Kurama Onsen

2.5 star property
Kyoto hotel in Sakyo Ward with free breakfast and area shuttle service

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your current months are November, 2024 and December, 2024.
November 2024
December 2024

Photo gallery for Kurama Onsen

Spa
Exterior
Japanese cuisine
Hair dryer, electronic bidet
Spa

Reviews

9.2 out of 10

Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Room service
    Room service
  • Hot Tub
    Hot Tub
  • Parking included
    Parking included
  • Breakfast included
    Breakfast included
  • Free WiFi
    Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
    Restaurant

Room options

Japanese Style Room, 10 tatami mats

Highlights

Refrigerator
LCD TV
Hair dryer
Toilet with electronic bidet
In-room safe
  • Mountain view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Futons

Similar properties

About the neighborhood

Map
520 kurama honmachi,sakyou-ku kyoto, city,601-1111 japan, Kyoto, Kyoto (prefecture), 601-1111

What's nearby

  • Kurama Hot Spring - 1 min walk
  • Kurama-dera Temple - 1 min drive
  • Kifune Shrine - 4 min drive
  • Kyoto International Conference Centre - 12 min drive
  • Sanzenin Temple - 16 min drive

Getting around

  • Kurama Station - 10 min walk
  • Kitayama Station - 12 min drive
  • Itami Airport (ITM) - 94 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪土井志ば漬本舗 - ‬17 min drive
  • ‪KIFUNE COSMETICS & GALLERY - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪鳥居茶屋 - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪岩倉具視幽棲旧宅対岳文庫 - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪貴船荘 - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Kurama Onsen

Hotel located in Sakyo Ward
You can look forward to free full breakfast, an indoor mineral hot spring (onsen), and a spa tub at Kurama Onsen. Be sure to enjoy a meal at the on-site Japanese cuisine restaurant. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
  • Free self parking
  • A free area shuttle, hot springs on site, and free newspapers
  • Luggage storage and a front-desk safe
Room features
All guestrooms at Kurama Onsen include amenities such as free WiFi and safes, in addition to free newspapers and room service.
Extra amenities include:
  • Toilets with electronic bidets and hair dryers

Property amenities

Spa

  • Indoor mineral hot springs (onsen)
  • Outdoor mineral hot springs (onsen)
  • Separate men/women areas in public bath
  • Yukata (Japanese robe)

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:30 PM; Check-in end time: 6:30 PM
Late check-in subject to availability

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property ahead of time using the information on the booking confirmation
For more details, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Due to inventory requirements, guests with food allergies and/or special meal requests must contact the hotel at least 5 days prior to check-in. Guests must check in before 6:30 PM in order to receive dinner that evening.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Children may not be eligible for complimentary breakfast
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A city tax may be collected at the property. The city tax ranges from JPY 200-1,000 per person, per night based on the nightly room rate. Please note that further exemptions may apply. For more details, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • A bathing tax, collected at the property, may be charged. The bathing tax applies to properties with hot springs and ranges from JPY 150-500 per person, per night based on local regulations. Please note that further exemptions may apply.

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards
Cashless transactions are available
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare requires all international visitors to submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ); additionally, lodging proprietors are required to photocopy passports for all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file
Set meals are served in guestrooms only (no menus or public dining)
Parking height restrictions apply
Please note that some properties do not permit guests with tattoos to use the onsite public bathing facilities

Property is also known as

Kurama Onsen Inn Kyoto
Kurama Onsen Inn
Kurama Onsen Kyoto
Kurama Onsen
Kurama Onsen Hotel Kyoto
Kurama Onsen Hotel
Kurama Onsen Kyoto
Kurama Onsen Hotel Kyoto

Frequently asked questions

Is Kurama Onsen pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Kurama Onsen?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Kurama Onsen?

Check-in start time: 3:30 PM; Check-in end time: 6:30 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Kurama Onsen?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Where is Kurama Onsen located?

Located in Sakyo Ward, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Kurama Hot Spring and Kurama-dera Temple. Kifune Shrine is 2.1 mi (3.3 km) away. Kurama Station is 10 minutes by foot and Kibuneguchi Station is 24 minutes.

Kurama Onsen Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 64 out of 94 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 24 out of 94 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 94 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 94 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 94 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

9.8/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Stephen

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Terribly Disappointing
I have visited Japan several times a year for the last 20 years, working for a Japanese company, and have been to 7 other Onsens previously, ranging from basic to elegant, so do have a good frame of reference. I admittedly have high expectations, as I felt justified for $800/night, and was somewhat surprised when I arrived. Rather than the beautiful, tranquil, and zen atmosphere I was hoping for, the atmosphere was just dated and seedy. There was no area to relax, other than our room (where they served our dinner), or a "relaxation room" which was an empty room, with 2 coin operated massage chairs. The lobby was a room with several more coin operated massage chairs, and a long table with benches, like a picnic table. The food was plentiful, and the service was good and friendly, but rather than the delicate and beautiful food I have received at other Onsens in this price range, a couple of the courses were good and fresh, such as the fish and tempura, but the rest seemed to have been cold leftovers from the fridge. The baths and locker rooms had more the feel of an old run-down dormitory than the beautiful, traditional Japanese experience I had hoped for based on other Onsens I had visited. To sum it up, knowing their NO Refund policy, my family and I unanimously opted to throw away the money, and leave early the morning after our first night (we booked 2 nights), as we felt it was better than wasting a precious day of our 10 day vacation. No regrets.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A wonderful Experience
what an amazing experience. The onsen is beautiful, the staff is incredible and the experience is out of this world. I felt like I was back in Edo Japan. The rooms are incredible and the area is wonderful. They service so much food and are soo accommodating as well. Definitely give Kurama Onsen a try, it will be so worth it!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent service, excellent food, excellent onsen, excellent hospitality
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful
It was an amazing experience. We came after visiting Tokyo and it was so calm and relaxing after a busy week in the city. We will visit again next trip to Japan!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

DI

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Average hotel with small onsen area
Second time stayed in an onsen hotel and this one is just ok. The futon is not quite comfortable so if you picky with your bed you might struggle falling asleep. It has two onsens: one outdoor and one indoor. Recommend the outdoor one as you get a good breeze from the view while soaking yourself in the hot water. The onsen area is a bit small compared to the other onsen hotel I went to last time. Both onsen are not exclusively to hotel guests, anyone pays for onsen entry fees can access, i.e. the onsen can get really packed in certain time/season. The dinner, which I expected the most, turned out to be an average one. In general, if you looking for a lifetime impressive onsen experience to treat yourselves, you might look for others.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group, Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very excellent stay, we didn't experience any of the things stated in some negative reviews on expedia. Amenities are new and the place looks so much better than what is shown in the pictures. Only thing that could be improved is that the baths/springa are a bit dated. They still provided an amazing experience, but the look of the onsen wasn't spectacular
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The best experience in kyoto. They have very nice food and service
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We loved the view of the mountains & friendly staff and service :)
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good value for money, hotel staffs are extremely friendly
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Worth staying!
Overall the experience was great. Unfortunately there were a few mosquitoes or bugs in the room otherwise I had a great time.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

6/10 Okay

Brandy, NC

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth the price. Check-in at 4pm and out at 10am. You have dinner around 6:30-7pm which allows you one, maybe 2 trips to the baths. You are served several courses in your room and food is mediocre at best. The next morning breakfast is served promptly at 8:30 and you are pestered to eat. My husband was told 3 times to eat while he waited for me. Again, food was mediocre and left us less than fulfilled. Even though we woke up early to hike, there was still a rush to get to the baths, eat, and check out at 10. Initially they would not drive us in their complimentary shuttle to the train station even though it was raining. They suggested a walk down the road for a bus that would take much longer to arrive in Kyoto versus the train, which we already had passes for. I would have much rather stayed at a Ryoken instead. Disappointed and left feeling like I wasted my money and time. Not worth an “authentic” experience when it doesn’t feel like the real thing.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Kalon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing retreat
This hotel is a great getaway from Kyoto- it takes about an hour to get here from the city. The service is fantastic, the food was good, and the onsen was nice.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

VD, Montreal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very nice, mesls excellent
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Chris, Fairfield, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Commune with nature while relaxing
We stayed at the Kurama onsen overnight and our stay was quite pleasant. It is a bit out-of-the-way from Kyoto and if you do not know your way around the area, it may be challenging to get to the there. If you are on a time crunch like us, make sure give yourself enough time to get there as they serve dinner by 6 PM and if you miss this then they will not probably not serve you anymore. The kaiseki dinner was good. It was very filling with five courses of different types of traditional Japanese food. They do not teach you step by step what goes with what food so be guided by your taste. After the dinner we went to the onsen which was a good experience. To me it just felt like a regular hot tub in the United States, however what is special is there is no chlorine in the water so you do not get a headache smelling chlorine while you are soaking in the tub and if you are the type who likes to be “free” and not bashful then this is perfect for you. We had a very good sleep in their tatami mats. If you close the air conditioning and open the windows you can hear the river gushing while you are sleeping. By the next morning you are against served another round of traditional Japanese breakfast which is as pleasant as their dinner. Their staff is very pleasant and polite. They are very accommodating and tried to answer all of our questions even with limited English speaking staff. Over all we were very happy with our stay. This is a good one in a lifetime experience for us.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great experience! Totally authentic Japanese hosptality!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely ryokan near to Kyoto
Lovely onsen, friendly staffs, delicious meals. Overall a good experience for me and my partner. We look forward to visit Kurama again in the near future !!!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Cally808, Honolulu

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful place to relax from the city
Staff was very accomodating the moment you walk in the hotel, especially after a long journey from the city. Food served in the room was so awesome, every bite was an experience of different flavors. Both outdoor & indoor Onsen was so relaxing & wonderful.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Ryokan
Amazing!!! I love the Ryokan. We enjoyed the onsen, the dinner, the breakfast and the walk around Kurama.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Justin, Cincinnati, OH

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Unrivaled hospitality deep in the mountains
My friend and I spent 4 days, 3 nights here and we were both completely blown away. The staff is excellent; they are helpful, friendly, polite, and incredibly professional while still being approachable. The rooms are simple (it's a ryokan), but the tatami mats and the chairs provided are incredibly comfortable. The meals are excellent, everything is prepared to perfection and the servings are massive. Neither my friend nor I are seasoned foodies, so cooking your own was a very unique experience, and we tried so many new foods we lost count. The area surrounding it is peaceful, you're far removed from the hustle and crowds of Gion, in fact you're on the last stop of the train, but this is a good thing. Kurama will pick you up, whisk you to their inn, and treat you like royalty, and the outdoor baths are phenomenal. Highly, highly recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A brilliant stay. A very authentic and relaxing experience. Sitting in the outside Onsen looking over the hills as the snow falls is unforgettable. Great people, great introduction to traditional Japanese food.

10/10 Excellent

Samantha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It was amazing, cannot recommend highly enough. For an authentic Japanese Onsen experience, this is definitely the place to stay. Relaxing, beautiful, surrounded by nature, excellent staff and service.

10/10 Excellent

Terry, Pittsburgh, PA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Mountain Forest Temple & Natural Hot Spring Ryokan
Atmosphere: Traditional Japanese inn located in somewhat remote single street village; Service: Warm welcoming, customized traditional dining, phenomenal personal attendance, and delightful surprises abound; Cost: A bit pricey but the experience is more than worth it; Experience: My friend and I had to travel the road (err, train) less taken to get to Kurama. The buildings become scarcer and greenery more common as we neared our destination. We took the hotel shuttle to get there (and incurred a small fee of like 300 yen to the bill) but later learned a fifteen-minute walk could get us back to the station. We were greeted by hostess and staff upon entry and instructed to take our shoes off upon entry. Our room had tatami mats and a very zen-like appeal to it with simple furniture and a small television. We had a private sink and toilet but obviously the baths (both indoor and outdoor) were public hot spring. To bathe one has to remove and store his clothing & towel, and take only his wash cloth for modesty and cleansing. After a thorough washing and rinsing on the sitting stool (to avoid dirtying the public bath), one is finally allowed to enter the hot spring for relaxation. The outdoor bath is more scenic and refreshing yet only open during daylight hours. The indoor bath is hotter and less natural-feeling, but it is open as late as 11pm. Our hot pot duck dinner was cooked privately in our room and a traditional Japanese breakfast was served in the restaurant downstairs.