Bar (on property)

Reviews of Ryokan Sumiya Kihoan

3.5 out of 5
Ryokan Sumiya Kihoan
Yunohana Onsen Kameoka, Kameoka, Kyoto-fu

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 97 out of 143 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 38 out of 143 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 143 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 143 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 143 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

9.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Richie, NORTH HOLLYWOOD

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

6/10 Okay

Wei Liang, Rockville

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Traveled with partner
Absolutely wonderful!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An absolutely refreshing getaway from busier city centres to relax. Everyone was polite and service was exceptional. As a foreign visitor they did their best to facilitate their service in English. Breakfast was included - both I had were different and traditional (visitors should do their research on traditional Japanese breakfast). Their supper was presented beautifully and was excellent and refreshing. Be sure to call in advance for shuttle pick up from Kameoka station. The shuttle is scheduled and is spaced an hour apart. Departing shutting from the ryokan starts at 0900 for any visitors planning their next day’s travel; takes approximately 30 minutes to get to Kameoka station. Highly recommend, would come again in the future for some much needed relaxation.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing! Very refreshing!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly appreciate the excellent and delicate seasonal and local dishes in both breakfast and dinner, beautiful environment during the maple season
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing side-trip away from the rush
This is a fabulous place, and the service is amazing. Well worth it as a relaxing side-trip if you're traveling to Kyoto or the surrounding area. The grounds, baths, and rooms are beautifully kept and very clean. The private outdoor onsen is well worth reserving, and gorgeous in the evening/night hours. Quick FYI in case you're unprepared: this is a traditional-style bath house, with separate public baths for men and women; i.e. no swimsuits or clothes allowed in the baths.There is also a shuttle that makes limited trips to/from Kameoka Station and Ryokan Sumiya, and can save you a good bit of taxi fare if your timing works out.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

STEFAN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Staff were very friendly and understanding if you needed to ask about anything, the location is a dream,
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What an awesome place! Stayed there at the recommendation of a Japanese friend. It's great to experience a traditional Japanese hotel for a few days. You sleep on the mats in your room, and you can order a dinner to be served in the room. The food is excellent, try their traditional multi-course dinner, it's a bit expensive but totally worth it! It looks like the most of the guests are Japanese, but stuff goes out of their way to make foreign visitors welcome. Most of them speak decent English. Also, try the onsen - the experience sounds a bit weird at first, but it's really amazing! It turns out that John Lennon and Yoko Ono visited this place in 1977, if you ask, they will show you their autograph.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Joshua

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Rejuvenation for the rest of our trip
Loved our stay at this Ryokan! The service was amazing as expected. If you love nature and want to get away from the buzz of the city, you’ll love it too! They have a shuttle you can take instead of the bus from Kameoka station.
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The ryokan is located next to the car road in the middle of country field. Its good that they have shuttle bus from kameoka station. We made reservation for 1night and paid extra $32 for using private open air bath for 45min(usually other ryokans offer it for free). Private bath was very dark and far...not very clean...and seemed insecure and we had to leave after 20min. Sumiya Kihoan was very different from other ryokans making us pay for even WATER bottles and all the minibar drinks. no complimentary drinks in the room. i recommend to buy water bottles when you arrive at the train station before taking the shuttle bus. bc there is nothing near this ryokan. i feel sorry to the staffs but kaiseki food is really bad. fish is dry and sashimi is not fresh. only! steak is good (paid extra for steak). Also if you bring wine bottle and drink during in room dining, they also ask you for ridiculous corkage cover charge. Theres a reason for cheap room price. they will make you pay extra for many things.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We enjoyed very personalised service from the time we boarded the hotel shuttle bus to the time we left on the same shuttle bus. The hotel staff ensured we were taken care of every time we interacted with them. We loved the private Onsen experience even though it was somewhat mysterious/ scary to be bathing in near darkness. Meal times were especially delightful. Our waiters and waitresses were all highly professional, engendering mutual respect and kindness for each other. Overall, we loved the stay as we did everywhere and every time we are in Kyoto.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very traditional Japanese furnishings in guest room. No chairs or sofa. Low table and sitting position on floor. Beds were flat cushions on the floor and if used to soft mattress it is an unpleasant experience. Dinner was outstanding and so was breakfast but very pricy as no other restaurants nearby for options. Would stay again for the service and experience.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Chelsea, SG

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice Ryokan with friendly staff
Took the complimentary shuttle bus from JR Kamaeoka station provided by the Ryokan. Upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed by someone who personally attended to me and brought me to my room. I selected the room package that came with dinner as well as breakfast and they were all served in-room. Food was really good and fresh and again I was being attended to during the meals. The ryokan also had an outdoor and indoor onsen and although it wasnt very big but it was good enough as the ryokan doesnt accomodate many rooms as well hence there wasnt any crowd for the onsen. Overall, i had a good stay and I believe its a must-go if visiting Kyoto.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

bethany , vancouver, bc

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful ryokan with amazing staff and service.
I loved everything about this ryokan. The staff were all amazing polite, the onsen was clean and comfortable, and the rooms were spacious and clean. I would recommend this place to anyone!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One of the best onsen hotel that we have ever stayed in Japan. I would recommend everyone to stay at least one night of accommodation in onsen hotel such as Sumiya Rokyan to experience Japanese onsen and the traditional Kaiseki dinner. Value for money!
Stayed 1 night in May 2017

10/10 Excellent

Shun Yan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unforgettable experience
amazing experience - friendly staff, the place is super comfortable. the secret onsen and the food were nice - worth a try.

6/10 Okay

Lo Mei, Asia

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not value for money
Paid a fortune but got only dinner with seasonal vegetables. Onsens very small and not well equipped. Strange that no drinking water was provided in the changing room. Just small towels provided in the onsen, and you will be charged if you need additional bath towels ! Service not on par with general Japanese onsen standard.

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxation destination

10/10 Excellent

irene

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing experience, felt fully relaxed and pampered.

10/10 Excellent

tammy, singapore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great service , not too far from city , easy to access

10/10 Excellent

Hong, Gillette, NJ

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Delightful experience
Great onsen experience and room service. Exceeded our expectations.

10/10 Excellent

Michael, Los Angeles, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It was a great experience
I've stayed at another Ryokan in Nikko that was THE BEST experience, but I could say this is almost just as great and easier to get to. I went with my girlfriend and stayed for two days. We hit the onsen each day, had kaiseki, breakfast, and also the private onsen. I would say that is a MUST do at this place and do it during sunset. you won't see the sunset, but you'll see the nature in both light and dark. The food was authentic and delicious, the onsens were not the biggest, but nice, and everyone working there was VERY nice. I'd go again for sure.

10/10 Excellent

James, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great authentic experience of Japan
The onsen was great, I wish I could go back tomorrow, for a japanese room it was huge and had plenty of great features, which really let me heal after the last couple of days of walking across tokyo for 8 hours at a time. Everything was very organized and there were set times for dinner and breakfast. the breakfast was insane, just great food after great food. I spent my night hiking around the town of Kameoka and it was all very gorgeous and I took a ton of photos. The shuttle was very convenient and was pleasant too and from the train station.
Table and TV
Heated table
with the futon made up
Outside of the building

10/10 Excellent

BENNY, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent ryokan fantastic private outdoor onsen
Great service for an excellent couples retreat

10/10 Excellent

Achim Christopher, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Japan Experience
The Ryokan is a cozy retreat, with very comfortable rooms, a nice onsen and especially attentive staff. We arrived later than planned, so the dinner time was over. We were served in our room a more than satisfing choice of small dishes by the very friendly and polite staff. This made the first impression exceptionally nice. The area around is not too much to explore, so just enjoy the hotel itself, the privat onsen for example.

8/10 Good

Fred, San Diego

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great experience
It's awesome to experience this Japanese traditional hotel in a small town outside Kyoto. Excellent personal service from the start all the way to the end of our stay. Very good food but just few options. Be aware of the very limited hotel shuttle times. First one at 9am going out and about 5:50 pm coming in to hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Kira, Portland, OR

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great for a traditional experience
For two Americans looking for a traditional Japanese experience, this hotel was outstanding!! The onsen (communal hot spring bath) was fabulous, the room large and comfortable, and the staff attentive and helpful. They spoke some English (though speaking more Japanese would give you a better experience here) and were kind. The only difficult thing was that the hotel is a bit remote, and the shuttle bus leaves at specific times only (you must come back to the hotel no later than 5:50pm,) so we took a city bus back from Kameoka Station, which ran til 8pm and cost about $4. Breakfast is awesome, I highly recommend the traditional Japanese breakfast. Dinner was overpriced ($50/pp!?!?) and not outstanding.

10/10 Excellent

Kelvin, Sarasota, FL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Experiencing Japan
The hotel is a traditional ryokan and the facilities were wonderful with private rooms, a beautiful lounge area and a fantastic restaurant. The shuttle to and from the local railway station was excellent. By far the best part of the hotel were the wonderful staff and the truly outstanding food - an experience to be remembered and cherished.

8/10 Good

Chloe, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely stay !
The staff were very lovely, polite and spoke very good English. They did everything to make my stay perfect. I had a bath in the "secret" private onsen which was amazing. It was nice to be secluded most of the time but if you get hungry or needed something, you couldn't go out and get anything nearby so its best for a couple of nights. Would love to go back if I go to Kyoto again!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful 60 year old charming ryokan.
We traveled with our twenty-something daughters for some quality time together. The ryokan was the highlight of our 10 day Kyoto/Tokyo trip by all accounts. Convenient to Kyoto from Kameoka station (hotel shuttle). We stayed in the spacious four futon tatami room with private bathroom. Staff is excellent and speak English. Amazing in-room generous authentic multi-course dinner. Two in party were vegetarian and two regular meals. Awesome Japanese breakfast as well- ours was in dining room. Reserved secret garden onsen for private use and also experienced the public onsen. Very clean. We enthusiastically recommend this ryokan. We wish we checked out the scenic train instead (need advance reservation) and stream rapids boat ride nearby. We can try that next time!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing typical riokan yet an hour away from Kyoto
I wanted a typical Japanese setting with hot springs and found this excellent one. Highly recommend

8/10 Good

Kelly, NYC

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful hospitality and beautiful onsen
We loved staying at the Ryokan and enjoyed the extremely wonderful hospitality. They went above and beyond to do everything to make our visit perfect. The onsen is a great place to relax and we enjoyed ending the day with the baths. On some nights there were other guests in the baths but often it was empty. Service was a bit off for dinner in the restaurant but we thought they might have just had a bad night. Hope to come back soon!

10/10 Excellent

Juliet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One of tge best hotels i have staied on
Great place, wondeful staff and outstanding room and food

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place to turn off your brain
Stayed for one night with a party of four. Ordered the Secret Open Air Onsen (private hot springs) for about $40 USD. Could not reserve the spa, even though we asked several months in advance. Pros - Friendly staff. - Free 30 minute shuttle bus to/from Kameoka station. - Delicious food (Bento Box and Tempura). - Relaxing atmosphere. - Room reasonably comfortable as it can get with futons on the floor. Cons - Food expensive. No other options for food in area. - Nothing in the area, although you are best spending the whole day in the ryokan relaxing. - Secret Open Air Onsen was a little dirty and had more bugs than I would have expected. A significant part of your time-limited paid experience will be spent trying to find it. - If they removed the television from the room, it would have made things significantly more authentic feeling. Overall pleasant, relaxing experience. It was very much needed after 6 days of exploring Tokyo on foot.

10/10 Excellent

James, Singapore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very good, worth staying
Very good. Feel like we are treated like a VIP. No wifi in the room. Opt for the japanese style dinner & breakfast. Not used to it. If you want to try the Secret Onsen, suggest book days or weeks before as we booked when we check-in and given time slot 10pm to 10:45pm and late at night is quite scary.

8/10 Good

TATT JIN, Malaysia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Ryokan Luxury
Staying at the Ryokan Sumiya Kihoan is truly a one of a kind experience for travellers. Though on the pricey side, I highly recommend a short stay for those looking for something different.

10/10 Excellent

Matt

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Traditional Japanese-style Ryokan
A must stay for the full Japanese experience. Wish I had time to stay longer, and will definitely book again. Beautiful traditional-style rooms and hot spring. Great service with authentic feel. Only negative is somewhat far from the city, but the hotel provides a shuttle back to the train station after checkout.

10/10 Excellent

Phooi Leng

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Sylvie, London, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful and peaceful place.
It was one of my best experience in Japan. Staffs make you feel very welcome and couldn't do anymore to please me. I stayed 2 nights, they made sure I had a different diner and breakfast each time. I highly recommend it. They put attention to each details, up to the moment the bus leaves to the station. What a great Japanese experience.

10/10 Excellent

Osvaldo, Mexico

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice traditional / Ryokan Japan style hotel
Nice traditional / Ryokan Japan style hotel. Nice Staff, very friendly.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quite Little Spa Feeling
I think this Ryokan is great if you are into the experience. My partner and I were not extremely into the traditional Japanese courses and the dining area was too cold for me. Everything else was flawless.

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey, Malaysia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful ryokan
We were very impressed with the pictures on the website and the Sumiya exceeded out expectations. Staff were warm and welcoming, the decor was elegant and rooms were especially spacious. Breakfast and dinner rocked! We enjoyed the the public onsen with outdoor tubs and the toiletries were scrumptious. We also booked the private onsen which was wonderful. We stayed here in between Kyoto, visiting Arashiyama en route to Nara. Of all the Ryokans we've been to on our Japan excursions thus far, this was the most comfortable and elegant so much so we didn't want to leave.