We have stayed at Tawaraya also and it is a astonishing experience. Private bath and the tub is also private for each room there. Do some searches on Tawaraya there have been several threads where it has been discussed. It has been in the same family for 300 years. The food is served in the room, while you sit in your robe on the floor with the low table in front of you. It is a traditional kaiseki cuisine which is hard to get if you dont stay at one of the ryokans. Friends and stayed at cheaper ones in Kyoto and been very pleased also. There is one in the Gion area the name of which escapes me but friends have really liked. There is another in Tokyo with free internet that a friend always stays at and like a lot. Again, afraid I forget the name. The web sites listed above should be a great help.

Tawaraya arranged a great tour for us of Kyoto with an English speaking driver in a nice car. The amount of people speaking English isnt a like at a large luxury hotel like a Hyatt or Seiyo Ginza but enough to get by without knowing Japanese.