We did not stay at these hotels. This page is built from Rakuten Travel listings. The buttons are affiliate links to Rakuten Travel and Agoda, labeled PR.
About this article. This is an introduction built from the information on the hotels' official sites and on Rakuten Travel. The author did not stay at these hotels. It writes only what can be read from the listings and contains no impressions from a stay. Records of actual stays are in the travelogue section of the site.
Hello! People who read the fine print after the four characters 「大浴場あり」 ("large public bath available") before anything else are usually my friends. I am shiori. This time I compared five hotels in Kyoto city whose listings mention a large public bath (daiyokujo), relying only on the listing information.
Quick answer
- Do not decide on the words "large bath" alone. Some listings are written so that the contents differ for men and women.
- In Kyoto, searching around Kyoto Station is different from searching in the city centre. Decide from the place where you need to be.
- Even for the same night, the price spread across these five is more than threefold. Set a budget first.
Who this suits
- People who want to stretch out in a bath after a day of walking around Kyoto
- People who want a large bath but also want to keep the room cost down
- People who care about a sauna and want to check first whether the listing mentions one
Who it does not suit
- People who want to choose by water quality (this article covers only what the facilities' listings say)
- People who want to stay right beside Gion or Kawaramachi (these five lean toward the Kyoto Station area and Shijo)
First, three things to look at
Choosing a Kyoto hotel by its bath is harder than it sounds. Even when a listing says "large bath", what that means differs from hotel to hotel. After reading the listings side by side, I narrowed what I looked at down to three points.
1. The contents can differ for men and women
What surprised me most this time was the Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス) listing. It places the hotel next to the subway Kujo Station and mentions a large bath, a sauna for men, a ceramic-plate bath for women and a free cafe lounge.
The listing does not say whether the large bath is split by gender. What it does separate is the sauna and the ceramic-plate bath: a sauna for men, a ceramic-plate bath for women. What you can use depends on your gender.
If the sauna is your purpose, skipping this line means disappointment on the day. The listing also does not explain what a ceramic-plate bath is, and that is the part I wanted to know.
By comparison, the AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa (ＡＢホテル京都四条堀川) listing describes its large bath as separate for men and women. That means the bath is divided by gender. The two sound alike, but they say different things.
I read the listings the same way for Osaka. In my article comparing large-bath hotels in Osaka city, some candidate hotels limited the bath to men only.
2. Whether the listing says "natural hot spring"
In listing wording, a large bath and a hot spring are different terms. A hotel that does not write "hot spring" does not necessarily have a worse bath. But which one you are looking for changes which lines you read.
Of these five, only one mentions a hot spring: Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae (天然温泉 花蛍の湯 ドーミーインPREMIUM京都駅前, part of the Dormy Inn and Onyado Nono hotels group). The name is long, so I will call it Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae from here on.
Its listing says it has a natural hot spring large bath, and it also mentions a high-temperature sauna and a cold plunge, as well as free services including late-night noodles.
The other four describe a large bath only. Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi (ホテル エルシエント京都八条口), for example, says it is 2 minutes on foot from Kyoto Station and the airport bus, and calls its large bath (with a sauna) one of the biggest among hotels in front of the station. The listing does not say what it is being compared with.
That is as far as this article goes. It does not cover water quality or what you can expect from the water. All I can check is whether a facility is mentioned in the listing.
3. Around Kyoto Station, or in the city
The five hotels fall into three areas: three on the south side of Kyoto Station (from the Hachijo side to Kujo), one on the Central Exit side of Kyoto Station, and one at Shijo. All of them are a little away from Gion and Kawaramachi, the centre of sightseeing.
The three on the south side are Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス), Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi and Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma (京都ユニバーサルホテル烏丸). All of them take the Hachijo East Exit of Kyoto Station or the subway Kujo Station as their starting point.
Only Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae is on the Central Exit side. Its access field says about 3 minutes on foot from the JR Kyoto Station Central Exit. It is the same station, but you leave through a different gate.
AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa, on the other hand, starts its access field from the Shijo side. It says 7 minutes on foot from exit 2 of the subway Shijo Station and exit 24 of Hankyu Karasuma Station, and 5 minutes on foot from Hankyu Omiya Station.
Where you plan to be the next day decides where to choose. I also wrote about how to read station wording in my article comparing hotels near the station in Yokohama.
Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス)
Next to exit 2 of the subway Kujo Station. I chose this hotel as the lead hotel of the article. The deciding point was how thoroughly its listing is written.
First, the access field. It places the hotel next to exit 2 of Kujo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway, 1 minute on foot from Oishibashi bus stop, and 6 minutes on foot from the Hachijo East Exit of Kyoto Station. I appreciate that the subway exit is specified down to "2".
The listing gives 1 minute on foot to Oishibashi bus stop and 6 minutes on foot to the Hachijo East Exit of Kyoto Station. The address is 1-1 Higashikujo Karasumacho, Minami-ku, Kyoto.
On the bath, the listing mentions a large bath together with a sauna for men and a ceramic-plate bath for women. A free cafe lounge is also mentioned.
For 30 September 2026 (Wednesday), 2 adults in 1 room for 1 night, the price on Rakuten Travel was 13,600 yen (6,800 yen per person). Rakuten Travel shows 2,784 reviews with an average of 4.36. By item, the bath is 4.24.
If you are going by car, read the parking field first. The listing says only that there are many inexpensive lots nearby and that staff will show them on a map.
It does not say you can park on the premises. The number of spaces and the fee are not given, and it does not say what "inexpensive" is measured against.
Large-bath hours, check-in time and room size are items that the listing information does not have, so nothing is given. Checking on the booking page is more reliable than filling the gaps with guesses.
- Walk (as listed): 6 min on foot from Kyoto Station
- Listing mentions: large bath, sauna, parking
- Price: 13,600 yen for 2 adults in 1 room (6,800 per person), on 30 Sep (Wed)
- Reviews: 2,784 reviews, average 4.36 on Rakuten Travel
Compare the hotels
All prices are for 1 night on 30 September 2026 (Wednesday), for 2 adults in 1 room. They are under the same conditions shown on Rakuten Travel, so they can be compared directly.
| Hotel | Location and walk (as listed) | Price on 30 Sep (2 adults, 1 room) | Reviews on Rakuten Travel | Suits (per the Japanese article) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス) |
Next to exit 2 of Kujo Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway); Kyoto Station Hachijo East Exit: 6 minutes | 13,600 yen (6,800 per person) | 2,784 reviews, average 4.36 (bath 4.24) | People who choose it knowing that the listing separates a sauna for men from a ceramic-plate bath for women |
 Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi (ホテル エルシエント京都八条口) |
JR Kyoto Station Hachijo East Exit: 2 minutes; airport limousine bus stop right by | 14,480 yen (7,240 per person) | 7,969 reviews, average 4.35 (bath 4.38) | People arriving by airport bus; people who want to drop their bags early |
 Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae (天然温泉 花蛍の湯 ドーミーインPREMIUM京都駅前) |
JR Kyoto Station Central Exit: about 3 minutes | 24,860 yen (12,430 per person) | 5,019 reviews, average 4.48 (bath 4.5) | People who want to choose among hotels whose listings say natural hot spring |
 Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma (京都ユニバーサルホテル烏丸) |
About 780 m from Hachijo East Exit along Karasuma-dori; about 230 m from Kujo Station exit 3 (Karasuma line) | 6,990 yen (shown per room) | 4,025 reviews, average 4.01 (bath 3.96) | People who want to keep the room cost down; people who want to use the listing's free breakfast-and-dinner wording |
 AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa (ＡＢホテル京都四条堀川) |
Hankyu Omiya Station: 5 minutes; Subway Shijo Station exit 2: 7 minutes | 14,400 yen (7,200 per person) | 2,808 reviews, average 4.18 (bath 4.19) | People with business around Shijo who want wording that says separate for men and women |
Our price record, hotel by hotel (the daily Rakuten Travel price, 2 adults in 1 room for 1 night, for 14 nights starting several weeks ahead):
- Sakura Terrace: 14 nights starting 8 weeks ahead (19 November to 2 December). The lowest day in the record was 19 November (Thu); the highest was 28 November (Sat).
- Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi: 14 nights starting 12 weeks ahead (17 December to 30 December). The lowest day in the record was 24 December (Thu); the highest was 30 December (Wed).
- Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae: 14 nights starting 12 weeks ahead (17 December to 30 December). The lowest day in the record was 22 December (Tue); the highest was 29 December (Tue).
- Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma: 14 nights starting 4 weeks ahead (22 October to 4 November). The lowest day in the record was 3 November (Tue); the highest was 31 October (Sat).
- AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa: 14 nights starting 12 weeks ahead (17 December to 30 December). The lowest day in the record was 20 December (Sun); the highest was 30 December (Wed).
The yen amounts for these record days are in the Japanese article's charts and are not repeated here.
Notes on the numbers
How to read "our price record." These are measured values: we record the vacancy prices on Rakuten Travel once a day (the total for 1 night, 2 adults, 1 room). In the Japanese article's charts, the horizontal axis is the night of stay, and the text under each point is the day of the week. Saturdays and Sundays are shown in orange because, in our records, Saturday-night stays ran at 1.7 times the overall median (calculated from the records made from 24 September to 7 October). The amounts at the left of each chart are that hotel's highest and lowest, and the orange dot marks the lowest-priced day. The vertical scale differs by hotel, so the heights of the lines cannot be compared between hotels. Reference prices and discount rates shown on booking sites are not used. Prices change, so check each booking site for the latest.
The price record is what we recorded when the Japanese article was made, for the stated night, 2 adults, 1 room, and prices change by date. Walking times and distances are the wording in each listing, not measured by us.
The only price below ten thousand yen was at Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma: 6,990 yen for 2 adults in 1 room on 30 September 2026 (Wednesday). Only this hotel was listed at a per-room price, so the per-person field is left empty.
Prices move from day to day. When you book, look at the price shown on each site.
Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi (ホテル エルシエント京都八条口)
The listing gives 2 minutes on foot from the JR Kyoto Station Hachijo East Exit, and says the airport limousine bus stop (Itami and Kansai) is right by. It mentions a large bath with a sauna. On 30 September the price was 14,480 yen (7,240 yen per person). Rakuten Travel shows 7,969 reviews, the largest number of reviews among the five, with an average of 4.35 and a bath item of 4.38. The parking field states 20 spaces, first come, first served, from 15:00 to 11:00 at 1,500 yen, with extra charges outside those hours and at each entry and exit; partner lots are also mentioned.
- Walk (as listed): 2 min on foot from Kyoto Station
- Listing mentions: large bath, sauna, parking
- Price: 14,480 yen for 2 adults in 1 room (7,240 per person), on 30 Sep (Wed)
- Reviews: 7,969 reviews, average 4.35 on Rakuten Travel
Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae (天然温泉 花蛍の湯 ドーミーインPREMIUM京都駅前)
The access field says about 3 minutes on foot from the JR Kyoto Station Central Exit. It is the one hotel of the five whose listing says natural hot spring, and it also mentions a high-temperature sauna, a cold plunge and free services. On 30 September the price was 24,860 yen (12,430 yen per person). Rakuten Travel shows 5,019 reviews with an average of 4.48, and a bath item of 4.5. Parking is listed as first come, first served at 2,000 yen per night.
- Walk (as listed): About 3 min on foot from Kyoto Station, central exit
- Listing mentions: large bath, sauna, parking
- Price: 24,860 yen for 2 adults in 1 room (12,430 per person), on 30 Sep (Wed)
- Reviews: 5,019 reviews, average 4.48 on Rakuten Travel
Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma (京都ユニバーサルホテル烏丸)
The listing gives about 780 m south along Karasuma-dori from the Hachijo East Exit of Kyoto Station, and about 230 m south of exit 3 of Kujo Station on the subway Karasuma line. It mentions a large bath with a sauna, and free breakfast and dinner without details of the meals. On 30 September the price was 6,990 yen for 2 adults in 1 room, shown per room. Rakuten Travel shows 4,025 reviews with an average of 4.01, and a bath item of 3.96. The parking field says the space cannot be reserved and is first come on the day, from 16:00 to 10:00 the next day at 1,980 yen, with a height limit of 2.1 m; motorcycles and bicycles are not accepted.
- Listing mentions: large bath, sauna, parking
- Price: 6,990 yen for 2 adults in 1 room (6,990 per person), on 30 Sep (Wed)
- Reviews: 4,025 reviews, average 4.01 on Rakuten Travel
AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa (ＡＢホテル京都四条堀川)
The listing gives 5 minutes on foot from Hankyu Omiya Station, and 7 minutes from exit 2 of Shijo Station on the subway and exit 24 of Hankyu Karasuma Station. It describes the large bath as separate for men and women and does not mention a sauna. On 30 September the price was 14,400 yen (7,200 yen per person). Rakuten Travel shows 2,808 reviews with an average of 4.18, and a bath item of 4.19. The parking field says there is no parking on the hotel grounds and that the hotel will direct guests to nearby paid lots.
- Walk (as listed): 5 min on foot from Omiya Station
- Listing mentions: large bath
- Price: 14,400 yen for 2 adults in 1 room (7,200 per person), on 30 Sep (Wed)
- Reviews: 2,808 reviews, average 4.18 on Rakuten Travel
Where choosing by "large bath" can trip you up
There are two points where I nearly went wrong more than once when choosing a hotel by its bath. Both could have been avoided by reading the listing to the end.
Assuming there is a sauna
A large bath and a sauna are separate items in a listing. When a sauna is not mentioned, you cannot say the hotel has none, but checking is your own job.
Among these five, four listings mentioned a sauna. Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi says the large bath comes with a sauna, and Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma lists a large bath and a sauna. The Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae listing also mentions a cold plunge.
For Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス), the sauna was noted as for men. The one where I found no mention was AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa. If you want to keep costs down, the Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma listing gives you something to go on.
I should be honest about Sakura Terrace, the hotel I chose as the lead. Its listing says sauna only for the men's side. For women, the wording is a different thing: a ceramic-plate bath.
If two people stay and both expect the same thing, they will find it does not match. If the sauna is the purpose, the Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae listing is easier to read: it mentions both a high-temperature sauna and a cold plunge.
Distance from the station and ease of parking are separate
The AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa parking field is clear. It says there is no parking on the hotel grounds and that the hotel will direct guests to nearby paid lots.
Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi, by contrast, gives the number of spaces, the hours and the fee: 20 spaces, first come first served, 15:00 to 11:00, 1,500 yen, with extra charges outside those hours and at each entry and exit, and partner lots as well.
The parking field for Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma even includes a height limit: not reservable, first come on the day, 16:00 to 10:00 the next day, 1,980 yen, 2.1 m or lower, no motorcycles or bicycles.
Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス), the lead hotel, is the thinnest on this point. All it has is one sentence about guiding you to nearby lots. The number of spaces, fee and height limit are not given, so if you are driving it is quicker to ask first.
If you are going by train, none of this matters. If you are going by car, read this field before the walking minutes.
Points that are easy to trip on before booking
Is a hotel with a large bath expensive?
Not necessarily. When you compare on the same day, the spread is quite wide.
For 2 adults in 1 room on 30 September 2026 (Wednesday), Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma was 6,990 yen. Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae was 24,860 yen (12,430 yen per person). On the same day and under the same conditions, that is a gap of more than three times.
The remaining three sit in between. Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス) was 13,600 yen (6,800 yen per person).
AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa was 14,400 yen (7,200 yen per person).
Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi was 14,480 yen (7,240 yen per person).
In other words, the price is not set only by whether a hotel has a large bath.
Is the overall review score enough?
If the bath is your purpose, it is quicker to look first at the "bath" item. Rakuten Travel reviews also show an average for each item.
Among these five, the bath item is 4.5 for Dormy Inn Premium Kyoto Ekimae. Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi is 4.38, and Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス) is 4.24.
I will give the other two as well: AB Hotel Kyoto Shijo Horikawa is 4.19 and Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma is 3.96. The hotel I chose as the lead sits about in the middle of the five.
Look at the gap from the overall score too. Sakura Terrace has an overall 4.36 against a bath item of 4.24. Looking at the bath alone, it is not as high as the overall score.
I will add the number of reviews as well. Hotel El Cient Kyoto Hachijoguchi has 7,969 reviews, the most of these five. Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma has 4,025.
What this article does not cover
Large-bath hours are not written for any of the five. The Rakuten Travel facility information has no item for times, and I did not stay. Please check the booking page to find out whether you can bathe late at night or early in the morning.
Check-in time, room size and what breakfast includes are likewise not given. The exception is the Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma listing, which mentions free breakfast and dinner. It does not say what is served, so that also depends on the booking page.
Scores are available, though. For Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス), the reviews give the breakfast item as 4.6. What is served is not written, yet the score alone is high. It is an interesting field.
Summary
- Do not decide on "large bath available" alone. Some listings are written so that the contents differ for men and women.
- In Kyoto, searching around Kyoto Station is different from searching in the city centre. Decide from the place where you need to be.
- Even for the same night, the price spread across these five is more than threefold. Set a budget first.
Among these five, the only one that wrote the bath contents differently for men and women was Sakura Terrace (サクラテラス). It is an easy line to skip, but it matters if two people are staying.
This article contains affiliate advertising (Rakuten Travel). Prices, facilities and other information are as of the time of writing. Be sure to check the display on the booking site when you book.
Original (Japanese): https://sorenari-trip.com/2026/09/13/kyoto-large-bath-hotel/
Want to compare other options in this city? Affiliate link (PR): we may earn a commission if you book through it. Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.
