At first I was hesitate to book this hotel because it only has 2.5 stars. However, I decided to book it because of the raving Expedia customer rating (9.4/10). I've stayed in this hotel for two nights and I did not regret choosing Kyoto Ryokan Shoei. The lobby, the room, the dining hall and the hot spring are all very clean. I especially love the traditional Japanese style. All staffs are very polite and helpful. The check-in staff even helped me to locate the bus stop going to my sight-seeing destination the next day. It's a big plus that they carry and sell the Kyoto one-day bus pass. The breakfast is nice and cheap (a full course at 1000yen for adult which is just about US$7.5). Room is in regular size but with tatami laid out, you'll need to be creative to lay all luggages on the floor opened. Bathroom is large compared to many other hotels in Japan. Although Expedia doesn't show that this hotel has laundry, it actually has one washer and one dryer located in the lobby ladies' bathroom. I just found out on the day of check out. The hotel is located in a residential area, so there's no shopping within walking distance. However, bus stops and JR station are conveniently located within 5-8 min of walking distance. Overall, I'd rate this hotel a 9.5/10. I took half a point off just because it doesn't advertise laundry and there's only one washer and one dryer for the whole hotel.