Kyoto is certainly one of Japan’s most-known tourism spots, even if it quite a bit smaller than cities like Tokyo and Osaka. But with a population of nearly 1.5 million people, Kyoto, known for its relaxing rock gardens and temples, is certainly big enough attract some of world’s best hotels. If you’re looking for luxury and elegance, this list for the 10 best hotels in Kyoto are exactly what need.
The 10 Best Hotels in Kyoto For Pure Comfort
1. Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
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The Ritz Carlton Kyoto is the ultimate luxury hotel in Kyoto for both children and their parents. The hotel boasts it has an extensive art collection with many of the pieces being done by local artists. Of course, if guests want to see more art nearby, the national museum of modern art lies across the river.
Property in Kyoto claims that it was the Japan’s first luxury urban resort. This hotel exceeds the standard expectations for guest satisfaction and does so in style. The hotel stands near the Kamo River and offers both water and mountain view rooms.
The Ritz Carlton is located in Downtown Kyoto. The area isn’t filled with many top tourist destinations, but it still offers visitors plenty to do (and relax!).
The property itself has multiple restaurants, including an Italian offering – which is quite common throughout Japan, but the quality and taste is a hit with maybe guests. Another amenity offered by the Ritz Carlton is Ritz’s Kids activities, a cool perk for families who have kids who might just need a little playtime after exploring all that the city has to offer.
The hotel rooms themselves come with either two beds or a king size bed, meaning all rooms can easily accommodate two guests. There are also several suite options, among the 134 rooms in the hotel. There is free internet connections – both wired and wireless — and a pool and 24-hour fitness center. It also is handicapped accessible.
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Ritz-Carlton Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
2. Hyatt Regency Kyoto
The Hyatt Regency is in the city’s popular Southern Higashiyama area, which is the best-known sightseeing area in Kyoto. There you can find temples, cool museums, theaters, and the world famous Gion district. The hotel also offers everything world travelers expect from a Hyatt hotel with a Kyoto flare.
All 187 rooms are decorated to create a distinct Kyoto atmosphere within their walls, and you and feel the history of Japan just by walking around the hotel.
The hotel’s social media pages are filled with a cornucopia of food photos, so visitors can expect to eat well, whether it’s at the property itself or nearby in the vibrant neighborhood.
When it comes to room choices, guests can choose between multiple suite offerings or a standard or deluxe room. The property is handicapped accessible, and the hotel website promises that staff is trained to deal with guests with special needs.
While being an international chain, the Hyatt Regency Kyoto also wants to make sure guests have a convenient way to experience something that is pure Japan. Each day, a Maiko, the official name for an apprenticed geisha gives an evening performance and subsequently is available for photos.
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Hyatt Regency Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
3. The Four Seasons Kyoto
Kyoto’s Four Seasons is another offering in the popular Southern Higashiyama District. It trumpets its great location while still promising guests seclusion in “garden tranquility.”
The hotel is next to the Myoho-in Temple, which is one of the city’s five monzeki (Buddhist priests with aristocratic or imperial lineage) temples.
The property is also within easy walking distance of the Sanjusangendo Temple and the Kyoto National Museum. A little longer walk from the hotel takes guests to the Sannen-zaka area of the city, which is like stepping back in time to Kyoto’s past. It is filled with shops, restaurants, tea houses, and machiya (traditional wooden townhouses).
The Four Seasons itself offers multiple restaurants and lounges for guests. Its Tea House also does its own tea ceremony in the rock garden that is on the hotel grounds. There is a 24-hour fitness center and beautiful pool inside the hotel.
There are standard, premier and deluxe rooms as well as 13 suites in the hotel. Some of the rooms offer either a city or a garden view. The Four Seasons can assist guests with special needs but recommends such guests contact the hotel directly before their stay.
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The Four Seasons Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
4. Kyoto Hotel Okura
Visitors wanting a more affordable, yet still luxurious option in Kyoto’s Downtown should consider the Kyoto Hotel Okura. It is connected to a subway stop so exploring all the city has to offer using this property as a starting point is a snap.
The Hotel Okura has several dining options, and many reviewers have raved about the large size of the rooms. In addition to being next to a subway stop, one recent reviewer noted that the hotel offers a regular, free shuttle to Kyoto Station.
And, of course, the attentiveness and respect of the hotel staff here earned extra points from previous guests as well. Though the hotel doesn’t seem to offer many events or attractions in the hotel, its website is full of attractions and experiences that can be booked through the front desk.
A sidenote: While there is a pool and fitness center at the hotel, using them requires paying an extra fee.
There are single, double, twin and even family rooms available at the hotel, which also has an executive suite floor.
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Kyoto Hotel Okura Reservations – Agoda.com
5. Westin Miyako Kyoto
The city’s Westin property is also in Downtown Kyoto and is known as the Westin Miyako Kyoto. It bills itself as an urban resort surrounded by the green Higashiyama Hills, and is close to a subway station.
The Westin, with 499 guest rooms, is one of the largest hotels in the city and has a variety of accomidation options for guests, including rooms designed specifically for families and a handful of gorgeous Japanese-style rooms. There are also multiple suites available.
The property’s grounds are so large that it contains a 40-minute walking loop that the hotel says is perfect for enjoying the outdoors and bird watching. Guests can even get binoculars to use on their walk from the front desk.
There are also three rock gardens and plenty of restaurants on site. The hotel website specifies that the property is handicapped-accessible, but does not specify if the Westin has any specifically designed rooms.
The property is within walking distance (10 – 15 minutes) of the Nanzenji Temple, the Heian Shrine, the Kyoto Art Museum and the zoo.
![[公式] ウェスティン都ホテル京都 / The Westin Miyako Kyoto](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eYVEp22HvAI/0.jpg)
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Westin Miyako Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
6. The Hotel Granvia Kyoto
The Hotel Granvia Kyoto is another large luxury hotel offering hundreds of rooms. This one is inside the JR Kyoto Station Building.
In addition to the hotel, that sleek complex has a department store, museum, musical theater, and a vast underground shopping mall, which means just based on location, the Hotel Granvia has a lot to offer. And while the area around the station isn’t exactly one of Kyoto’s most vibrant cultural areas, there is a lot to offer including shopping and three temples to visit.
Of course, since the station is the transportation hub for the area, it is extremely convenient if you plan on doing day trips from Kyoto. In fact, for people wanting to use Kyoto purely as a base for their Japan adventures, this hotel would be perfect. In addition, guests would be right across the street from the Kyoto Tower.
Along with all the offering inside the Kyoto Station complex, the hotel itself offers plenty of restaurants and lounges. It also offers free-Wi-Fi, but there is an extra charge to use the pool and fitness center (unless staying in a suite or Granvia floors).
The hotel has a total of 536 rooms, including suite offerings. It offers handicapped accessible room designs, but it’s worth noting that the hotel’s rooms are on floors 7 through 15.
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Hotel Granvia Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
7. Suiran
Suiran is a hotel on the Hozu River in the area to the west of Kyoto known as Arashiyama. While this location might at first seem to be off the beaten path, Arashiyama itself is one of the city’s top destinations for tourists. Arashiyama is best known for its bamboo grove, but there are plenty of temples and other sites of interest around as well.
The hotel bills itself as a “harmonious blend of relaxing heaven and the modern convenience of a vibrant city.” With only 39 rooms, Suiran is much smaller than many of the hotels in Kyoto.
This allows it to be much more than a place to rest your head.
Suiran is retreat filled with Japanese culture and an atmosphere that makes staying there a one of a kind experience. The hotel even offers several activities it calls “indigenous experiences” for a small fee. Those offerings include yoga, Zen meditation, and sake tasting.
The hotel offers complimentary internet, a restaurant, café, and a spa as well. The hotel offers both western and Japanese-style rooms and suites.
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Suiran Reservations – Agoda.com
8. Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa
The city’s Kyoto Royal Hotel is located on Kawaramachi Street, which is home to the city’s popular Shijō-Kawaramachi shopping district. The area also has plenty of dining and entertainment options.
The hotel’s location provides an easy way to access attractions such as the Nijo Castle, and the Kiyomizu, Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji Temple.
There is minimal mention of this partnership, but the Kyoto Royal Hotel appears to be part of the same group as the Hilton chain. There is a restaurant and bar associated with the hotel, as well as a spa.
Free Wi-Fi is also available in all guest rooms and common areas. Though it is not included in the room rate, the hotel also offers both Western and Japanese breakfast options, according to its website.
There are 443 rooms at the hotel including double, twin, family rooms and suite options. Something to note, the seven stories of hotel rooms don’t start until the third floor of the building.
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Kyoto Royal Hotel & Spa Reservations – Agoda.com
9. Kyoto Brighton Hotel
For those travelers who want a hotel that’s both centrally located but away from the hustle and bustle, consider the Kyoto Brighton Hotel.
This property, which was renovated in 2010, sits in a residential area that is near to the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
The Brighton is one of the best hotels in the vicinity of the palace. The hotel also offers a free shuttle to and from a nearby subway station, Karasuma Oike, as a perk to guests.
The Brighton is also with easy walking distance of the Nishi-jin textile district. A little longer walk from the hotel can take guests to the city’s famous Manga Museum.
Inside the Brighton itself, guests will find simple, yet elegantly designed rooms, with internet connections and multiple restaurants.
The Brighton’ no longer has a pool or fitness center. However, guests can use a facility within walking distance for a small fee.
The Brighton has double, twin, triple and quad designed rooms, all of which are non-smoking.
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Kyoto Brighton Hotel Reservations – Agoda.com
10. Hotel Kanra Kyoto
Located an easy walk from the Kyoto Tower, the Hotel Kanra is another luxury hotel offering in the city. Just north of the tower, the Shimogyo District’s Hotel Kanra bills itself as the way for visitors to experience the true spirit of the area. In fact, the hotel website claims that its name is a literal translation meaning to “experience Kyoto.”
The Kyoto Tower sits on top of a nine-story building full of shops, restaurants, and even another hotel – aptly named the Kyoto Tower Hotel — and is near the Kyoto Station area as well.
The observation deck sits more than 300 feet off the ground, and the tower is the tallest building in the city.
There are only 68 rooms at the Hotel Karna, which is also a short walk from the Higashi Honganji Temple. The use of natural wood in the design of their rooms makes it feel fresh and clean and creates an atmosphere of relaxation.
There are twin, double, and suite rooms available, in addition to three specially designed, traditional Japanese rooms.
There is a restaurant, cafe and a spa on site, as well as free Wi-Fi in the rooms and common areas. Guests have marveled at staying in this hotel where Japanese design is mixed with western touches. The hotel is also known for its friendly staff, and for Japanese standards, spacious rooms.
However, there is no pool or fitness center at this property. Two other things to note: the hotel does not have a parking lot associated with the property – though there are lots nearby.
Also, the hotel is not handicapped accessible. There are few are steps you need to climb to get to any guest room.
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Hotel Kanra Kyoto Reservations – Agoda.com
What do you think about our 10 best hotels in Kyoto list? These hotels are some of the best we have seen, but we know there are lots of other amazing hotels in Kyoto. Where is your favorite place to stay in Kyoto?
