Great location, nice authentic room, awesome staff and a good breakfast

Soundproofing is pretty bad - could hear everything from the adjacent room. Also, more of a note - there’s a lot of light from the dawn, as there are no blinds or curtains.

Traditional Japanese ryokans are more pricey than Western style hotels, but is definitely a must when visiting Japan. This Ryokan was listed in one of the recommendation blogs as one of the best in Kyoto. And it definitely did not disappointed. For all the stamp collectors - several available in reception to stamp in your notebook for memory. Room had everything traditional accommodation should have, cozy mattresses, tea and coffee maker, plenty storage space. For breakfast you can choose Japanese style of Western style and time slot when to have your breakfast. Both were great options. Location was really good as well - train station nearby, Higashi Hogan-ji Temple as well. Definitely recommend!

My husband and I absolutely loved this beautiful little ryokan, conveniently close to the train station and main attractions in Kyoto. The traditional daily Japanese breakfasts were delicious and generous, and the staff were incredibly lovely and attentive. The traditional rooms added to the authentic experience, and we enjoyed a private bath one evening for an hour. Renting e-bikes from a nearby store made exploring Kyoto even more fun. Highly recommend for an authentic stay in Kyoto!

The room was a little dated and could use a bit of a refresh, but it didn't detract much from our overall experience.

A great Ryokan experience in Kyoto. We were a family of three and opted for an accommodation with attached bath. Place for clean, sleeping arrangements were comfortable and staff was courteous! Loved the breakfast served and small gifts they gave us while leaving. They allowed us to store luggage upon early arrival and late departure. front-desk ensured we get into our Uber properly while leaving!

This place is bit of a walk from Kyoto station. Be aware of the fact if you are carrying lot of luggage, or kids. It can be challenging on a hot day. Any public transport is at least 10 min walk. Although there is always Uber!

If you’re looking for a traditional Japanese living experience, then Matsubaya Ryokan is for you. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We stayed in the garden room which had access to a small garden, which was well maintained and provided a tranquil environment to complement the room. We also booked a salt bath each night which is highly recommended. The Ryokan is close to Kyoto station and Higashi Hongan-ji temple. The rooms are small, so travelling light is essential, but highly recommended in the beautiful city of Kyoto.

A great place to experience traditional Japanese accommodation: ryokan. Sleeping on a tatami mattress was actually very comfortable. You even get a Japanese yukata to wear! Very friendly and helpful staff speaking good English. You can choose between a Japanese and a Western breakfast every day, which will be served to you at the chosen time in the lobby. For a small fee, you can enjoy a good, relaxing private bath.

The hotel is not so close to subway. The room space is quite limited and the breakfast choices are the same every day so I recommend for short stays.

This ryokan is walking distance from Kyoto station (< 15 min). The room is really large, which is a welcomed change if, like us, you've stayed at tiny Tokyo hotels beforehand. The room itself is charming, quiet, and relaxing, and the amenities (including the futon) are all and very comfy. The staff was absolutely lovely and very accommodating, and the breakfast was delicious.

The bathroom is quite old. Not in a 1600s traditional way, more in a... 1980s way. Everything worked just fine, so we weren't too bothered, but I didn't feel like the pictures were 100% representative of the actual bathroom. But again, not the end of the world!

This is a ryokan with history that has been modernised while staying true to the spirit of tradition. A nice experience. The location is great. Walkable from kyoto station and a short walk from the city bus station that will get you to most tourist sites that people come to kyoto for. The room has a kettle, a fridge and very clean bathrooms/ shower. There is green tea and cookies provided with a traditional tea set. Excellent if you are looking for a reasonably priced experience but just to be clear this is not a high end ryokan.

Nothing. The rooms may be considered small and run down by some but hey they rebuilt this 20 years ago with wood scavanged from the 130 year old ryokan that had stood before on the same site according to their website. But the rooms are clean.

Enjoyed the Japanese style set breakfast. We were there in November and the floor futons and down blankets were cozy. Ample storage space in our room, which is unusual for japan lodgings.. The staff and owners were extremely helpful and friendly. Close and walkable to Kyoto train station. Highly recommend the ryokan and would stay there again.

The onsite "onsen" is a small deep soak tub big enough for one person, or two small people. It's private, though, which is nice. The onsen is a separate Y1000 fee and needs to be reserved ahead of time. Be sure to tell them "not too hot" when they fill the tub. Mine was so scalding hot, I had to drain half the water and refill with cold before I could slip in.

I loved the comfort, cleanliness and welcoming atmosphere.

The ability of the reception staff to help with directions or queries. I have no problem if language is an issue but I think sometimes they pretended to understand when not. This resulted in me going to a train station with all my luggage to get a special train, only to discover it does indeed only operate on weekends, as I had thought. Not a huge thing but managing expectations would be useful and I would have trusted information on the internet better rather than my preference, which is local knowledge.