We loved our stay at Sparking Dolphins! It was our first time sleeping in a tatami room and we were overjoyed at the opportunity. The hotel owner was there to greet us and was extremely kind and helpful. He showed us to the room and explained Japanese customs around how to handle shoes and other belongings in a tatami room. It was a joy to see him each day and our attempts at conversing in Japanese were warmly received! He is a great guy and a great host.

Nothing - we really enjoyed our stay! We saw some reviews mention the entryway, but to us it just feels like entering someone's home.

The staff was exceptionally nice and helpful! They helped us bring our luggage to the room and even helped us ship it to our next destination. Any questions we had were easily answered by the extremely kind staff. It was really cool having a tatami mat experience while in Japan! The bedding was super warm and comfortable. Location was great too! We were 10 mins from Kyoto station and there were buses just 2 minutes away that would connect us to all the main tourist attractions. There was even a nice river walk lined with Sakura just 5 minutes down the road. Overall we are very happy with our stay and would definitely return!

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We liked the no-frills traditional tatami room with futon - it was perfect for us. The bathroom and toilet were comfortable and clean. The location whilst not in a lively area is pretty ok - 10mns by foot to main station, 5mns by foot to convenience store/bus/subway.

The entrance and common area (which seems to be not in use) is very messy and puzzling. As if the real entrance is somewhere else but we can never find it. Very strange in a Murakami-esque way. But the owner/manager (the only person we encountered during our whole stay there) is kind and discreet, and we ended up adding 2 days to our stay.

The host was very kind and hospitable. It was a bit messy at the entrance but the rooms were clean. I decided to stay here because I wanted to experience sleeping on tatami flooring and sleep on mattresses on the floor. It did not help my back, if you are okay with sleeping on a mattress on the floor then I recommend coming to this place if you are on a budget. The Inn also has a cute mascot that the host will show you if the pet is awake. It was a nice experience.

Good location. Large rooms with private bathroom. Enough space for suitcases outside of bedroom. Friendly staff, great photo upon arrival and given printout when checking out.

Check in was from 3pm, no one was there couldn't check in until later. Left bags inside and went exploring anyway. Rear elevator is 'outside' and freezing cold going up / down at night n icy breeze under door, covered with towel to stop draft. Air con not super warm, but warmed up over time.

Good location about a ten-minute walk from Kyoto Station. Room was clean, as was the private bathroom, and different because it had traditional floor mats and futons to sleep on. I found the futons comfortable to sleep on, but not everyone would. Seems like it used to be more of a hostel, since there was a big table that some groups used for eating, as well as a shared microwave and washing machine. And while there were no dolphins at Tabist Sparkling Dolphins Inn Kyoto, there are two turtles in the entrance room!

Nothing. It was a great location and a great deal for my two grown children and me. Not luxurious, but clean, quiet, and friendly, which is all we needed.

The owner/host is very kind and helpful, my daughter also was very taken with the Senegal Bush Baby which is the hotel's mascot. We also received a memento photograph of our stay. It's budget friendly but we enjoyed the tatami mats and futons.

Not quite as close to the main train station as it appears on Google maps, though only ~15 walk, at least with luggage and children.

Facilities and rooms were clean, change of towels available everyday. Staff and host were commendable and honest. They had found a sum of our money left in the room accidentally but they kept it and returned it to us when when we got back in the evening late. Host was courteous to prepare a stool for my mother to remove her shoes when we return from our site seeing every night.

None.

Everything in the room was sparkly clean and well-maintained. We enjoyed sleeping on the tatami floor. Owner could speak English.

There was no hand soap in the room. The owner was very strict about cleanliness and when to wear shoes, slippers, etc., which is good for keeping the hotel clean, but made it a bit stressful at times. The breakfast room could use a bit of tidying.

japanese ryokan/tatami experience on a budget! great value for the experience. The guy who managed the accommodation and apparently also lives below is very helpful.

Nothing significant in our stay. But I could picture some issues arising in the lobby if everyone checks in/checks out at the same time as it is just too tight. Fortunately for us we didn’t go through this.