If you’re traveling to Kyoto and are looking for a conveniently-located, reasonably priced place to stay, I highly recommend the Aoi-so Inn. I stayed there this Golden Week, and was really impressed for several reasons. First, I was able to book a room just two weeks before my trip, when every other hotel in Kyoto seemed to be booked solid (Of course, maybe I just got lucky). Second, it was just 6500 yen for two people. Third, the owner has done an amazing job of creating a foreigner-friendly place to stay. When we checked in, he presented us with a huge pile of brochures and pamphlets in English, and gave us lots of advice about sight-seeing in Kyoto. He had also done a lot of research and found restaurants in the area with English menus, and spoke excellent English. It was quite clean, and although it’s a little old, is very comfortable and relaxing. The Aoi-so’s website is here.
Thanks we are going there in Golden Week 2012 and have a good feeling about this Ryokan too.
Cheers Gerry