Everything I said about Hiiragiya goes here. We found it ironic that these Japanese icons are literally across the street from one another. Even though it had been a week I felt like we were committing some weird kind of ryokan adultery when we arrived at Tawaraya. Is it true that opposing samurai clans started a rivalry between these establishments... more

Staying in Tawaraya was a truly unique experience. It was our first stay in a ryokan and we were extremely impressed by the Japanese hospitality that the people at Tawaraya showed to their guests. They spoke mostly in Japanese with single word of English here and there. Together with a lot of hand movements and they expected you to understand.... more

Not what I had expected although I went to a Ryokan before. I came with my two sons and husband, we had 2 separate rooms first and then the big suite. It is extremely expensive 2400$ for one night including breakfast and dinner. We enjoy the dinner which had about 9 courses. A lot of unsual ingredients to our western... more

Perhaps to my discredit, when I first arrived at this ryokan I was not bowled over. However, similar to what many say about Kyoto, the closer I looked, the more time I spent there, I began to recognize unique charm, elegance and timeless sophistication. Also, my husband and I had the best night's sleep in recent memory. This is truly... more

We have just moved on from the Tawara-ya Ryokan after a two day stay. I have nothing but praise for this place. The service is impeccable and this ryokan provides the guest with a traditional experience with a modern twist. Whist it is more pricey than some of the hotels and other ryokans in Kyoto, we stayed as part of... more

We stayed 1 night @ Tawaraya. This is very serene, peaceful place. Staying @ the Tawaray was an Experience. Our room had a little garden which was so beautiful. The bath was amazing. The service was so good, it was borderline uncomfortable. I'm glad we had this special experience. more

We were assigned one of their biggest rooms on the ground floor with its famed bathroom overlooking a small garden tirelessly photographed by the media worldwide. Stepping into Tawaraya lives up to its tradition and reputation for providing understated luxury that only true Japanese hoteliers steeped in centuries of service knows how. The room was decorated with old/antique scrolls and... more

We stayed here many years ago for several nights and had an incredible experience...the food, service and surrounding were outstanding. We have travelled around the world and stayed at great hotels - Savoy in London, Orient in Bangkok, Banff Springs Hotel and many others but our stay at the Tawaraya was certainly the highlight of our travels to date. more

This is a very special place. Staying here is an experience. We only stayed one night (at $400 per person, that's all we could afford!). Is it worth the money? Hard to say because we are not the type to spend $800/night on a room. Also, I have stayed in other ryokan with better views and a better bath. But... more