got a good experience of Riyokan style.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2024

Et Oiy

Very accommodating to english speakers, they allow late check in (once notified before hand) we arrived at 11pm and were allowed to stay for the night then check in in the morning
The bus to kyoto station is about a 7-9 minute walk and is relatively fast transportation
The community surrounding the area is very quiet and relaxing
Commodities were replaced regularly and the tea,snacks and water bottles were free and very delicious
Going to the bath was the best part the water was at a nice temperature and they also provides robes, shampoo and body wash.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

01 Jun 2024

Man

Overall is ok. But the room is too small and kind of old

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

11 May 2024

Ilona

Good experience of traditional Japanese hospitality
Futons are very poor quality, comparable to camping thin, inflatable , easy to pack
mattresses
Onsen excellent
Traditional Japanese breakfast ,very good and affordable
And in a traditional setting

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2024

Mackenzie

Very nice and good baths

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2024

Mallory

Truly remarkable

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2024

Phuong

Nice Ryokan. A little bit far from the main stress. Staffs are very helpful and friendly

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2024

Kat

The onsens here were nice.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Mar 2024

Brian

ryokan Shoei.

Hotel was modern but decorated as a traditional Ryokan. The onsen was very good.
Good experience
The name of the hotel on the outside is different so can be difficult to find.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

18 Mar 2024

Angela

Loved our stay here at the Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. Everything was perfect here was perfect and the staff was exceptional. There was something here for the whole family to enjoy.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

18 Mar 2024

Mike

This is the second time in 5 years we stayed at this property. It is fantastic. Clean, safe, easy access to pubic transit. Staff is excellent.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

09 Mar 2024

Fleur

Ryokan Shoei rooms are lovely and bright. The staff are amazing and speak English.
I found sleeping on the floor on a thin mattress uncomfortable as I have a neck problem, but they gave me a topper and I was much more comfortable.
I had a great massage as well and would recommend.
Please note that there are no dining options other than in the hotel and it’s a 8-10 min walk to the train station & one stop from Kyoto Station. which we found slightly inconvenient.
But it’s quiet and clean with great facilities, including an onsen.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2024

Gary

Great place

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jan 2024

Evan

This was a very unique experience. The hotel was very clean and the staff were very helpful. It is a little far from the main attractions but there are several buses and a JR station not too far away. Because of the distance you get a quiet residential feel. I would stay here again

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Dec 2023

Siok Leng

Nice and cosy ryokan accessible by train from Kyoto station and walking. It’s located in a quiet neighborhood, accessible by bus to main shopping streets where Nishiki market and Daimaru are. Reasonably priced ryokan with meal arrangement optional so we need not pay high price for the stay like in some ryokans. However we still chose to have our dinners at the restaurant on-site as the food was nice and priced reasonably. The onsen was great, there were indoor hot pools with jacuzzi, saunas and outdoor pools on the rooftop. Staff at the reception were able to speak English so asking for info is easy.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Oct 2023

Sum

Hotel was clean and comfortable.
Public bath was very nice. Even the showers are on the larger side (I’m 280 pounds and 5’10” and the shower was perfectly fine)
The water in the shower was a little inconsistent. It would fluctuate between hotter and colder throughout the shower, but that’s a really minor thing.
There was only one staff member at the front desk, and English support was a little inconsistent. I think if they had more than one person working the front desk, that might help. Hotels in Tokyo did that.
The hotel is in the middle of a bunch of houses so it can take a bit to get from the station to the hotel.
Overall I enjoyed the experience. These are just nitpicks to be aware of.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Oct 2023

Charlie

The room and staff are wonderful, but the shower curtain was moldy.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2023

Kamri

THE best Ryokan in Kyoto

Don’t even think about booking somewhere else. THIS IS THE RYOKAN that you need to stay at no hesitation. The onsens were absolutely lovely, great that they have a restaurant attached and close to the train station. It’s a quiet area and the rooms were huge! And the staff OMG everyone is amazing! Truly above and beyond service.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2023

Leonard

Staff was really nice. Truly got a traditional experience!

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2023

Laura

Great place to stay in traditional Japanese tatami room.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Aug 2023

Nathaniel

This stay was every bit as good as advertised. The onsen facilities were top notch. Staff was terrific. Our room was cleaned and set every day. Loved our time at Shoei.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Jul 2023

Dave

Amazing public bath house incorporated into the Ryokan! We were a family of 4 (w/ 10yr and 13yr old) and the room was big enough for us to move around. The ryokan is clean with very friendly staff. It’s an 8 minute walk to the nearest train station with easy access to Nijo Castle and the bamboo forest areas.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jul 2023

Victor

The Ryokan was a very good experience. The property was very clean and well maintained. The staff was very kind and helpful at all times.
The only negative I see is the lack of action in the area. We had to take the train back to Kyoto Station to go somewhere else to eat or do something fun. Overall a great place to stay!!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2023

Shirley

At first I was hesitate to book this hotel because it only has 2.5 stars. However, I decided to book it because of the raving Expedia customer rating (9.4/10). I've stayed in this hotel for two nights and I did not regret choosing Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. The lobby, the room, the dining hall and the hot spring are all very clean. I especially love the traditional Japanese style. All staffs are very polite and helpful. The check-in staff even helped me to locate the bus stop going to my sight-seeing destination the next day. It's a big plus that they carry and sell the Kyoto one-day bus pass. The breakfast is nice and cheap (a full course at 1000yen for adult which is just about US$7.5). Room is in regular size but with tatami laid out, you'll need to be creative to lay all luggages on the floor opened. Bathroom is large compared to many other hotels in Japan. Although Expedia doesn't show that this hotel has laundry, it actually has one washer and one dryer located in the lobby ladies' bathroom. I just found out on the day of check out. The hotel is located in a residential area, so there's no shopping within walking distance. However, bus stops and JR station are conveniently located within 5-8 min of walking distance. Overall, I'd rate this hotel a 9.5/10. I took half a point off just because it doesn't advertise laundry and there's only one washer and one dryer for the whole hotel.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2023

Kyra

Very clean and comfortable! The onsen was very nice as well.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

18 May 2023

Dana

Excellent small traditional hotel with great staff and restaurant.

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2023

Paula

This hotel is very clean and the room is spacious. The hotel provides water, tea and snacks that are nice. It also provided robes for the onsen. The onsen was great for our first time experience in Japan. The hotel restaurant has great food and very convenient. The kids found it a bit of a walk to the train station but not too bad for adults. The closest convenience store is also a bit of a walk. The one thing that can be improved is the location and amount of washer and dryer (1 each) since it is located in the female washroom. The hotel staff was great and it was easy to communicate in English since they have a translating device. This hotel is highly recommended and gave us the traditional feel of Japan.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

04 May 2023

Chad

This was our first time staying at a ryokan. We did like the onsen and onsite massage. The dinner we ate in the restaurant was also delicious. Our room was lovely, but the futons are very difficult to get used to compared to a western style mattress. It was quite a bit of a walk from the train station to the ryokan with all our luggage, so a shuttle service would have been helpful.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2023

Aileen

Very nice and clean facility. They provided us with everything we needed. The location is easy to find and just a short distance to the train station. The food at their restaurant is very delicious and not too expensive. We as a family really enjoyed our stay.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jan 2023

Liping

Amazing ryokan experience with great bath and dinning service. Spacious rooms too. Located inside residential area so slightly longer walk to public transportation and convenient stores.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2019

GRACE P

kyoto experience - live like a local

this was perfect home while in kyoto. it is within a 10 minute walk to the train station. the hotel is spotless, the tatami mats and the service is impeccable. the on site restaurant and the gender specific onsens were added bonus to complete our excellent kyoto experience.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

The staff really went above and beyond. The hotel surpassed expectations. Highly recommended.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2019

todd

Traditional. Clean. Great experience.

Traditional. Clean. Great experience. The staff was extremely nice. The massage therapist - only had the female, was amazing and enjoyed the late night hours of the massage to accommodate travelers with a full day. Not close but not too far from transportation/food/shopping. Location appeared to be in a residential part of town so we had to venture out. We utilized the washing and dryer - you may need to hang items even after dryer as it doesn't work the best. But very convenient when traveling!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

Amazing stay! Very comfortable and clean. Service was exceptional

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2019

Jenna

Clean and helpful

Amazing! Super clean, the front desk staff spoke amazing English and was incredibly helpful.

8/10

Excellent

24 May 2019

Kenny

This is a great affordable ryokan in Kyoto. There is a bus about 5 min walk that will take you into the city in about 20 mins directly. We arrived a little early and they were very accommodating and let us into the room after they were done cleaning it which I appreciated very much.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2019

Verified traveler

We enjoyed staying at this ryokan as we wanted to live the traditional Japanese style hotel. The hotel was very clean, in a good location, and with a big onsen (public bath) right in the facility. By staying here you score two key experiences at once.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

We stayed here for one night and found it to be a pleasant and relaxing experience. Our room was a comfortable mix of the contemporary and traditional, with high-quality floor bedding and tatami as well as a TV and modern bathroom amenities. The baths were not too crowded, and the open air baths on the second floor were particularly refreshing. We also enjoyed kaiseki at the restaurant and the hospitality of the staff.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

Staff couldn't speak English well... Facing communication problem

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Sep 2018

Bidisha

Not worth the price.

Room was large and spacious. Quite clean. Onsen was OK, expected somewhat better facilities. I feel it was higher priced than should be.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Feb 2026

Hyunchang

위치가 정말 애매해요. 다소 외진 주택가에 있어서 근처에 식당도 편의점도 없어요. 반면에 시설에 깨끗하고 좋아요. 아침도 깔끔하고 맛있어요. 대욕장은 동네 주민들과 같이 이용하는 동네 목욕탕이에요. 그냥 일본에 일반적인 서민생활에 관심 있으신분들에게 추천, 다른분들에게는 비추

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2026

Josefine

Helt fantastisk service. Pæne værelser, god onsen oplevelse, rigtig god værdi for pengene.

Friends_and_family Family