Ratings based on 33 Verified Reviews
4.2 Room cleanliness
4.2 Service & staff
4.1 Room comfort
4.0 Hotel condition
Expedia Verified Reviews
by Michael
Posted Feb 20, 2017 on Hotels
Great service, loud at times during meal preparation
by A verified traveler from Australia
Nice Ryokan marred by current construction work
Posted Jan 26, 2017Stayed here for 2 nights
Staff very helpful and polite
Smoking being allowed in the hotel lobby and current construction work on the hotel wall detracted an otherwise nice ryokan
Our room window was taped over with opaque wrap and scaffolding covers the outside of the hotel
Also it's quite noisy during the day though that didn't really affect us as we were out most of the day
They have a public bathroom downstairs if you have a room without a private bathroom
Our private bathroom was quite small
Location of the hotel is fantastic as it's situated right in the district of Gion
Plenty of dining options nearby though we had a lot of problems finding a non smoking restaurant, so beware if you have young kids or respiratory issues
I would say wait until the construction work is completed before staying here
Recommended
for Everyoneby A verified traveler from Arlington, Virginia, USA
Amazing Value in Central Kyoto
Posted Jul 15, 2016
Pros: Location is superb, and it is a real value in Gion. Traditional Japanese beds and chairs, full onsen (hot springs bath).
Location: 300 meters from central Gion.
The Gion Shinmonso is an amazing value, a 5 minute walk from the central area of Gion just of Shijo Avenue, closer to the Kamo River but between it and the Yasaka Shrine. A very nice onsen (hot springs bath) to refresh one after a long day of sight-seeing!
Recommended
for Everyoneby A verified traveler from Sendai
Great service but I wish the futons were longer
Posted Mar 26, 2015This ryokan, in the heart of Giin, was an excellent one. The staff were all pleasant and polite, especially if you can speak some Japanese. The rooms were in excellent condition an, and while I personally wasn't able to eat their breakfast or dinner while I was there, they looked delicious. The internet they offered was respectable: not fast but not slow either. Finally, the sento they had on the first floor was excellent.
As for the traditional aesthetics, I think this ryokan did very well. All the staff were wearing very nice spring kimono, which were appropriate for the season. The rooms each had three ikebana: one under the shoe box at the entrance, one in the tokonoma, and one on a side table. Of course, they had a yukata for each guest available as well as towels for the sent. It was all very nice.
As far as complaints go, the only one I have is that the futons were a little short for me. Of course I'm a big American guy so I find it hard to fault them for that.
Recommended
for Everyoneby A verified traveler from Los Angeles, CA
Great location, traditional ryokan experience
Posted Feb 21, 2015
Pros: Great location, large traditional rooms, pleasant staff. The luggage carry service to/from the station was appreciated, as well.
Location: Gion/eastern Kyoto has just about everything: temples, nature walks, shopping, a huge range of restaurants, and very distinctive culture.
I was here in the middle of the week in January and had a great stay for a quite reasonable price. Very spacious room/suite, good climate control, absolutely no competition for space in the bath house, etc. I'm sure the crowding situation can be quite different during busy weekends and festivals, however. The ryokan is ideally located for sightseeing, shopping and nights out in eastern Kyoto.
by Suyi from Penang
Bedroom was slightly smelly
Posted Apr 27, 2014 on HotelsOverall, it was a good stay. But the bathroom had urine smell and walls were slightly stained. Possibly due to peak season and cleaning was compromised, but as we only stayed one night, we just soaked in the Japanese accommodation experience.
by A verified traveler
Good but expensive
Posted Jan 26, 2014 on HotelsIt was great place but quite pricey. Also, not very close from public transportation.
by Cycloman8888 from Melbourne
Traditional features, friendly and helpful service
Posted Jan 18, 2014 on HotelsLovely tatami room which was terrific accommodation for our family of two adults and two small children. We enjoyed the new and varied flavors of the traditional Japanese breakfast and the kaiseki banquet dinner, while the kids were well catered to with their breakfast too. Shinmonso was also well located, in the heart of the Gion district and within easy walking distance of the southern Higashiyama tourist attractions. One piece of advice for non-smokers would be to specify a non-smoking room. We hadn't thought to do this and needed to "upgrade" to this on arrival as our designated room was uninhabitable for our family, as we are sensitive to recent and old tobacco smells. The staff was very accommodating in this regard, and in all our interactions during our stay, despite variable English-speaking ability (and our woeful level of Japanese!).
Recommended
for Familiesby A verified traveler
Posted Dec 19, 2013
by David from Australia
Love this Place
Posted Aug 7, 2013 on HotelsVery comfortable room , wished we could stay much longer. Good breakfast.i would recommend this lovely place for a special time in Kyoto. Very interesting area.