Hotel Matsui (Ryokan)

Outstanding Ryokan to experience Kyoto

Both my wife and I stayed at Matsui Ryokan for five nights during a recent Kyoto, Japan vacation. The hotel is centrally located and conveinient for sightseeing. The staff was both friendly and gracious, going out of their way to provide excellent service. Our room was a traditional Japanese room (i.e. tatami flooring, futon bedding); however the bath was Western. both were clean and well-maintained. Highly recomended!

Traveler's tip on local attractions

If you desire to visit the Imperial Palace (within 2km of the hotel), you have to make a reservation and request access/English guided tour the day prior to your intended visit. Don’t forget your passport.

A Ryokan-Style Hotel Worth Trying

My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Matsui Ryokan-Style hotel for 1 night in April 2009. During the rest of our time in Kyoto, we stayed at a nice western style hotel, but decided to try the Ryokan experience for one night. We were glad we did. Staying in the traditional tatami mat room and sleeping on the futon on the floor was an interesting traditional Japanese experience. Sleeping on the futon was OK--not uncomfortable, but certainly as comfortable as most western beds--but again, it was fine. Also, because this was a Ryokan style hotel, as opposed to a full-on traditional Ryokan, the Ryokan experience really started at the door to the room as opposed to the door to the hotel, which was optimal for us. We didn’t want to have to take our shoes off just to walk into the hotel and we sure didn’t want to use a giant shared bath area. Our room had its own bathroom. However, our only complaint was that it was tiny. The faucet for the shower was literally the same as the faucet for the sink, so you had to move a lever to change whether water comes out in the sink or the shower. The room was clean and the staff was OK. The front desk people spoke good English and were very helpful, but the maid they had show us our room and try to explain everything in the room didn’t speak a lick of English. Anyhow, we’re not jumping up and down about the hotel, but overall we had a good experience and are glad we tried it for that night.

Traveler's tip

Location wise, the Hotel Matsui was in a good location on a small street near the Kawaramachi and Shijo shopping areas (about a 10-minute walk to either street). However, since it is on a small street in a grid of small streets, make sure you memorize the cross-streets, as some cab drivers might not know where it is.

Authentic traditional Japanese Inn

The staff was very friendly and spoke reasonable English. The room was charming. The en suite bathroom was older and very small, but the communal bath was large and beautiful. Traditional Japanese breakfast was served in the room and was delicious and beautifully presented. Overall, a very comfortable, welcoming Ryokan.