Len Kyoto Kawaramachi

Very nice hostel with great staff. 10 minute bus from outside Kyoto station that drops you off almost directly outside the hostel. Facilities were clean and the downstairs bar is great, and it has a well serviced common area for hostel guests that includes laundry machines. Thought this was very good value for money especially compared to similar hostels in Kyoto

Easily the best hostel we stayed at in Japan. The staff were so welcoming, and helpful throughout our whole stay. The rooms were clean and spacious and the shared bathrooms were always clean and well stocked. I can’t recommend this place enough, not only was the room and service amazing, the bar/cafe was a great environment to relax and meet some new people. Also as two 20 year old females travelling we felt very safe. We also found the location super central to the main bars. Thank you for a great stay!

Nice bar and delicious coffee. But the hostel is very disappointing, especially given the price we paid. We’ve got a room that doesn’t match the pictures and description at all including its size, not to mention that the toilets were not available on our floor for men. Another surprise were obvious stains on old bed sheets that no one even tried to hide. We’ve tried to cancel the reservation but the administration didn’t find a way to refund. So after the first night, we moved to another cheaper (!) hotel but the experience was completely the opposite. The profile on Booking is misleading. Don’t recommend

Easily by far the best hostel I’ve stayed at so far. Great customer service, extremely welcoming. Everything is very clean, the decor is amazing and the showers and bathrooms are very spacious. I will definitely be back if I come back to Kyoto. Thanks for the amazing hospitality

I honestly don’t understand the hype with this hostel. It’s ok, but for the price, I was expecting something better. The location is excellent, no doubt, but the rooms and corridors look old and not well maintained, the room smells damp and the toilet is nothing like the pictures. There is air con in the rooms but I’m not sure it’s working as the only cool air I feel comes from a fan (it’s quite warm in the room and I can’t close my blinds or it’s unbearable). The mattress is quite thin and my bedsheets were stained. The toilets look NOTHING like the picture. Basically, a budget hostel at premium prices. Can’t get my head around the 4.5 stars… I must say the staff are lovely, everything else should be improved if they plan to continue to charge 7,000 yen a night.

WARNING! (City view rooms only) On main road. Very loud and constant traffic, all night, every night, with single pane windows. Live in NY and I'm used to noise at night, but not like this. Beside the room, the hostel is great, staff are amazing, and hostel building and location is fantastic, great café down stairs and they've fostered a very fun and chill communal vibe. Close to bus stop quick walks to most areas you'd want to see. I would steer clear from city view rooms and specifically request a room away from the road. You won't get a wink of sleep.

Hotel asked me to cancel my reservation due to group size even though they have plenty of availability. Even with our group of 11 confirmed, it says online they have many bunks still available. Extremely disappointed with how our reservation was handled. We booked months in advance, received confirmation, and were never informed of any issues until many months later, far too close to our stay to make changes without having to pay exponentially more. This isn’t just an inconvenience. In popular destinations like Kyoto, accommodations sell out or become significantly more expensive months in advance. Because of their failure to notify us in a timely manner, we are now left scrambling to find a new place and are being forced to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for alternatives that should’ve never been necessary. Poor communication by Meg & Kotomi, zero accountability, and a lack of basic professionalism. I truly hope no other travelers have to go through this. If booking, please be aware they may ask you to cancel which will leave you having to spend more money on a new place. Avoid all together if possible.

We had a few drinks here and really enjoyed the relaxed, friendly atmosphere at the bar. The staff were very welcoming. We each had two drinks, but the cocktails seemed a bit light on alcohol.

Excellent ambience, friendly staff. Very limited breakfast items (1-2 options), but a fine selection of drinks

Nice urban vibe. Everyone seemed very welcoming. The food and coffee were really good. A must try.

This is an amazing hostel as well as place to eat. The cheapest nights here run around 2600 yen, but the interior is wonderfully decorated and the whole atmosphere is vibing. The staff are super welcoming. Check in is at 4pm but you can come store your luggage at 8am for free in the meantime! Its a convenient location not too far from stations. They serve amazing croissants here as well. Theyre super buttery and flaky. The chocolate ones are even better to me. Lots of taxis pass by this street as its a main street so thats helpful! All the nearby tourists sites like golden pavilion, nishiki market, and gion are within 20 minutes walking too.

I both stayed at the hostel and ate dinner here. Hostel One of the most comfortable places I stayed while in Japan. I was in a 6 bed mixed dorm, fully occupied the whole time. Love the blackout curtains and the cute little flashlight they provide. Oh and the shower OH THE SHOWER!!! I dream about showers like this, the pressure made me feel like my skin might slough off entirely and i might walk out a shiny skeleton-which was AMAZING! Of course you have control over it but if you're like me and you want to feel like you're standing beneath Niagara falls, crank that sucker up and enjoy. I had a caramel latte one morning that was perfection. Please drink coffee here if nothing else. Dinner was OK but the prices are super reasonable so zero complaints here. Well...except the pours on the cocktails...I don't like to see so much empty space in my glass. All in all, loved Len and the staff are awesome. Check it out if you're ever in Kyoto.

Originally this wasn't the place we were going to stay for our time in Kyoto but our Airbnb cancelled on us and we ended up finding Lens which couldn't have turned out better. Arriving to Kyoto from Osaka was one rough morning but once we got to Lens we could finally relax for a bit before heading out to do touristy things. We arrived in the morning but check-in was at 4pm so you can store your luggage there while you go explore Kyoto. The interior of this place is no joke, super comfy and aesthetic and there was also a bar/ cafe in the lobby with the friendliest staff. For the price, the place is pretty value and clean (much cleaner than some of the other hostels we stayed at). The location was prime as the transit systems and shopping malls were just couple minutes away. Shout out to the bow-tie guy from the cafe for always filling our water bottles up! Loved Lens and their hospitality.

If you are alone and want to see someone from around the world? Here is a place for you to spend your time with your new friends. I simply love this place as other Kyoto locals and travellers from around world do.　If you want to do some work you can do it and having food at there you can do it as well. Coffee is great at Len during daytime and Having craft beer is nice in the evening. All staff at Len are very nice and they make you feel like you are at home ! I always be there when I want to have a chat with staff, new and old friends! Try it out, you won't regret it!

LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE! I came here to stay over at the hostel. The location is nice. It is a good distance from Kyoto station, but I walked with my friends (thank god we didn't have that many luggages). But if you're not up for the walk, taxi will do. They have a community room where you can pour yourself some instant coffee or hot water. There's a washing machine and dryer (only one each). You can choose to stay in a more private room, or a mixed dorm. I stayed at the mixed dorm and there were some unique people staying over. I didn't particularly talk to them but they had their luggage spread out on the ground. It literally reminded me of some school field trip. Once you get to your room, you would need to make your bed. Not to worry, each bed has curtains and a small lamp on the side. Each room has an air condition (yes!! for summer). I can't say much about dinner, but I had their breakfast. I love their chai latte, with their pastries. Their pastries are nothing special, but it goes well with their drinks. It was the perfect breakfast for the hike to Kiyomizu-dera.

One for the coffee lovers. I've been in Japan for a week now and this place serves by far the best coffee I've had in Japan. Unfortunately they only serve pastries on weekdays. Cooked meals are only served on weekends.

Discovered this place in the 2016 Guide to Best Kyoto Cafes (highly recommended). I needed a place to work and study and had previously been going to Starbucks. Yeah, over that. Love LEN because: 1. Centrally located in Kyoto (which seems ideal for those staying at the hostel.) 2. Clean and organic vibe- wood decor, plants, floor to ceiling windows. 3. Free Wifi- like real free. NOT "log in for 2 hours after giving your email address and other personal info away." 4. Power Outlets- not a ton of them, but this place doesn't get as packed as a Starbucks so at least you're not fighting over them. 5. All Day Hours- 8am -11pm. Think breakfast (french press coffee, yogurt and granola with bananas), light snacks (mixed nuts, desserts), more of that Ethiopian Coffee, then transition to... ALCOHOL. Wine, mixed drinks, beer. Prices are very reasonable. 500yen for a glass of wine and 400 yen for the granola/yogurt thing. I've literally spent entire days here. 6. Music. Wide range- best of iTunes, funk, and some dance beats and treasures that you can't just Shazam. (but they're more than happy to tell you what they are if you ask!) 7. Staff and Patrons- Staff is all Japanese, but they speak a little bit of English and are friendly. The international patrons make for good people watching. plus, there's a good amount of Japanese locals too that come to meet and hang. always a good sign.

What a swish hostel. Probably the best hostel I've ever stayed in if I'm honest. I wasn't super keen on going back to sleeping in communal dorms whilst over in Japan, so most accomm was either Airbnb or hotels, but we decided to give Len a bash for a few days as I'd heard so much about it, and I'm glad we did! Some of the finer points: - The design of the place is just really beautiful. It's got a really organic arty kind of feel, but still polished and top notch - The food and drink in the cafe is excellent and cheap as chips. - Service - as all over Japan, friendly, so friendly, polite, and knowledgeable - Cleanliness - again as with nearly everywhere we stayed in Japan, you could practically eat your dinner off the floor it was so clean - The dorms are excellently designed. The beds are nearly pod-like in that you can pull across these curtains so you're totally cocooned and private. They seem to be half way between a single and double maybe and have plugs, reading lights, really soft comfy duvets and lockers for each person. - The kitchen is well equipped should you wish to make your own food (though I don't know why you would with that fab cafe downstairs!), and there are cheap and easy laundry facilities - There are two laptops there for your free use with fast wifi (so useful when you're just relying on your phone for internet and travel planning) - The showers had unbelievable pressure and huge private changing rooms, with really good quality products for your use. - Absolutely perfect location - right in the thick of it all and easy to get anywhere by bus or train, or great for strolling along the canal and finding some very cool hidden bars & restaurants around the immediate area. Honestly aside from the shared rooms, it felt much more like a hotel than a hostel. Really enjoyed it and would highly recommend anyone staying there. I hope I get a chance to again in the future.

Great coffee! The breakfast was delicious for only 5 yen, it was a combination of western style with Japanese flavors. The place is very cozy with beautiful decor. The background music was also very nice, it was Beatles music covered by a Japanese artist Shione Yukawa. I highly recommend this place!

I've been to a lot of different hostels and this one definitely is one of the best. The Len is super well located, around 10 minutes walking from the center of Kyoto and very close to some of the best temples too. It's also quite easy to come from the train station. The place in itself is awesome, very modern and minimalist, and the staff was very welcoming. There is a nice bar located downstair, serving food during the day and drink during the evening until midnight. The rooms and bathrooms are very clean, and again very minimalist. There is also a kitchen with a small common room. The only thing I would have changed is the bed: on the upper bed there is a big hole between the mattress and the wall which I found a bit scary.

Given that I have been attempting to find the best coffee in Kasai, finding a cafe serving Tokyo coffee shouldn't be a huge surprise, but... surprisingly... it is quite hard to find cafes in Kansai serving Onibus coffee, a popular roaster in Tokyo. The cafe at Len however is an exception, and not only does it have Onibus coffee, it does a fantastic job with it. As both an espresso and filter, it performed well. The staff here were great, and as a bonus to the English speaking traveller, from what I could see, all the staff could speak English. The other bonus this cafe has is the generous opening hours. More often than not in Japan the cafes are late to open (and late to close), but this means that it is sometimes hard to find a good cafe in the morning (when you really want one). So if you are visiting Kyoto, make sure to drop by and give these guys a try. Passion: 9/10 Crema: 9/10 Coffee: Onibus

**This is a review for the bar area only, not the hostel** As soon as I stepped into Len, I felt at peace. The decor is natural and gorgeous. The room is lit with a soft glow, the furniture is wood, and light music plays. For ¥500 yen you can get a small glass of jibiru (craft beer), or ¥700 for a regular size glass. It's a very reasonable price for craft beer in Japan. Because the bar is also a hostel common space, it seems like a place you can go to do work or read without fear of being kicked out. Also, it looks like a good place to meet old friends or find new ones. I'll definitely be going back! And next time I'll try their food!

We went to Len's this morning for some coffee and a croissant. The coffee was average, too much milk in the latte. I ordered a cold brew to go for my wife and the barista filled the cup about 3/4 full. I asked her to fill it completely, seeing it was a $5.00 (500 yen) cup of coffee, and she looked at me like I was nuts. She said "for special" and gave me a splash more. I asked for a little more and she poured literally 5 drops into the cup. Very strange place.

Went there right after visiting Apprivoiser. My latte tasted delicious. I loved the ambiance. It is a bit away but worth a visit.

A hip and very clean hostel located in Kawaramachi, Kyoto. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Shared dorms are clean and have privacy curtails as well as small storage lockers. Private rooms come with a small desk and sink. Conveniently located about a 10 min. walk from Kawaramachi station. Overall, I'd highly recommend this hostel for anyone staying in Kyoto on a budget.

Best coffee I had in Kyoto so far: you have a choice in the menu for espresso, filtered or aeropress, and real good coffee. Try the one from Ethiopia, as it looks like a tea but it taste like real coffee. For breakfast there is an option of fresh croissants, butter and chocolate. Staff super friendly and hospitality is genuine. Strongly recommended.

Excellent food and coffee. I had a hot cocoa and a ham and cheese sandwich and it was delicious. Really cool environment and nice people. The service was great also!

Seems like a nice hostel. Not sure how much they charge or how many people would share one bathroom. Only had coffee here. Very hipster.

This place is awesome! We had the aero press coffee and iced latte AND the best croissant ever. So flaky and buttery, it was quite heavenly. Also had the egg which was boiled to perfection. Very trendy place like that you'd find in the Arts District (DTLA). Now, back to eating sushi and yakitori!

Stopped by for a bite, and I was immediately sold on the friendliness of the staff. I had a pork noodle dish and the oolong tea with alcohol drink. The drink came fast and wow it was so good I couldn't taste the alcohol. Bartender overheard me and offered to add more, and pours another 2-3 shots of sake into my drink (IT WAS SAKE! Totally was expecting the bite of vodka or something). Pork noodles came quickly and it was fantastic! Flavorful, well spiced, and light. Hint: add the lime. It will blow you away. I'm definitely staying here on my next trip to Kyoto.

No wifi and some rather uncomfortable seating, but I guess that's the cost for having beautiful wooden interior design. It has a wide open entrance that gives the impression that you're sitting outside. So no air conditioning. I feel like they sell out of things by 3 pm, so not all menu items are available. But it's a very beautiful cafe and if Kyoto wifi works for your laptop it should be a good place to camp for an afternoon.

This friendly bar and eatery appeals to travelers from near and far. They host live music and serve tasty looking food. I greatly appreciate finding Firestone Pale 31 beer, my favorite from home. The decor is composed of gorgeous wood, handcrafted into the bar and tables. The vibe feels like the Pacific Northwest of the US.

Husband and I were staying at a nearby hotel and saw the good reviews on this bar so we decided to stop in. Most of the staff knows pretty good English and are very, very friendly. Food is DELICIOUS and reasonably priced. The fish and chips were super yummy. Some of the best fries! The lamb over rice is a good, simple "fill me up" dish. I was almost licking the bowl. Some good local beers on tap. You can get a GIANT mug of beer for the equivalent of 11ish USD. Seemed to get much busier around 8pm. So busy we actually had to stand.

Excellent hostel and cafe located in central Kyoto. I was so surprised to find this very hip coffee shop when I was wandering the streets of Kyoto. As a local New Yorker, I felt that I had stepped into a shop in Brooklyn for a cup of coffee. It's beautifully decorated and their coffee and pastries are excellent. I so badly wanted to book a bed in the hostel for my remaining days in Kyoto, but they were booked out. Regardless, the staff at Len were very helpful providing recommendations for me in the areas as well as a map to keep highlighting the route I should take. I would certainly recommend Len for travelers to the area and I wish to return on my next trip to Japan.

So good we stayed extended our stay. Highly recommend trying the vegetarian curries they offer both the red and green were incredible we had them multiple times including at their sister hostel in Tokyo! Great places to sit, eat and have a drink whether you're already in a travel group or a solo traveller looking to chat to locals/staff or other travellers.

We were staying close by and found Len on Yelp, so we came for breakfast our first day in Kyoto. What a find!!! As you can see from the posted pictures, it is a nice, clean and interesting place - very hip. We arrived at about 10 am, just as they were finished serving for breakfast, but the wonderful girl who worked here took pity on us and sold us the last of their croissants. We were SO happy she did because they were some of the best croissants we have ever had! The croissants along with caramel lattes made us very happy and ready to set out for the day. The very kind server took the time to talk with us and gave us the info we needed to learn to take the bus and how to get to Kyoto Station. Maybe it was the excitement of starting our week in Kyoto, but that morning at Len's remains one of our favorite memories! Now, I won't lie, it was expensive - buy by Japanese standards it was right in line. 4 croissants and 4 lattes cost $30+ But on the first day in a BEAUTIFUL city, it was a perfect start!!

Very good and a great ambience . Amazing coffee and great pastries and very relaxing vibe