Hotel Ethnography - Gion Shinmonzen is situated in Gion, the most renowned geisha district in Japan, known for its rich Edo-period culture. The hotel offers modern comforts alongside traditional aesthetics. Guests can expect a welcoming atmosphere and convenient access to Kyoto's historic sites.
Location
The hotel is conveniently located approximately 1.5 miles from Sanjusangen-do Temple and 1.5 miles from Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the cultural heart of Kyoto. It is easily accessible via public transportation, with the nearest airport being Itami Airport, located 30.5 miles away. The surrounding area boasts shopping opportunities and is ideal for outdoor activities such as hiking and biking.
Rooms
The hotel features 18 air-conditioned rooms designed for comfort, each equipped with a flat-screen TV, refrigerator, and safety deposit box. Guestrooms include unique Japanese-style accommodations that offer views of Kyoto City or the garden. Bathrooms are well-appointed with electronic bidets, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.
Eat & Drink
A complimentary buffet breakfast, featuring a variety of continental items, is served daily in the lounge from 07:00 to 10:00. Guests can also enjoy coffee and tea available in a common area throughout the day. The hotel’s location offers many local dining options for those wishing to explore Kyoto’s culinary scene.
Leisure & Business
Hotel Ethnography provides a shared lounge area for relaxation, along with concierge services to assist with travel arrangements. The hotel also offers complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the property, making it suitable for both leisure and business travelers. Safety features include a carbon monoxide detector and a security system.
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Select your room type
The hotel offers a variety of rooms including double rooms, family rooms, and suites with breakfast, free cancelations, and special deals
Feedback from previous guests about their experience.
86%
liked the hotel and would stay again
clean
friendly staff
pricey
small location
8.6/10
Great
Rooms
8.3
Location
9.4
Service
9.0
Dining
7.6
Guest reviews
8.6/10
based on 10 reviews
9.3
9.3/10based on 399 reviews
Fred
United States of America,
May
2024
8.8/10
I had a delightful stay at this hotel. The rooms were small but well designed with an excellent bathroom and good storage, making it a cozy space. The service was above all expectations, very helpful for all our questions. The location was absolutely perfect, close to Gion Corner and antique houses, with easy access to the Kyoto center and many sightseeing spots. The dining experience was a mix of Japanese style and local high-quality ingredients, offering healthy dishes. The facilities were convenient and added to my overall comfort.
Rooms
8.0
The rooms were a great size and well designed.
Service
9.0
The service was very helpful for all our questions.
Location
10.0
The location was excellent, in the middle of 2 train stations, walking distance to Gion and Shijo Dori, Kyoto's largest shopping destination.
Dining
8.0
The dining was Japanese style with added healthy dishes sourced from local restaurants.
Facilities
9.0
The facilities provided added convenience to our stay.
Homer
United States of America,
May
2024
9.0/10
My stay at the hotel was simply fantastic! The rooms were big, spacious, and very clean with excellent facilities, though a bit dusty from the air-conditioning. The early daylight was a minor disturbance to my sleep. The service was beyond exceptional, with the staff going above and beyond to ensure a perfect experience. The location was excellent, close to many restaurants and transit options, perfect for exploring the city. The dining experience offered a delicious variety of Japanese and Western-style meals, though the breakfast buffet could have been better organized. The facilities were top-notch, providing everything needed for a comfortable stay.
Rooms
8.0
The rooms were modern, clean, and well-appointed.
Service
10.0
The staff was incredible, friendly, and willing to assist promptly with any request.
Location
9.0
The hotel was in a great, quiet side of the city centre, just over the bridge from all the excitement.
Dining
9.0
The dining experience was delicious, and the staff were excellent and attentive.
Facilities
9.0
The facilities were modern and well-maintained.
Leonard
United States of America,
April
2024
8.6/10
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Gion, close to major attractions and shopping destinations. The rooms are small but well-designed, featuring excellent bathrooms and good storage. The service is outstanding with multilingual staff willing to assist in any way possible. The dining options are decent, offering delicious and healthy choices sourced locally. Great value for money overall.
Rooms
8.0
The room was great with a nice bed, shower, and enough room for luggage.
Service
10.0
The service was absolutely incredible, with friendly and helpful staff going above and beyond to assist.
Location
9.0
The hotel is in an ideal location, situated between two train stations and within walking distance to Gion and Shijo Dori.
Dining
7.0
The dining experience was good, offering delicious and healthy options sourced locally.
Facilities
9.0
The hotel facilities are top-notch, providing everything needed for a comfortable stay.
Catherine
United States of America,
March
2024
7.8/10
I had the garden view room, which was extremely beautiful, spacious, and clean. The rooms were quite spacious, clean, and had comfortable beds, but it was a bit too light at night and needed stronger blinds.
Rooms
8.0
The rooms were clean and quite spacious with comfortable beds.
Service
7.0
The staff were really friendly and helpful. They were good English speakers, but seemed annoyed to help us with things, which was unlike my other hotel experiences.
Location
9.0
The location is great, close to historic Gion and its main attractions with easy access to other parts of Kyoto via public transportation. The hotel is very convenient, being close to a bus and train stop just a 3-minute walk away.
Dining
7.0
The dining experience was quite simple yet really nice. They offered traditional Japanese breakfast options and Western-style servings at specific times. Tomoko was especially helpful during breakfast service.
Facilities
8.0
The hotel had a little games corner that we enjoyed using. It was very close to the train station and other historic places of interest.
Edward
United States of America,
March
2024
9.0/10
I had such a wonderful stay at this hotel! The rooms were a perfect mix of traditional Japanese style and modern comforts, spacious, and impeccably clean. The service was top-notch, surpassing my expectations with their attentiveness and helpfulness. The location was superb, right in the heart of Gion with easy access to sightseeing spots and restaurants. While the dining experience was delightful, the USB port positioned behind the bed was a bit inconvenient.
Rooms
9.0
The room was gorgeous, blending traditional Japanese style with modern comforts, spacious, and very clean with excellent new facilities.
Service
9.0
The staff exceeded all my expectations with their excellent, personable, and knowledgeable service. They truly went above and beyond to ensure I had a great experience.
Location
10.0
The location was brilliant, being right in Gion, close to the river, and within walking distance of many tourist attractions and restaurants.
Dining
8.0
The dining experience was delicious, with high-quality ingredients and attentive staff. The meal was one of the best on my trip so far, offering options for vegetarians.
Facilities
9.0
The facilities were fantastic, with all the amenities I needed for a comfortable stay.
Bruce
United States of America,
February
2024
8.2/10
Staying at this hotel was a real mix of positives and negatives. The rooms, while kind of small, were incredibly clean. I appreciated having a mobile phone for all my data and surfing needs, though the ground floor was a bit dusty due to the air-conditioning. The service was top-notch with multilingual staff who were always so polite and helpful; however, the dining options were so-so with not that much variety. The location was excellent, right in the middle of Gion, making it easy to explore the area and access public transportation, but there were some minor inconveniences. Overall, a decent hotel with its ups and downs.
Rooms
8.0
The rooms, although kind of small, were very very clean.
Service
9.0
The service was fantastic with multilingual and polite staff.
Location
9.0
The location was very convenient, right in the center of Gion with easy access to restaurants and transit options.
Dining
7.0
The dining experience had some good options, but there wasn't that much choice.
Facilities
8.0
The hotel had great facilities to make the stay comfortable.
Brian
United States of America,
February
2024
9.0/10
I had an amazing stay at this hotel! The rooms were incredibly spacious, equipped with individual climate controls, a deep soaking tub, excellent Wi-Fi, and a separate bathroom with a mobile phone for all data and surfing needs, making it super convenient. The staff made our experience beyond exceptional, always going the extra mile with their helpful and knowledgeable service. The location was perfect, near Sanjo Station and within walking distance of historic Gion and its main attractions. The hotel's setting near Kantei station and Gion street was just gorgeous, and being so close to two train stations and Shijo Dori made exploring Kyoto a breeze. The hotel's dining experience was enjoyable, especially setting the alarm for breakfast around a large table, but more breakfast options would have been appreciated. Overall, the facilities were top-notch, providing everything needed for a comfortable stay.
Rooms
9.0
The rooms were bigger than normal for Kyoto standards and very comfortable.
Service
9.0
The staff were incredibly welcoming, approachable, and pleasant to talk to. They truly made our stay exceptional.
Location
10.0
The location was fantastic, with easy access to public transportation, shopping spots, and major attractions like Gion and Shijo Dori.
Dining
8.0
The dining experience was enjoyable, especially with the communal breakfast setup, but more breakfast options would have been a bonus.
Facilities
9.0
The facilities provided everything we needed for a fantastic stay.
Doug
United States of America,
January
2024
8.6/10
I absolutely loved my stay at this hotel! The rooms were a bit small but exceptionally clean. The service was top-notch and so helpful. The location was strategically perfect for exploring Kyoto, and the dining experience, though limited, offered a blend of delightful tastes. The facilities were great value for money.
Rooms
8.0
The room, though small, was exceptionally clean.
Service
9.0
The service was incredibly helpful and efficient.
Location
10.0
The hotel's location was amazing in Kyoto, making it easy to explore the Gion district and other parts of the city.
Dining
7.0
The breakfast had a nice mix of traditional and western tastes.
Facilities
9.0
The facilities provided great value for money during my stay.
Charles
United States of America,
October
2023
8.6/10
I absolutely loved my stay at this hotel! The rooms were spacious, clean, and had a nice bed, shower, and ample room for luggage. The service was outstanding with multilingual staff who were incredibly helpful and nice. The location was ideal for exploring the Gion district, with convenient access to public transportation just a short walk away. The dining experience was delicious, offering a mix of Japanese and Western options. The facilities were top-notch, making my stay even more enjoyable.
Rooms
9.0
The room was a great size, plenty of room for luggage and very close to the breakfast area.
Service
9.0
The staff here are soooo good - very helpful and nice!
Location
8.0
The hotel is in an ideal location, within walking distance to the main Gion area and close to public transportation.
Dining
8.0
The dining was a delightful mix of Japanese and Western options, catering to different tastes.
Facilities
9.0
The hotel facilities were fantastic, enhancing my overall experience.
clean
pricey
Drew
United States of America,
August
2023
8.6/10
The hotel is ideally located in Kyoto's Gion district, very close to the Kantei station and Gion street, making it a fantastic base for exploring the city. The rooms, though slightly compact, are stylishly designed and of good size. The service provided exceeded my expectations, with the staff being both international and lovely. However, the dining experience, while offering unique options, could be more convenient. Overall, a great value for money stay with some minor drawbacks.
Rooms
8.0
The rooms, although a little tight, are manageable and boast excellent facilities and a modern design.
Service
9.0
The service here was exceptional - the staff truly went above and beyond to help us with all our needs during our stay.
Location
10.0
The hotel's location is superb, right in the heart of Gion making it incredibly easy to reach all the key attractions in the area.
Dining
7.0
The unique dining experience provided some of the best meals we had during our trip, although the timing could be more flexible.
Facilities
9.0
The hotel offers fantastic facilities to ensure a comfortable stay for guests.