Kurashiki Ivy Square

Kurashki Ivy Square is a unique and attractive family-friendly hotel located on the edge of the lovely Bikan Historical District. Our room was roomy by Japanese standards, bright and cheery and well organized. The public baths are a nice addition.

The breakfast buffet offers a wide assortment of Asian and Western dishes, but the quality was not as high as in other Japanese hotels we stayed in, and I regretted opting for it.

Location was excellent for visiting the historic area in Kurashiki which is right at the back of the hotel with an easy access. I visited with my elderly parents and I was bit worried because my father needs to use a wheelchair most of the time, but there was no need for worry. They have wheel chair access in the building and all the staff were very helpful. We could park right in front of the hotel entrance which helped us a lot when we load and unload the wheelchair. I also loved the public bath. Jet bath was so relaxing and there were all the amenities you need in the changing room. Another thing we loved was the room We stayed in the family room, and it was spacious, clean and there was clam atmosphere.

Nothing really.

It was possible to walk to Ivy Square from Kurashiki Station, however we took a taxi when we first arrived, which only cost ¥1000. The hotel was beautiful, spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The hotel is situated in a very convenient area as it is very close to the main streets of the traditional Bikan area of Kurashiki with its many interesting shops selling all manner of items from locally produced tea to denim, also produced locally. We didn't opt for breakfast to be included in our booking but it was very easy to find cafes close by where we could get a coffee and something to eat.

The room was on the small side, which seems fairly normal for Japan but was nevertheless very comfortable.

The breakfast was good for the 2 nights we were there. Staff were great. They have 2 laundry machines with dryers. It is located in the historic part of town which is lovely and is a 15-20 minute walk from the train station. Rooms are clean and are the usual size for most accommodation in Japan.

We planned to use the laundry at 6.3am but both machines were already in use. We were lucky one was done around 7.3 and no one else was waiting. A pre book time slot may be helpful. While it is in a lovely historic part of town, most things shut by 5pm on weekdays so people may be limited with options and things to see/do.

If you are visiting the historic district of Kurashiki, this is THE best place to stay - superb location (in the district) and, as a historic building itself, it has personality. Our room comfortable, newly remodeled with high ceilings, and very quiet. Cool bar in the basement. Lovely open courtyard - wonderful for sitting outside when the weather is nice. Friendly, helpful staff. Nice public bath.

Nothing to complain about. Small item - bar didn’t open until 8pm, we would have liked to have had a drink before going out to dinner.

This is an amazing hotel, converted from an old cotton spinning and weaving mill into a high class hotel. It is set on the edge of the historic district for Kurashi and has some wonderful craft shops and a beer garden at its centre. The rooms are very modern well appointed, typical of the Japanese “Buisness hotel” style and their is a public bath. I had to wash some clothes during my stay and used the highest tech Coin laundry I have seen, the washing machines charged by weight of clothes (to wash and dry) and needed a PIN number to be entered to lock the machine before the wash would start!

There was very limited seating in the lobby areas. I was travelling with a colleague and we needed to have a meeting - so this was challenging. We ended up sitting at an outside table under a large umbrella in the rain (it was the rainy season). They public baths need to have better information about what guests should and should not do. I was shocked to see two tourists (who were speaking in Mandarin) wearing underwear in the bath and not respecting the calm atmosphere. The bath had a small notice in the changing area, but needs to be clearer with guests as to what is, and is not, acceptable in public baths in Japan.

This is a nice hotel in the historical district. The Deluxe Twin Room B was a step up from a businessman hotel -- a little larger but only a rack for a closet and slightly more room for two large suitcases and two totes. The coffee and tea service is of good quality. The view from the room in Dec is a bare-tree winter courtyard, very seasonal. The souvenir shop is wonderful as is the food gift shop.

There is a lovely large central courtyard but it has no cafe or coffee/tea service. The restaurant menu is all in Japanese. There didn't seem to be a cafe or restaurant for an informal bite. Since the hotel seems to strive for a European ambience, it would have been nice to have afternoon tea either inside or outside.

The hotel is in a historic charming building, with outstanding staff, who guided us to our room and loaned us a wheelchair gratis. We enjoyed the old town immensely with an hour richshaw ride and a fun gondola trip. Terrific unagi (eel) dinner that was tasty and memorable. Hotel has a free onsen, laundry room, vending machines.

We loved the hotel and the beautiful town. Nothing we didn't like. We will come back to see the Ohara Museum with striking European paintings and original modern Japanese artwork.

I stayed here for a night when I visited Kurashiki in July 2022. The hotel is one of the several facilities located in a complex of buildings that were part of Japan's first modern cotton mill. I didn't have the opportunity to try some of the amenities like the bathhouse or restaurant, but I found my single room to be very clean with all the amenities I needed during my stay. The hotel is located very conveniently for tourists, as the Bikan Historical Quarter is located practically adjacent to the complex. The walk from the JR Kurashiki station was a little far when carrying a travel backpack, but still relatively doable.

The room didn't have much of a view, but this didn't really affect the positive experience I had staying here.

The room, bed, and especially bath area, were exceptional. Taking a bath there was very relaxing, as was lounging in the bed afterwards after a long day of travel. The TV had a lot of channels. The building is beautiful, I believe a former mill / factory, and we could see why people would want to get married there.

*Maybe it was just us*, but we had some difficulty finding the place. Perhaps people usually take the taxi there but we walked from the station and were lost for a bit. I wonder if it's possible to put up signs to make it easier to find the entrances.