Very good location and facilities, but the people made it exceptional. They are very kind and friendly and go above and beyond to provide the best hospitality I’ve ever experienced.

Stayed in April 2024

Nothing really. If you’re looking for an authentic ryokan experience, this is the place for you.

The minute we entered the ryokan, we were greeted with warm smiles and friendly greetings! The ladies who are managing the accommodation are ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. When we moved to a hotel, someone from our group immediately said that they miss Ohanabo because of the staff there. That in itself already says a lot. The rooms are as advertised and quite comfortable! We even had free yukatas to use during our stay, such a pleasant surprise! The entire place has a charm that you truly only get with a ryokan. PLUS THE VIEW OF THE TEMPLE FROM OUR WINDOW WAS AMAZING. We also loved the public bath. Everything was clean. I would book Ohanabo a thousand times again. Highly recommended!

Stayed in April 2024

There was nothing that I did not like because I set my expectations properly. This is a traditional hotel, so some modern amenities are not available such as in-unit bathrooms. Other items are period-appropriate, so you will not get the latest technology, but again, this is not a problem if you understand what you are reserving.

The hotel is in an excellent location, within walking distance to the train station and many points of interest. The staff were very pleasant and welcoming, and they went beyond to make sure my stay was as enjoyable as possible. I requested dinner and breakfast service, both of which were delightful.

Stayed in March 2024

Staffs were very welcoming, friendly and helpful. Ayako recommended us to visit to Kodaiji in the evening after our Kaiseki dinner to see the illumination show. It was worth it! Next day after visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine, my children and I were too exhausted to walk to Kyoto station with our carry on luggage for our next destination. Her husband graciously gave us a ride to Kyoto station after we couldn’t get a taxi ride due to the short distance. Thank you Ayako and her family for a memorable stay at Ohanabo 💕

Stayed in April 2024

the service was the best i've ever had and it was very clean and easy to use everything

Stayed in April 2024

This was our top stay in Kyoto by far - the staff are EXCEPTIONAL. The entire stay was incredible, from the food, to the lodging, to the service. 10/10 all around!

Stayed in April 2024

The friendliness and kindness of the staff is remarkable

Stayed in April 2024

All the staff were so welcoming, really made us feel at home. Very close to train station and lots of good local spots around.

Stayed in March 2024

N/A — Perfection.

If you want to feel like you are visiting your doting Aunties in Kyoto, then a stay at Ohanabo is in order. The attentive and loving service by Ioka (sp?) and the staff was like nothing I’ve experienced in all my global travels, and I’ve been a few places. Everything was top notch, and the Japanese breakfast we opted into was nothing short of delicious, artful, and exceptional. A true and memorable top highlight of our Japan travels thus far. I even braved the shower and onsen (go in the late evening if you’re a little shy about being in the buff in front of others—I went and it was empty) and the water in the onsen—I kid you not—was the most perfect hot temperature ever). If you need modern-everything and shiny bells and whistles and are high-maintenance that way, then this little gem is likely not for you. If you want to experience a traditional Japanese Ryokan and feel a genuine connection to the culture and Japanese hospitality, then stay here and thank me later. A true joy!

Stayed in April 2024

There was nothing to dislike. The stay at Ohanbo exceeded all of our expectations. I would only suggest that travelers research what a Ryokan is before committing, as it is a special type of lodging & experience that may not suit everyone (i.e. public bath, sleeping on futons on the ground, etc.).

Incredible hospitality, dinner & breakfast, and atmosphere. The staff were incredibly welcoming and warm. The location is very convenient to the train station as well. The receptionist spoke excellent English. The stay here and the kaiseki dinner was the highlight of our time in Kyoto.

Stayed in March 2024

This was one of the greatest Japanese experiences I have ever had. The staff went above and beyond, making us feel like family. The food was incredible and authentic. I tried foods I had never had before and was so impressed. The ryokan experience is something EVERYONE should experience and to be so lucky to experience the Ohanabo ryokan, onsen, dinner and breakfast, yukata dress wear, and the generosity and kindness of the staff. Truly an unforgettable experience.

Stayed in April 2024

Everything was perfect !!! Especially the front dest staff made it memorable by recommending us to the best local places to eat and see. Sushiwaa was the best. Arigato !!

Stayed in February 2024

Nothing.

Beautiful ryokan with all the facilities that you could need, including the Japanese baths. Breakfast was amazing, very nice and fresh food and everyday was different. The rooms are not massive but big enough, very comfortable. Very good location, less than 10 minutes walking from the train station and loads of buses on the same road. The Staff cannot do enough for you, service is excellent and very friendly. We did not want to leave. With no doubt we recommend it and we will come back.

Stayed in March 2024

None. And not that I didn't like it but a family room with 2 bedrooms or just a division would have been perfect. But of course, we realize it's a very old building and it is what it is. I'm just happy they were able to accommodate the 4 of us so we could experience a ryokan. We all slept very well! The staff are just so helpful and attentive!

Everything! Cleanliness is very important for me. I notice corners and counters and under chairs and if bathroom/toilet is clean or not. Never mind if place is old, as long as it's clean. And this place is obviously kept very clean. The A/C, another very important amenity that matters to post-menopausal women, worked well and I liked that we could control the temperature in the room ourselves. The age of the facility also gives it character. It feels like a real traditional Japanese inn! I love the simple yet tasteful decor. Also, other little details like the well-chosen toiletries mattered to me. I loved the delicate fragrance of the body soap and shampoo! And I can't say enough about the breakfast and dinner. So intricately prepared and beautifully laid out that it wowed us! Everyone served with a smile, especially Satoku-san annd Ayako-san, and, when we asked, patiently explained what the dishes were. Every little dish was exceptionally delicious, as well! On our last day, we were esp in a hurry to get to Kyoto station to catch our train to the airport. We didn't realize theres a super long line to claim paper tickets for our on-line reserved seats. So while I lined up to get the tickets, my son hurried back to the ryokan to fetch his brother and father and call a taxi. My son said Ayako-san happened to be leaving also and when he asked if she can help us call a taxi, she offered to drive them to the station herself! That's really going above and beyond what we expect from them! My son was just so amazed by her kindness and hospitality!

Stayed in March 2024

We loved the hospitality from the staff. The onsen was nice and our Kaiseki dinner was beautifully prepared. It’s a short walk from Kyoto station but has a quiet feel to it despite its location.

Stayed in April 2024

Close to the train station, amazing staff that really know how to take care of their guests! Highly recommend adding the traditional Japanese breakfast, one of the best meals I had in Japan. Staff also provided great itineraries to see the top sites in Kyoto with the limited time we had there (1 day!)

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing

Manager and owner was fantastically kind and helpful.

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing

Wonderfully welcoming ryokan. Traditional and warm and incredibly friendly. Location is great right by a beautiful shrine and also walking distance to the Kyoto main station. The owner really made this magical though. She taught our kids to do origami (not one session but multiple). She personally cooked us dinner one night. She even drove us to her favorite temple after dinner because there was a special light show and she didn’t want us to miss it. She personally guided us around the shrine. Her joy was contagious. We’ll never forget this wonderful stay.

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing

Nice traditional Ryokan with great staff, more than happy to take photos of us in the traditional gowns and made us comfortable. Breakfast was awesome.

Stayed in March 2024

Nothing

Cleanliness, extremely friendly staff. They make you feel very comfortable and welcome here. They pay attention to every detail and bring accomodation based on your activity ex: I brought a nice bottle of sake back into the Inn and they saw it and gave me assorted Japanese pickles and appetizer delivered to my room free of charge! My attendant Keuji (I hope I got his name right) was extremely nice and went above and beyong to make my stay very comfortable.

Stayed in March 2024

The bathroom in the bedroom was a tad bit tiny, but it isn't a big issue as we mostly used the ryokan for washing ourselves. Maybe the bathroom in another type of room might be bigger.

First, the ryokan is in a great location, it is about a five minute walk from Kyoto Station and visible from the main street right away. When we checked in we were greeted very kindly and everything was explained to us in English. We asked if we could leave our bags before we could check in and theynot only let us do so but when we came later in the day they had already moved all of our luggage into our room. We made a reservation with the kaiseki dinner and the breakfast. The kaiseki dinner was served in our room and it was amazing. They bring in each course of the dinner and explain what it is. Everything tasted amazing. The onsen in the ryokan is also very clean, albeit it was a little smaller than I expected. This wasn't a big issue though as not many people were using the onsen at the same time, but it seemed like the onsen wouldn't be able to fit more than 6 people at a time. I only ran into one other group in the onsen during my stay, which I was surprised about as the next day in the food hall I saw that there were several groups staying in the ryokan. Breakfast is served in the food hall and it is also amazing. The room itself was quite spacious. The room we booked had a community space which was spacious and then a separate bedroom. The beds were very comfortable and everything was very neat and clean. I will definitely stay here again the next time I consider staying at a ryokan. Definitely recommend getting the kaiseki dinner and breakfast if you are going to stay at Ohanabo!

Stayed in March 2024

Could have had a hair dryer in the public bath area instead of having to walk back to the room with wet hair.

Very friendly staff with various thoughtful gestures. They even loaned us umbrellas to use for the day even after we have checked out. Room is clean and cozy, even though we are next to the street, it was not noisy and we have gotten a good night's rest.

Stayed in February 2024

My room's shower was outside the room in a separate private room (no big deal as I preferred to use the traditional common bath, which I had all to myself); I don't think they had a common lounge space

Great staff, very responsive; has a nice (little but adequate) common bath area; good dining rooms; excellent location very close to Kyoto Station - well connected to the whole city; room is well heated and big

Stayed in March 2024

Everything was great. There was nothing we didn't like.

The staff was always friendly and welcoming, and they went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. The room was comfortable and had everything we could need. The breakfast was delicious, and the hotel itself was beautiful. We would definitely recommend this hotel to others, and we would stay here again ourselves.

Stayed in February 2024