When we arrived, the reception area was empty with just a note telling us to dial 1 on the phone to alert the staff. We followed the instructions, but no one answered/came. We ended up waiting about half an hour before someone finally showed up. This was a big deal for us because we were hoping to drop off our luggage and visit Todaiji Temple before it closed. Because of the wait, we had to skip Todaiji entirely that day.
The location is the inn's biggest strength. However, the rooms don't have tables to set your things on, and the walls are very thin. You can hear people in neighboring rooms snoring or chatting, and footsteps from the hallway are clearly audible. The shared bathrooms are clean.
There's a cafe upstairs that opens in the morning for breakfast, and overnight guests get a discount. The food was so-so overall, though the local jam and honey were tasty. The rice flour muffins were dry.
I wouldn't recommend this inn if you're a light sleeper or easily distracted by noise.
