Ebisu Ryokan

The reason why we decided to book this type of accommodation was to experience the "traditional Japan". Bad choice. The room we were given (201, second floor) and bathroom were filthy: hairs, mould, dirt, urine, stains, dust. Pictures attached. You cannot photograph the smell. It was well below the expected standards of cleanliness. We could not switch the A/C or heating on because the filters have probably never been changed. We paid for 5 nights but left after the first one. We contacted the owner/manager on Whatsapp and he never apologised, never acknowledged us, never replied to our request of refund for the remaining nights. Disappointing. And disgusting. Unprofessional.

Ebisu Ryokan has great proximity to Kyoto station, stores, and eateries. The staff was polite and friendly, and the pricing was reasonable. We love the idea of staying at a ryokan so that we can emerge ourselves into Japanese culture. Through the sliding door, we found a replica of the old Japanese inn and even yukata for guests to wear. Nevertheless, immediately we found dust accumulating on the old tv set and the AC. The spare pillow and seating cushions have stain marks on them. The tiny gap in between the toilet seat was dirty and the bathroom smells damp and musty. The handwashing bottle was empty. Not something we expected from a Japanese guest house.

Fairly easy to find less than 5 mins walk from the back of Kyoto station. Great welcome from Jacob. Small issue was despite what it says on *********** they dont take credit cards. No issue for us as regular visitors to Japan we carry enough cash. Room was cosy and clean, TV, fridge, coffee maker. Toilet and shower ensuite. We had another small issue with the shower. The basin and shower share a common tap, turning off tge tap you can turn to far and turn on the shower, which my wife did. Sadly i left shower pointing out meaning she got sprayed. There is a sento just around the corner if you fancy a bath. The location is great for the station, but wrong side for most of the tourist sights. The hotel has bikes for guest use, which used to be the way to see Kyoto, sadly tgese days bike parking us so restricted i wouldn't bother. No breakfast avaikable, but nom nom, just 2 doors up should get you started in the morning.