Ryokan Marumo Inn

When I first arrived I wasn't too sure but after 4 nights I was sad to be leaving. Very classic Ryokan, simple but elegant. Here the pros and cons might overlap. Solid Japanese style breakfast is delicious but then you might not be hungry again until dinner. Old style room with tatami is charming but also a bit claustrophobic and has paper thin walls (earplugs?). Grandmother owner is very genki and warm. Grandfather owner is...hard to read. Walking distance from the castle and a thousand bars, eateries and cute shops. Great deal at about 6000yen/night. Also, it is well known amongst locals. If you mention you are staying there, your street cred will "level up" :)

We arrived here straight from an 11 hour flight and the train journey from Osaka, and could not have found a better place to relax and shake off our jet lag. It's a quiet, calm place to stay, comfortable and with enough communal showers and toilets so that we never had to queue. There's also a Japanese bath.||Because the ryokan isn't used by tour groups, each guest gets individual attention - the owners couldn't have been kinder or more helpful. The optional Japanese breakfast was a delight, and we were grateful for the extra effort the cook made for us because we're vegetarian. Those breakfasts were some of the best food we had in Japan, and overall we enjoyed our stay here more than anywhere else in our 3 week trip.

Marumo Ryokan is in lovely Japanese building and within walking distance of Matsumoto Castle and the train station. The room was spacious enough and the bedding comfortable and yukata robes were provided in the room. The ryokan has a shared bathroom but we didn't experience any problems with this and all rooms and facilities are very clean. I definitely recommend booking the Japanese breakfast, well worth the extra and it's (very) filling and delicious. ||Local restaurants tend to close a bit early but we had a great dinner at Bun in the street behind Marumo (down the side street, turn right and a short walk until you find it on the right-hand side), and it was open a bit later than other places.

Stayed here for one night during a Japanese road trip. Beautifully central for exploring the charming Matsumoto. The room was perfectly clean, comfortable and provided all the basic necessities to ensure a relaxing and peaceful stay. Charming staff at every turn ensured that we were always greeted with a smile and any assistance. ||||Fabulous location to explore Matsumoto, with everything we needed within walking distance. ||||Would highly recommend this very reasonably priced and traditional Ryokan

The good: this is a clean and comfortable ryokan in a historic building, their bath is really nice. The location is excellent for exploring all the main sites and dining areas in Matsumoto, everything is walk-able from here. The breakfast they provided was lovely and filling, and the staff are friendly.||||Possible downsides: It's cash only, and difficult to book from outside Japan. Bathrooms and toilets are shared. As we were actually the only guests there at the time this wasn't a major problem for us - however I imagine when it's busier this could prove a hassle. Our room didn't lock at all.

We had such a nice stay at Marumo. We were there only two nights (wish it was longer). It was walking distance to everywhere. The staff were so so helpful. They gave us some great information about the area and advice. The breakfasts were epically amazing - best Japanese style we've ever had.||Couldn't recommend this place any higher. It's a must stay for Matsumoto. Email or call to book!

We had a comfortable room in Marumo.This simple ryokan is in a great location in Matsumoto and you can walk everywhere in this friendly small town. It was quiet when we were there but I think the fact that there is only one bath could be a problem at busier times. Breakfast was good and included some fruit which was very welcome.

Stayed one night at this lovely Ryokan in March 2017. Excellent location and friendly staff, rooms were clean in a Japanese style. Great showers and shared toilets. Perfect stop by before exploring the Japanese alps. Pretty city with walking distance to everything. Would go back again!