Reviews of Frommer's Lodging Recommendations

We enjoyed reviewing our lodgings in Turkey, so here are our reviews of our lodgings in Japan. This is one way of evaluating the Frommer's Guide to Japan, so maybe you'll find it helpful.

We tried to stay mostly in ryokans, & they varied. We never got the full luxurious ryokan experience - kaiseiki meal, etc. - because we were on a budget. We averaged about $84/night for the two of us, the most expensive being the last hotel in Tokyo (it had a private bath). Ryokan rooms are usually measured by the number of tatami mats that fit inside. They provide tatami mats, not spring mattresses, so you sleep on the floor, but some will offer Western rooms. Usually, there is a low coffee table, a hot water kettle, some tea, towels, & yukatas (robes that you can wear to & from the bathroom & inside the hotel).

Comfort was important, of course. Robby preferred rooms with private bathrooms, but that's rare in a Japanese ryokan, where communal bathrooms include an onsen, a "public" hot tub to soak in. All rooms had air conditioning.

Each rate below is listed for two people, & all these hotels have laundry machines available. The conversion rate is $1USD = 1.04JPY right now.

1. Tokyo: Kimi Ryokan
- 6,500JPY/twin double (approx. $67USD)
- located in the Ikebukuro area of Tokyo (a busy, lively area but not as exciting as Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, or Roppongi. nevertheless, only a few subway stops away from those trendy areas.)
- reserved the smallest double room available, which was the size of two tatami mats & a little more (to walk around them). Thank goodness there was window that opened a little .
- perpetually musty stench on our floor, maybe because the hot tub was located across from our room. So you reserve a room here, request any floor but the second.
- men & women's bathroom on each floor, as well as a communal sink area & two shower stalls.
- rooms cleaned every 3 days
- communal kitchen area with refrigerator, hot water kettle, dishes & utensils, & TV
- wireless Internet access available only on first floor
- curfew (11pm-7am) is enforced
- hotel & room very clean.
- all the clerks professional but stand offish, almost unfriendly. won't initiate help unless you press them.
- recommended (esp. considering the low rate)

2. Kyoto: Gojo Guesthouse
- 6,000JPY/double (approx. $62USD)
- not recommended in Frommer's (but should be!)
- listed as being located in Gion District, but is a 15-20 min. walk from Gion action
- 5-7 min. walk from nearest bus stop on Higashiyama
- walking distance to Kiyomizu Temple
- large double room with sliding windows - clean, spacious, comfortable
- cute, creative touches everywhere
- wireless Internet available
- atmosphere: serene, laid back, easy going, a Lonely Planet type of place (isn't listed in it, but should be!)
- cafe on first floor (reggae & international music playing all day)
- communal kitchen & living room area (refrigerator, stove, dishes & utensils)
- laundry machines available
- friendly, interesting, helpful clerks (we hung out with a few on our last night)
- no curfew (automatic lock on front door with a secret code)
- no yukatas or towels available
- no onsen
- communal showers are difficult (you have to hang your clothes over a bar in the shower stall, no changing area)
- recommended (by far, our favorite lodging in all of Japan!)

3. Kyoto: Rakucho Ryokan
- 8,400JPY/double (approx. $88USD - discount if you pay by cash)
- very far away from Kyoto action
- nearest tourist site is the Kinkakuji Pavilion (Temple of the Golden Pavilion)
- extremely clean, quiet, & homely
- new fixtures everywhere (onsen has an adjacent showering area)
- lots of English signs
- large room with A.C.
- our room faced a small garden
- recommended (but beware: it's in a remote location)

4. Takayama: Minshuku Kuwantani-ya
- 8,000JPY/double (approx. $83USD)
- near Takayama JR station
- we moved from a small double room to one twice as large.
- clean, spacious
- TV, hot water, tea, & small fridge available in the room
- large women's bathing area (changing room with vanity table & large onsen with 6 showering "stalls")
- laundry machines available in the carport area
- rooms cleaned daily
- no wireless Internet access (but public computer in the front room)
- no communal areas
- unattractive dark red motel carpeting
- nice staff - owner understands but does not speak English
- recommended (great bathroom & location)


5. Nagoya: Ryokan Meiryu
- 8,400JPY/double (approx. $88USD)
- located in central Nagoya (take two subways from the JR Nagoya station)
- mainly a business man's hotel
- entire hotel has an undesirable, unclean feeling (dark red motel carpeting, old fixtures, dark)
- small room with TV
- our room faced the side of a concrete building
- reminded us of our hotel in Ankara, Turkey, but not as bad (Robby found stains on his pillowcase in Hotel Pinar in Ankara)
- good-sized women's bathroom (changing area, three shower "stalls" near a small onsen)
- not recommended (much too expensive for a hotel in nasty Nagoya)

6. Tokyo: Annex Katsutaro
- 10,500JPY/double ($109USD)
- located in Ueno Park area
- wonderful 15-20 min. walk to nearest JR station (Nippori) - pass little neighborhood shops & stores
- bus stop across the street goes to Ueno station
- far from the action (30 min. travel to Harajuku, Shibuya, etc.)
- concrete, modern, 3-story hotel in a traditional Japanese neighborhood
- small, clean room with private bath
- room is cleaned daily
- laundry machines available
- no wireless Internet access, but two public computers & a printer on first floor
- curfew (11pm-7am) enforced, but you can get in after curfew with a secret code to a side door
- okay staff (only the older woman is friendly)
- recommended (begrudgingly because its rate is still lower than most hotels or ryokans in Tokyo)

On the whole, we were not satisfied with Frommer's Guide to Japan. We did not like the restaurant recommendations - many were too expensive or not Japanese but French, Indian, or American food. It recommends Wolfgang Puck Express in Harajuku! We were flabbergasted about that. Also, the guide book did not suit our low budget needs. We might have preferred the Lonely Planet, which is written more for budget travelers.