Hiiragiya Ryokan

“Relax in Kyoto”

Service, comfort, food, sleep, tradition, history. Hiiragiya shines brightly in all five categories. Service was warm and friendly and seemed to flow naturally. Nothing felt forced; everything felt attentive and sincere. Comfort can be customized, from changing between traditional and we... more

Service, comfort, food, sleep, tradition, history. Hiiragiya shines brightly in all five categories. Service was warm and friendly and seemed to flow naturally. Nothing felt forced; everything felt attentive and sincere. Comfort can be customized, from changing between traditional and western furniture (at your request), to setting up everything just right to make the experience flow smoothly. Not only that, but you can reserve a bath on the main floor (if you want a bigger tub for soaking), and it is a wonderful experience that not only eases your aches and pains, but smells subtly delightful due to the natural woods used. Food was spectacular and local; I personally found the various grilled fish utterly mouthwatering (insofar as I began anticipating it with eagerness), but everything was well prepared and delicious. Sleep, and this is one thing that really elevated the entire experience far beyond expectations, was the most restful I've ever had. Both my partner and I generally snore when we sleep, and loudly, but here, for some reason, we did not have that problem at all. We both went traditional with futons and whatever the magical pillows were (and the super soft comforters), but we both slept fully through the night with no tossing and turning, and woke up happy and really refreshed. I cannot emphasize enough just how relaxing and reinvigorating a full night sleep was had. It was beautiful. Tradition and history are hallmarks of this place. From the noble prize winning authors, to famous notables in history, Hiiragiya has it in spades. Add to that the traditional inviting nature of a Ryokan, and you feel immersed in living history. If you need a place to truly relax and unwind in Kyoto, I strongly recommend this magical place.

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“A must”

Well, we somehow had to come back. This time we booked two rooms as my daughter was visiting Japan with us, celebrating her 30th anniversary . We stayed in rooms 31 & 34, both located on the ground floor. After 5 years we still enjoyed that magic atmosphere I did describe in my original 2015 rev... more

Well, we somehow had to come back. This time we booked two rooms as my daughter was visiting Japan with us, celebrating her 30th anniversary . We stayed in rooms 31 & 34, both located on the ground floor. After 5 years we still enjoyed that magic atmosphere I did describe in my original 2015 review. Top class, top service, top staff, top food. Shortly: a must.

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“True Japanese experience - loved it!”

We had gotten a tip from friends thatvhad stayed here some years back. So when planning our Japan-holiday and stay in Kyoto we were happy spending our last Night here. The building itself are amazing. The old history of the house and room were just wow. Also still loved all the modern amenities ... more

We had gotten a tip from friends thatvhad stayed here some years back. So when planning our Japan-holiday and stay in Kyoto we were happy spending our last Night here. The building itself are amazing. The old history of the house and room were just wow. Also still loved all the modern amenities in the room such as Japanese toilet, chatgers etc. The small bathroom felt like a mini-spa and the futons prepared for sleeping gave us the best sleep. We also had the set menu and japanese breakfast all prepared in the room. Quite the experience - will never regret - but it was sometimes challenging when it came to some of the dishes. But again; that’s all part of the experience. We loved the stay and the people working there was over the top superfriendly and service-minded. Wifi also…:) would def recommend for one Night of traditional Japanese living.

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“AMAN price, Fawlty Towers reality”

Poor value proposition. Way overpriced for over €1000 a night. The hotel interiors are indeed lovely but the management is humourless and strict, the service perfunctory and more out of convenience for the staff than the client. The food and service were below expectations and are below average, ... more

Poor value proposition. Way overpriced for over €1000 a night. The hotel interiors are indeed lovely but the management is humourless and strict, the service perfunctory and more out of convenience for the staff than the client. The food and service were below expectations and are below average, generally. The kind of over-"recommended" hotel that charges you triple just for the name and has gotten lazy therefore.

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