Finding an ideal family-friendly ryokan in Kyoto does not have to be difficult. Welcome to Matsubaya Inn, a nice option for travelers like you.
As your “home away from home,” the ryokan rooms offer a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a refrigerator, and getting online is easy, with free wifi available.
Guests have access to baggage storage while staying at Matsubaya Inn. And, as an added convenience, there is street parking available to guests.
Nearby landmarks such as Kyoto Station Building (0.4 mi) and Tofuku-ji Temple (1.3 mi) make Matsubaya Inn a great place to stay when visiting Kyoto.
Travelers looking to enjoy some lobster can head to Misono Kyoto. Otherwise, you may want to check out a Thai restaurant such as Nettai Shokudo, Shijo Kawaramachi, Esan, or Baan Thai.
If you are interested in exploring Kyoto, check out one of the gardens, such as Kyoto Botanical Garden, Nanzen-ji Temple, and Shosei-en Garden.
Matsubaya Inn puts the best of Kyoto at your fingertips, making your stay both relaxing and enjoyable.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Really enjoyed staying there, they upgraded our room for free when we arrived because there was only one other couple staying there. We were able to drop off our bags at 7am without any problems. We were greeted nicely by the people who worked there. The futons were incredibly comfortable, the matcha tea was delicious and their Japanese breakfast was delightful. Definitely recommend this place to anyone staying in Kyoto.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from matsubaya, マネージャー at Matsubaya Ryokan
Responded Mar 27, 2020
We thank you very much for your stay with us and would like to express our great thanks to you for choosing us from many hotels in Kyoto and writing your comment. We are so delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time at Matsubaya Ryokan. We are all waiting for your visit and are looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you so much again and Best regards, Matsubaya Ryokan
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stayed at this Ryokan whilst visiting Kyoto and found it to be very well located for exploring all that was offer. The room was well appointed and comfortable with the shared bathroom immaculately clean. The staff were also delightful and extremely accommodating. I therefore highly recommend this Inn as place to stay for those visiting Kyoto for the first time.
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Date of stay: September 2024
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Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Great location, nice, friendly. The rooms are small but very nice and clean. The Japanese breakfast is very good (the Western style is more OK). What's really great is that the accommodation is right next to one of the most beautiful temples and only a few minutes from the train station. Highly recommended accommodation!
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Date of stay: July 2023
Value
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were impressed by the interior design of the ryokan for sure. The staff there are nice and helpful. However, our sleep was rudely disrupted because the kids staying on the rooms above us were running around and it sounded very loud in our rooms. I guess this is a structural issue, perhaps ask for a room in the higher level or hope you have less noisy neighbours.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Get rooms on the higher floors ? But theres no lift if you have very heavy luggages
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I spent 2 nights on Ryokan Matsubaya on early February. We really appreciated our stay on this traditianal ryokan, only 8 minutes from Kyoto Station by foot and 20 minutes far from Gui-on. So kind people ! So enthusiastic and welcoming ! Don't hesitate.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from matsubaya, マネージャー at Matsubaya Ryokan
Responded Feb 11, 2020
We thank you very much for your stay with us and would like to express our great thanks to you for choosing us from many hotels in Kyoto and writing your comment. We are so delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time at Matsubaya Ryokan. We are all waiting for your visit and are looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you so much again and Best regards, Matsubaya Ryokan
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lovely, simple, traditional-style Japanese house in a perfect location. Exceeded expectations - everything was old fashioned style, but in great condition, and the inn was a walkable to all the great sites in north-east central Kyoto. Would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
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Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:You have to pick up a key from near the bus/train station before heading to the address.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
For my first visite in Japan , it was a very Good expérience of the Japanese way of life. Well situated and all the persons are vers gentle. Room are clean . Thanks a lot for this stay which was great !! If possible I will be vers happy to come back here for an another trip.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We chose this ryokan based on the rave review in Frommers, and came away somewhat disappointed.
The "friendly and irrepressibly energetic" Mrs Hayashi started amiably enough, but then went on to channel that irrepressible energy in a rather negative manner. Not realising she got our reservation dates wrong, she had put us in a more expensive room for an additional (unwanted) night. When we pointed this out, she started yelling (yes, yelling!) at us thinking we were asking for a discount. No amount of attempted explanation would calm her down, nor did the copy of the fax confirming our arrival and departure dates.
Things came to a head when she flung two 10,000 yen notes at us and said, "no stay, no stay" knowing full well that just about everywhere else in Kyoto was fully booked by then.
We're indeed fortunate that she then decided to refer to her notes and my fax one more time, realised her mistake and wrote down the right amount with a sheepish look on her face.
To her credit, she rose to the occasion for the rest of our stay, being as nice as the guidebook made her out to be. She even presented my wife and I with a nice farewell gift each when we left.
Or does everyone else get one too? It would be nice to find out!
As for the ryokan itself, it's comfortable enough, though it shows its age. We never got to see the higher-priced rooms, so I can't comment on them. But I do believe there are other places in the area offering as much for less. If we ever go back to Kyoto, I'll be looking elsewhere to stay.
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Date of stay: March 2005
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were beyond disappointed by our stay at Matsubaya. Having stayed in many ryokans prior to this, some more expensive, some less, there is a certain charm and standard that we came to expect from the experience that makes it worth the price. We chose Matsubaya based on the reviews on booking.com (but have since learned they block reviews by anyone who complains), but I think these are left by many folks who have never satyed in a real ryokan before and thus do not have anything to compare to. This ryokan charges more than double the price of a nice hotel in the same area, yet does not deliver on the ryokan experience. The staff were friendly and the room was old but fine, but the building has recently been renovated and now feels equivalent to staying in a cheap Days Inn or other similar American Motel - long, cold cement hallways with rooms opening out to the open air. A motel reception desk where shoes remain on, tea is not offered, and staff quickly ushered us to our room. We were on the 4th floor, and also shown a room on the 2nd floor, and were surprised to be led down this cold and completely uncharming hallway to the doors. When we asked about the onsen, we were told it was too cold to use it. The pictures on booking.com or the ryokan website do not show this aspect whatsoever, only a nice courtyard and beautiful interior, but for most of the rooms you will never see this part of the ryokan. We actually asked to be refunded once we saw what it really looked like, but were denied based on their no refund policy. So unfortunately, instead, we are writing review to warn others that this is definitely not worth the money and will in no way offer the experience of a true Japanese ryokan. The owners should call this a motel and be honest about what it looks like.
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Date of stay: December 2017
Value
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Do not stay here. Choose another ryokan. But if you go, request the first floor with courtyard view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are several serious problems with this place and frankly I don't understand the large number of positive reviews. 1) The room is quite small with no place to put clothes, hangers or draws. 2) The bath tub is so small I could not even sit in it without getting into a very uncomfortable position and I am not that large. 3) The window screens let in a great deal of light starting at 4:30 AM which interfered with my sleeping. On the positive side the staff were very helpful and polite.
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Date of stay: May 2015
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Kyoto area.
PRICE RANGE
$109 - $144 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
matsubaya hotel kyoto
LOCATION
JapanKinkiKyoto PrefectureKyotoShimogyo-ku / Kyoto Station
NUMBER OF ROOMS
32
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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