Kyo Yunohana Resort Suisen
B · 7.6 / 10right inn, right place
Suisen is a real, source-fed hot-spring ryokan in the Yunohana Onsen area of Kameoka, 30 minutes from Kyoto by direct train, with an open-air onsen bath on the balcony of every one of its 13 rooms and a kitchen good enough that breakfast matched dinner. KI-NRT was plain that it is not a destination ryokan like the ones in his top ten. Given its proximity to Kyoto, legit onsen and succulent cuisine, he calls it a great option for people who want to try a ryokan without the time or energy to go farther afield, and a screaming bargain by Kansai standards, unusually cheap for what it delivers.
Scores
Food 4.5 / 5
The kitchen does kaiseki with its own twists, and KI-NRT said it did not disappoint: steamed yuba over tofu mochi in a simple yet sublime dashi, simmered vegetables prepared to perfection, and mountain-yam paste with shrimp deep-fried with somen noodles. The only letdown was the octopus clay-pot rice near the end, a wasted slot in new-rice season. Breakfast was as delightful as dinner, down to a homemade corn dressing they bought to take home.
Bath 4.5 / 5
The water is real, source-fed onsen, which is rare anywhere near Kyoto, where an "onsen" usually means water trucked in and recirculated. All 13 rooms have an open-air bath on the balcony, there is a private rental rock bath reached by an enchanting walk across the creek (paid by the hour, and worth it in KI-NRT's view), and a communal bath with indoor and outdoor tubs, which he had all to himself before dinner and called pure bliss.
Service
A courtesy shuttle meets guests at Kameoka Station, the drinks in the minibar, including beer, are free of charge, and an array of Japanese treats is laid out on the table in the room. KI-NRT raised no complaints but wrote nothing specific about the staff, and nobody else in the thread has described the service here.
Room 4 / 5
Even the entry-level rooms are over 50 square meters, each with an open-air onsen bath on the balcony. Of the two top categories, the 113 square meter Suisen Suite adds a tatami living room, dual sinks, more storage and a bigger balcony, while the 85 square meter Semi Suite was refurbished more recently (2021 vs 2013) and feels shinier, though the Suisen Suite did not feel in need of a refresh. KI-NRT's advice is to book the best available room.
Place 3.5 / 5
The grounds are thin and long and compact, but they make good use of the space: a small creek runs through, with a dry rock garden on one side and a forested embankment on the other, and the garden is lit up at night. Kameoka is a perpetually foggy produce-growing valley on the outskirts of Kyoto, and KI-NRT would not advise first-time visitors to spend much time touring it, though the Hozu River boat down to Arashiyama is a fun, scenic outing.
Getting there
- Kyoto — 0h45, 1 transfer. Kyoto to Kameoka ~28 min JR Sagano Line, then ~15 min inn shuttle to Suisen.
- Osaka — 1h30, 2 transfers. Osaka to Kyoto ~30 min, transfer JR Sagano to Kameoka ~28 min, then ~15 min shuttle.