Tome makes your stay very warm and welcoming, so far it's our favorite accommodation! She explained how to get around the city depending on what our plans were for the day and gave us some awesome recommendations for dinner.

The innkeepers, Tome and Kazu, took a long abandoned building and turned it into a beautifully designed ryokan. Despite the futon on the floor (we’re old) we slept well and when we were awake were awed by the beauty and simplicity of the room’s decor. The bar and the garden were excellent delights. And breakfasts and coffee were great. But the beating heart of Ryokan Mugen was Tome’s enthusiastic helpfulness, whether she suggested daily itineraries, made restaurant reservations, or shipped our stuff to our hotel in Tokyo. We can’t say enough about how lovely our stay at Mugen was. Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Nothing

The property is just lovely! If you are looking for a traditional Japanese hospitality experience this is the place. They have all the traditional elements but also contemporary amenities. Just perfect for me and my husband. As a bonus, the owners have a private bar room which is out of this world- just like a fancy speakeasy in a city. They also gave us a free drink and spent so much time helping us plan our days in Kyoto. Along with mapping our itinerary, the hostess even recommended great restaurant's that ended up being some of our favorite meals in Japan. She even went the extra mile to make our reservations/ reschedule existing reservations to make sure our itinerary was manageable. Overall, Kyoto was the highlight of my trip especially because of Ryokan Mugen and its 5-star worthy hospitality! PS- Breakfast here was delicious (see pics)

Nothing at all

A perfect mix of traditional and modern. The woodwork of the building appears original, with heated tatami floors and shoji door screens to a small lovely Japanese style garden. The bathroom has all modern fixtures, and there is a mini-split heater/A/C unit we didn’t need at all due to the cool ambient temperature and heated floors. The ryokan is run by a very kind and friendly couple. Our hostess Tome was extremely helpful both before, during and after our stay, and speaks excellent English.All her recommendations for tourist spots and restaurant recommendations were spot on, which included her calling to make the reservations. I’m very sure our stay in Kyoto would not have been as enjoyable without her guidance. The breakfast included is Japanese style, which we prefer, and was very delicious! The location was central to many places. You can take a bus or walk to many places, but the buses were quite crowded, no A/C, and people looked miserable. I got yelled at by a bus attendant (not driver). From then on, only taxis for us😂. Use the GO app, worked quite well.

We liked everything about the property.

What a wonderful place to stay! From start to finish, Tome and her husband made sure we felt welcome, comfortable, and above all, happy. I can honestly say I've never had a better experience staying in any other accommodation. Tome is such a gracious host, making sure every single one of our needs were met. The breakfast was delicious, the local recommendations were spot on, and the room (more like an apartment!) was spacious and stylish. Tome lent us a pair of bikes to explore the city - the perfect way to get around Kyoto. They even have a private bar well stocked with spirits from around the world.

Even though the listing says "adults only", a small child wished us 'good morning' each day :) (This is a joke, there was nothing negative about our stay)

I have never written a Booking.com review before, but our stay at Ryokan Mugen deserved all the praise and recommendation we could provide. We loved absolutely everything and Tome-san and her husband were wonderful hosts that made our experience in Kyoto one to never forget. - Amazing, cozy hotel decoration that made us feel at home from the minute we entered including an incredible garden and bar area. - Great location, a short walk away from a main avenue with transporation to all key areas of Kyoto. - Spacious, comfortable and traditional room with much care and love to details. - Traditional breakfast prepared every day. - Phenomenal care and attention to guests, with awesome local tips, information and recommendations.

Nothing to point out - everything was outstanding.

Ryokan Mugen is where I finally felt able to relax. The hospitality is the best; no one else in Kyoto I wager cares as much about their guests as the folks here do. Easy to check-in, welcome drink, sociable and friendly environment. Breakfast authentically Japanese and a pleasant difference from what I am used to in USA. Accommodated allergies flawlessly. The room was exceptionally equipped, pleasant and good quality shampoo conditioner and body wash. The towels are plush and luxurious. The shower has strong water pressure! My wife chose the traditional Japanese garden room for us. If you have this option definitely take it! The beds are beyond comfortable; I slept better at this ryokan than I have in months. Location is minutes on foot away from coffee shops and places to eat. The hosts provided us maps of the area including best restaurants, going so far as to book restaurants for us on our behalf. Had the best teppanyaki of my life thanks to the folks at ryokan Mugen. 10/10, truly exceptional, world class hospitality. It’s rare that I find a place so much of a jewel that I would consider returning to but I would come back to Kyoto just to stay here again. And I’ve been to 40 countries so that is saying something. If you see this available for your dates go ahead and press book - you will be glad you did!

Firstly, I want to start this review with some context. I’m not normally a big reviewer, however, I recently spent 30 nights in Japan, and the reviews on hotels were helpful for me when I was planning my trip, so if my experience helps the next person then great! Together my partner & I visited 32 different parts of Japan, staying in 19 hotels, giving me (I think) a good basis for my review. We stayed in Kyoto for 2 nights after 5 nights in Tokyo. This was our first experience saying in a ryokan, and it did not disappoint. The hotel is small, with only 4 rooms, so it feels intimate & tranquil. The location was slightly confusing to find, but we took a taxi from the train station and the host kindly provided instructions written in Japanese to show the driver, so it was no trouble to get there. When we arrived at check-in we were greeted by the host, she was the friendliest, bubbliest & most welcoming lady we have ever met. She provided us with a map, and circled all the areas she would recommend visiting, giving us a full itinerary for our next day in Kyoto. We had a dinner reservation that evening, so she booked us a taxi to get there, and also offered to make other reservations should we need them. The room was a traditional Ryokan, so the mattresses are on the floor, it's a slightly strange experience if you're not used to it, but it was surprisingly comfortable. The room was clean & quite beautiful with a small seating area through sliding doors that looked into a communal garden. We had the hotel breakfast for the two mornings we stayed there - this was a traditional Japanese breakfast which was lovingly prepared. The food was great, for those who aren't accustomed to a Japanese breakfast it can take getting used to, but the quality of the food was wonderful - we couldn't fault it!

It was wonderful, we couldn't fault it at all. If we ever return to Kyoto we would love to stay again (and use our free drink token with the host that we couldn't use on this visit!) :)

This is one of those unique stays that you do not forget for a long time - for all the right reasons! Lovely hosts, spotlessly clean accommodation, delicious breakfasts and very quiet. The Ryokan is located in a residential area which you will really appreciate after the tourist crowds in downtown Kyoto. Try and go to some of the host's recommended local restaurants, they are superb and an interesting experience in themselves. Thank you Tome for a great stay, hope we get to return one day.

Nothing - all perfect.

A great experience of a traditional Ryokan run with absolute passion by the owners. Every single detail throughout everything they do was perfect. The energy and passion of Tome San and her husband shone through the rooms, food, guidance and enthusiasm. Second time I’ve been back and I will absolutely be coming here every single time I’m in Kyoto. Come with a loose idea of what you want to do as Tome San can provide you with so many options and ideas or food that you would never normally get the chance to experience. Magic.