Traditional Room SYOEN, Twin Japanese Futons, With Garden, Shared bath, Pirvate toilet, Non Smoking | Garden view
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Reviews of Ryokan MOTONAGO

3.5 out of 5
Ryokan MOTONAGO
511 Washio-cho, Koudaijimichi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 106 out of 136 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 136 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 136 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 136 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 136 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Wayne

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall experience was great. Service was very good and staff were excellent. I did not think the quality of the dinner was great and the pillows were not very comfortable to me, but loved the experience other than that.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Nigel

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was very authentic, which is what we wanted
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Margaret

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff were very friendly and helpful. Breakfast and dinner were delicious, with very generous portions.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kelly

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A family reunion trip of 10 with 8 adult children and spouses. It was their first time to Japan and staying at Motonago couldn’t have been more perfect. Truly we felt treated by the staff, the location, the food, the authentic courtesies like we experienced the absolute best of traditional Japan. Several party members were moved to tears. Highly recommend staying here
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Motonago was the highlight of our time in Kyoto. Small, intimate ryokan located near major temples and shopping. The services was excellent, our room and property quiet, and the meals were delicious. The bath requires prior reservations, which the staff made easy, and it was delightful.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janet

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The ryokan was elegantly beautiful in its simplicity. The food was delicious and artfully arranged. The staff was helpful and very friendly. I would definitely recommend this place to others!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Adriana

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Our first time in Japan we wanted to try a ryokan and this one did not disappoint. the most fabulous thing about it was the thoroughly attentive and kind staff who went out of our way to make our stay comfortable and really treated us like royalty. They even held our bags all day.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wai

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very clean, service is on point, close to attractions, and comfy beds. Would def come back.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Traveled with group, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I'd never stayed at a traditional ryokan before, and this definitely exceeded my expectations! The multi-course dinner was beautifully presented and delicious (though it's a set menu with a lot of fish, so you might not enjoy it if you don't like fish or seafood). Breakfast was equally good. Both were served in a room with a view of a beautiful little Japanese garden. The room was very spacious - it was divided into three chambers (which was great because my husband and I were staying with a friend, and she moved her futon to the third chamber to avoid my husband's snoring, haha). There was also a space in the middle with a table where we were served tea when we first arrived. The bath was delightful as well - it's similar to a mini onsen, but you get your own personal time to soak in the hot bath after showing. The staff were all lovely and catered to our every need. I think we would have been able to manage without speaking Japanese, since everybody spoke some English, but my friend speaks Japanese pretty well, so she made it much easier. Overall it was a very cool stay and I'd highly recommend it!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
True Ryokan experience
Ryokan Motonago was a perfect place for us to spend our first night in Kyoto. Location is excellent in the Gion area,it’s a charming neighborhood of winding streets and shops. we could walk to the Yasaka Shrine and Kiyomizu Temple. We opted for the Kaiseki dinner and found it a great experience. We ate in our room sitting on the floor, and slept on futons they prepared after dinner. For bathing you make an appointment to use the communal bath. It’s a room with showers and a large tub- you clean off at the shower then can have a soak. It’s private to your party. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We took a taxi there from Kyoto station, which was good because not sure we would have found it on our own. In front are sliding wooden slotted doors and he had to show us we could just open them and go in. One night was perfect for us. We moved to a western style hotel for the rest of our stay
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dyson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was very cozy and the service was exceptional. I wasn't very familiar with Ryokan etiquette, but they were very helpful in answering my questions. The staff was also very accommodating! All in all a very neat experience. あらゆる点でこの場所をお勧めします 優れたサービス
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Dyllian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Ryokan Experience
This small Ryokan is located in the Gion area of Kyoto. Housed inside a very old wooden inn, a single host family runs the establishment. Check in opens kind of late, but the staff were nice enough to allow us to check in a few hours early to drop off our bags, made our trip so much easier. The location itself is a little difficult to find at first, but it is very centrally located within the Gion/neighboring districts with easy access to two of Kyoto's biggest temples. After a long day of exploring, we returned to the ryokan and were immediately greeted and taken care of by the wonderful staff. From the get go they were friendly and went out of their way to accommodate us in our room. The evening began with green tea and establishing a reservation for the private onsen downstairs. The room itself was spacious and filled with personality. From the artwork on the walls, to the meticulously arranged flower setting, to even the small origami left on our bed mats, every detail was exquisite. Although we did not opt for dinner, we did request the japanese breakfast option. All I can say is that it was spectacular. The hostess set the table and brought out a big spread of traditional food and even went as far as to help us with actual serving etiquete and the ideal combinations for plates. I would definitely reccomend purchasing the meals whenever possible. When we finally checked out, the staff helped us with our bags and even took our pictures outside. Wholeheartedly reccomend!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

A.Lee

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A great example of Japanese hospitality. We only stayed one night, but I felt spoiled from the time we arrived to when we left. The staff are all so courteous and try to fulfil your every wish. When we checked out, they called a taxi for us and wanted to take a picture of us in from of the ryokan before the taxi arrived. The staff will remain with you until the taxi arrives and even help you into the car! I can’t say enough great things about this experience. All the food is wonderful as well. If they give you a choice of continental breakfast or Japanese style, go Japanese, because why wouldn’t you!!!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Tracy

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The staff are super friendly. Wonderful traditional Japanese experience. You’ll have to reserve the onsen/shower room, but it’s worth it! Super relaxing!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our stay at Motonago was great, from the service to the food, we tried the breakfast, and the dinner, which is kaiseki style, and it was all amazing. It made our stay in Kyoto unforgettable.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ning

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Incredible ryokan experience in Kyoto! So close to Gion! Beautiful, hospitable hosts who went out of their way to make us feel welcome! Delicious breakfast. Private onsen was just amazing. Would definitely recommend!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Traditional Japanese style bath. Excellent hospitality $ service in traditional zjapanese manner.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Skippy, Sausalito

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely amazing authentic experience!
I was truly transported to a time of tradition and harmony. The location was spectacular - right in the historic part of town surrounded by heritage buildings, shrines and temples - all accessed by tiny windy streets and stairs. The inn (ryokan) itself was impeccably kept, and every last detail was considered, from the robe and slippers you where, to the traditional breakfast and dinner served in your room. Make SURE you book the bath house every morning and every evening - it was so relaxing and transformative - you could pay half the price of the room just for this experience elsewhere. Here it is included. The staff were attentive and considerate from the very first minute and throughout the stay. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Court, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This was a superb traditional experience for us - a highlight of our trip. We stayed one night and found the staff to be so helpful and considerate. The public bath can be booked so a couple can use it together, and we booked a traditional Japanese breakfast which was wonderful and served in our room. Definitely recommend this experience to couples or singles travelling to Kyoto to make the most of the Japanese hospitality away from the main tourist strips.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Phong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The best ryokan choice
The hotel was great in the sense of authenticity, service, attention to details and location. We do find Motonago as a good choice of location for whom wants to lnow more about Japanese culture. We are being well taken care by all the hotel staffs. We do enjoy the “private steam bath”
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

K, Los Angeles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great experience
My friends, my husband and I really enjoyed the one night we stayed at Motonago. The area is perfect to walk around and it’s beautiful day or night! The room was very comfortable and we regret not having dinner or at least breakfast with them. The get fully booked quickly so you should book the meal with your room. We loved the bath that the staff prepared for us! We will be back in our next Japan Trip!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice Japanese style hotel. Great location. Can enjoy walking on the empty street around Kiyomizu-dera in the morning brisk.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Dave

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing stay at Motonago
Overall an amazing stay at Motonago Rokyan. Impeccable services provided and very friendly staff. Made my stay an enjoyable and memorable. Ryokan at the Gion area which i consider a traditional location. Will go back again if I am in Kyoto. Only challenge is pulling luggage to the Ryokan on the narrow street.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Overpriced hostel
If you want to experience a ryokan, this one is over priced, and don't do it more than one night, though the location is really great. Ikea futons are more comfortable. When you arrived tired from a long trip, finding a room where there is just a small low table in the room and nowhere to lay down comfortably, this is not exactly ideal. They eventually prepare the bed later in the evening. Room for baths is great, but probably not ideal when you go during the summer and it's already really hot outside. You are not necessarily seeking a room at over 100 degrees F / 37 degrees C. If you are sensitive to outside noise and light in order to sleep, this place is also bot for you as the walls are really thin, and windows are not covered letting light come in. Staff is kind, but probably as all ryokans, you need to follow specific rules. Again, fun for one night but that would be it.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great service, charming traditional ryokan
Amazing service and beautiful traditional ryokan room. When we arrived, we received a quick tour of the hotel amenities (shared bath, bathrooms, and wash areas), and then went to our room (clean and comfortable), where we were served hot tea. The hot bath was the highlight of our trip - each guest can reserve 30 minutes in the hot bath room, which has showers, toiletries, and a medium sized wooden pool with hot water. So refreshing and relaxing to experience the day after we hiked Mount Fuji! Motonago is a bit of an older ryokan but the service was excellent and grounds were pristine. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for the traditional hotel experience while in Kyoto.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Allan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay!
Great experience. The location was excellent and it was fun being able to wander around after dinner when the crowds had gone. Staff were very helpful and made us feel welcome. The shared bathroom was great for a relaxing bath at the end of a long day. We were only able to book a small room which was fine as we were out all day. However if we were there for more than one night would have wanted a larger room.

10/10 Excellent

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Ryoken Experience
This was a great Ryoken experience. The staff was so helpful and amazing. When we arrived we realized we could have had meals as an add on that Hotels.com had not mentioned. The meals would have been nice--especially breakfast just to get the day started more easily. The area was a bit of a food desert as it took us a day to locate the good restaurants that were open past 7 pm. Be sure to reserve the bath and soak for a good long time AHHHHHH!!!

8/10 Good

Gavin, Copenhagen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic Ryokan ran by friendly people.
Located in the old town area of Kyoto and 10 mins walk into the busiest shopping/eating areas just over the river. Really authentic place ran by warm and friendly people. The rooms are as you'd expect in a Ryokan and the bathing rooms were as good as a spa we'd paid for a few days earlier, really nice. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

10/10 Excellent

Susanne, Atlanta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly traditional Japanese inn
Great soaking tub, delicious Japanese breakfast, fabulous location.
Soaking tub and showers

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hidden gem in Gion District
Friendly staff, great location, comfortable. A bit pricey, but very worth it if you are looking to get the Japanese ryokan experience.

10/10 Excellent

Keri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel with friendly staff
Great little hotel with amazing staff. Very traditional Japanese which is great fun to experience. The stay was made by the staff, very friendly, always available to help and genuinely wanted to make us have the best stay. Highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Kyoto.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, authentic
The ryokan is beautiful, the staff is wonderful, the meals are great, the hot baths are great, and the essential modern conveniences are available (wifi, phones, AC). The room was very comfortable, but as the ryokan is traditional guests are required to use futons and low tables- so it's not for everyone. I would love to go back again....

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A lifetime experience!
We were amazed with the location of this Ryokan, it makes you feel like you are a part of history! We were welcomed like family when we dropped off our bags. The host even volunteered a map to us with recommended walking routes through the old city of Kyoto until check-in time. When we came back to officially check in, a different host gave us a very friendly tour of the house (garden, baths, toilets, sink areas). She then showed us our BEAUTIFUL room, made us some green tea, served us a traditional green tea candy, explained how to wear our Kimonas for dinner, and reviewed our booking plans (dinner time, night and morning Onsen times, and checkout time). The baths are traditional "Onsen" in which you shower on a stool before entering the wooden bath for soaking and relaxing . You can book the Onsen privately or as a couple's experience. During times that are not reserved, you may use them, but you may have to share the room at that time. We had no issues with booking these baths and in general, had most of the upstairs to ourselves, so it did not feel like a shared experience when we needed to use the bathroom/brush our teeth. Dinner was AMAZING! After dinner, we had time to take another walk suggested by the host before our reserved Onsen. Everything was amazing, and the people treated us like family!

10/10 Excellent

Rachel

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

10/10 Excellent

Jun, Seoul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best ryokan stay
Absolutely the best authentic Japanese ryokan stay you can have. Top quality service.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Remarkable experience
On first impression, the ryokan seemed a little old. As time went on, we grew to love our stay at Motonago. We learned to enjoy the little things. The onsen bath and high level of service made the experience truly unique. The neighborhood is culturally remarkable and enjoyed walking around soaking it all in. We only ordered the breakfast at the ryokan, but wished we ordered the dinner as well. Everything was excellent and it was one of the highlights of our trip.

10/10 Excellent

Michael, Cary, NC

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
FANTASTIC experience at Motonago
Motonago was perfect in every way. It was probably the most memorable 'hotel' I've ever stayed in....a true Japanese experience. The staff were EXCEPTIONAL. They were super friendly and helpful. The location of the ryokan is perfect too situated close to many great places to eat and within quick walking distance of plenty of temples.

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca, Centennial, CO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Authentic Experience!!
One of the most memorable parts of our recent trip to Japan was staying at this Royokan. Definitely take part in the dinner (and come with an empty stomach!) and reserve private time in on of the public baths. We stayed in some top western style hotels during our trip, but none as memorable as this.

10/10 Excellent

Monica, LA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Night in Kyoto
We felt so welcome and well taken care of Motonago. The staff was warm and inviting and the room was serene. Ours even had a tiny garden out a side door and the futon cushions on the tatami floor were snuggly and comfortable. The highlight by far was the bath. The moment we walked into the steamy room where a cedar tub was filled to the brim with hot water was nothing short of magical. The inn helpfully provides a booklet in the room on how to enjoy a Japanese bath. We were appreciative!

10/10 Excellent

Anita, Toronto

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great for Traditional Ryokan Experience in Kyoto
This was a gem of a Ryokan right in the heart of Kyoto close to the Gion and many temples and restaurants. We were treated warmly and the experience was one of a kind!

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Review
Positives - This ryokan has a great location but is badly let down by the bathing facilities. Negatives - These were not the quality we would have expected from a ryokan. Shared sinks in the corridor, and not toilet in the rooms. The baths themselves required booking for slots in the evening and were moldy in places, and the whole place could do with a big face lift.

10/10 Excellent

Polly Hui, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A highlight of our experience in Kyoto
Our stay at Motonago was a fantastic experience. The guide books describe the location of this ryokan as "couldn't be better" and it was no exaggeration. From the ryokan, it was only 3 minutes' walk to Yasaka Shrine and 15 minutes' walk to Kiyomizu dera. This Gion neighbourhood is characterised by beautifully preserved traditional houses (many ryokans and restaurants) and narrow lanes. By sheer luck, we arrived in the mid of Hanatouro, when the whole area - including Motonago and all the temples / shrines nearby - were lit up by lanterns at night. To top it up, the meals served in the ryokan was the best I've ever had in Japan. We stayed there for four nights, and we had kaiseki, shabu shabu and seafood hotpot - the quality of the food there definitely rivals any top-rated Japanese restaurants I had tried. Although some of the staff at the hotel only speak a little English, they were extremely helpful and attentive. Sometimes it feels a bit like we were staying with a very caring Japanese host family, nothing commercial at all. And it is lovely. The room we stayed in had a beautiful view of a pink cherry blossom tree (grown in the courtyard of a high-class traditional restaurant across the road) which just started to blossom upon our arrival! Some nights I would see from our window geishas walking out of the restaurant waiving their guests goodbye. I really wish we would have the chance to go back to Kyoto and stay in that room again.

8/10 Good

backspin, CA,usa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice getaway
overall it's worth $330 for our stay (for two ppl incl. breakfast and dinner). the bath was terrific and the staff were very courteous.

10/10 Excellent

rp, new york, ny

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great japanese experience
For an authentic Japanese experience, montonago did a great job. It was in a great location near many temples and historical landmarks.