Kyoto or south higashiyama

I want to see traditional Kyoto but I read that it is better to stay in south higashiyma?

I would also like to stay in a ryokan whilst in kyoto, any suggestions

Thanks

Tawaraya Ryokan is highly regarded:-
http://www.kyoto-club.com/tomaru/rkn/tawaraya.html
http://www.japanican.com/hotels/shisetsudetail.aspx?st=6232046

You don't mention a budget.

I usually suggest to search using Japanican or Japaneseguesthouses:-
http://japanican.com/index.aspx
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/index.htm

Jalan also lets you restrict your search to Ryokan:-
http://www.jalan.net/en/japan_hotels_ryokan/

Enjoy your trip!

Hii

Thanks for your reply, I have decided against staying in a ryokan, it's just so expensive. However is southern higashiyama a good place to book a hotel?

Here you are
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3959.html

"South Higashiyama', can mean a big area. Do you have a specific hotel in mind? In general, Gion is an excellent "Kyotoish" place to stay.

Hi

I've read that downtown Kyoto is not a good place to stayif I want to see traditional Kyoto, so was looking for an area that was more pretty. We we thinking of staying at the Hyatt hotel,.

The Hyatt is brilliant, we stay every year for a few days at least. It looks tired on the outside but it is gorgeous inside, the restaurants are excellent and the rooms are huge. A drawback in my mind is that it is very western, almost everyone speaks very good english, so you dont get much of a japanese feel to the stay, that you might get at say Brighton (on a par, I think) or the Westin Miyako (you have to be careful what rooms you get there, but the grounds are spectacular). In fact, when you first posted I was thinking that the Katsuien rooms at the Westin might be nice for you if they still offer them. They are a little like staying in a ryokan, and they (were) very reasonably priced.

Thanks for the tip about the westin, I will check it out.

yeah, essentially the Westin has good rooms facing Kyoto (very nice views), more tired rooms facing the hill it is on, but then it has a little complex that they used to call the katsuien rooms, they are like a "light" ryokan. The rooms are still there, but I havent seen them on the website for a while. The food and walk up the hill at Westin are also brilliant, it is just a little out of town though.

The rooms are still there, but I havent seen them on the website for a while.

http://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/westinkyoto/english/accommodation/room/i...

There is Japanese style room "Kasuien".

The room charge is dependent of the date, starting from about 200 USD for two persons including buffet breakfast.

That's them, we squeezed the family into one (the kids were much younger then) 5 years ago, it is really pleasant because it is set up like a traditional room, you can sit on a porch and it is all very private in a wooded setting, the only difference to a ryokan is that you dont get the extravagant food, but you can still get room service. The food at the Westin is top notch

Near the temple of thousand statue / SANJUUUSANGENDOOO-- sometime , I finds foreign guests try to find the Ryokan Oto (actual pronanciation is Awtaw Ryokan).

If you start with it, head east just after U reach NANA-JOE-- street head east after U see the temple of thousand statue , get back to reach big T cross and head north , Reach the Gate of HOUKOKU Shrine 豊国神社　

head west the path is the original local Kyoto I believe . Cross the River of KAMO you reach a ditch called Takase - gawa 高瀬川　

along with the water you can find three other Ryokan River side Takase and else.

Good Luck.