The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto provides a home for discerning travelers seeking luxe accommodations in the center of Kyoto. Here's our review.

The Ace Hotel Kyoto is a Kengo Kuma project opened in 2020 ideal for digital nomads seeking a trendy home base.

Read our exclusive review of Aman Kyoto, which offers sleek accommodations, elevated cuisine and a curated onsen experience in a natural setting in Kyoto.

Aman Tokyo is the city's best luxury. Its rooms are bigger, views are better and minimalist design provides a stronger sense of place than the competition.

Set on the stunning Ise Shima peninsula, Amanemu is a secluded luxury resort that exudes an exclusive, spa-centric serenity. Indagare reviews.

Set along the mountains of the Ishikawa Prefecture, Araya Totoan is a beautifully designed, traditional ryokan hotel with views of the natural landscape and private baths.

On the top floors of a glass skyscraper, Bulgari Hotel Tokyo offers a winning combination of Japanese sense and Italian sensibility.

With its imposing latticework metal and glass exterior, the building that houses the Capitol Hotel was designed by architect Kengo Kuma, and fits seamlessly into the Japanese capital’s space-age skyline. Its location, just north of Roppongi in the Akasaka neighborhood is another plus. It's next to the Prime Minister's residence, Parliament and the Hie Shinto Shrine that draws pilgrims year-round but especially for New Year's prayers. More modern conveniences include the Tameike-Sanno subway station and a 7-11 in the basement. While this hotel is not in the center of the action, it is located only two stops from Ginza’s shopping district.

Inside, Kuma artfully integrates traditional Japanese elements, like shoji paper screens and indigenous woods, into all 251 guestrooms. Entry-level rooms seamlessly combine the indigenous elements with standard conveniences like generous workspaces, modern technology, comfortable beds, powerful showers and plenty of room to move around. Rooms on higher floors have exceptional city views.

Those who want to see more of this modern Japanese master’s work can head to the Nezu Museum in Aoyama, Kuma’s traditional Japanese structure updated according to the principal of wa, or harmony.

This modern 389-room business hotel is situated amidst some of Tokyo’s finest dining and the world’s top luxury shops.

The experience of staying at Hoshinoya begins with a rarefied arrival via the Oigawa River, which, depending on the season, might be framed in flaming red and gold leaves or draped with cherry blossoms. The Japanese-style buildings that comprise the 25-room resort and its impeccable gardens spill down the hillside, hidden from view until you're standing in their midst.

Hoshinoya is a flagship property of Hoshino Resorts, a 100-year-old consortium of Japanese hotels whose aim is to endow the traditional ryokan (country inn) experience with Western-friendly features and five-star amenities. Think a Japanese Relais & Chateaux, complete with a pastoral setting and emphasis on cuisine.

The accommodations, many of which feel like small cottages, are outfitted with sliding shoji screen doors, low tatami-style sofas and heated oak floors (guests must remove their shoes at the door). Everything from the woodblock-printed wallpaper to the lacquerware in the restaurant is handmade by Kyoto craftspeople. Various panels and drawers conceal a multitude of amenities: soft pajamas, various soaking herbs for the tub and traditional card games.

There are no televisions and no spa (and, not surprisingly, children under age 13 are not allowed). Instead, there's the river view and the chance of spotting deer, monkeys and foxes; a morning stretching session led in a patch of sunlight; sitting in the gardens with a cup of tea; and the option of participating in a traditional tea or incense ceremony.

Meals are the main event: dinner in the Michelin-starred restaurant is kaiskei style, immaculately presented, stretched over 15 or so courses and fully seasonal. It's quiet, reverential, and while not something one would opt for every night, a quintessential Kyoto experience.

The 29-room Kanra is the rare property in Kyoto that is delightfully Western-friendly as well as traditional and intimate, with a design-forward scheme to boot. Rooms feature large, comfortable beds and Bluetooth-compatible speaker systems but also cypress-wood bathtubs and tatami-covered living rooms (shoes are not permitted). In a nod to Kyoto’s trademark machiya homes (historic wooden townhouses), rooms have lattice-wood doors and narrow layouts, which can be awkward to navigate. The Actus room is a slender duplex while the spacious, spare Kanra Suite features an outdoor deck with a stone bath tub – a rare amenity.

Guests arrive through a discreet alleyway entrance (your taxi will have to drop you off on the main street 50 feet away) and in the lobby, an art installation on the ceiling subtly shifts colors throughout the day. The small restaurant specializes in traditional obanzai cuisine and char-grilled vegetables — both Western and Japanese options are offered at breakfast and at lunchtime, it often fills with local ladies chatting in small groups.

So-called “design hotels” often sacrifice style for service. Not so at Kanra, where the staff is sweet, effective and accommodating to all types of travelers, including families. (Mini kimono-style robes and little slippers are laid out for young guests.)

The location, five-minutes by taxi from the train station, is central and convenient. Don't be put-off by the neighboring 7-11, but wander in the other direction and you’ll find yourself lost in a peaceful warren of alleyways that feels pleasantly residential. Homes are fronted by dozens of potted plants, hidden shrines have not a soul in sight and small noodle shops offer a handful of seats at the counter.

Opened in 2020, the thoughtfully designed Hotel The Mitsui has quickly become the premier Japanese-owned luxury property in Kyoto.

A short walk from the Kanazawa train station, Hyatt Centric Kanazawa is one of the most convenient options in town, and makes a good home base for exploring historic Kanazawa.

From the moment one enters this hotel's lobby, it's evident that this 189-room property is not merely another outpost in a luxury hotel chain, thanks to its striking design concept by Takashi Sugimoto, founder of Japan's superstar design firm Super Potato. The hotel's location in the Higashiyama Ward is an easy five-minute taxi ride from the train station, though its neighborhood is far quieter than that proximity might suggest. Beyond the bamboo grove marking its entrance, there's nothing especially pretty about the surroundings—don't picture the traditional charm of Gion—but located literally next door is one of the city's most astounding temples: Sanjusangendo, with its 1,001 carved statues of the goddess Kannon. Gion and the sites and shops of downtown Kyoto are a short drive away, and many other temples also lay within close proximity via taxi, metro or bike (which are available to rent for a cost, but should be reserved ahead of time).

By Japanese standards the rooms are quite spacious, with blond wood and understated art dominating. Some suites have tatami mats and sliding shoji screen doors; the much in-demand Deluxe Balcony King rooms features a long balcony overlooking the hotel's Japanese garden and its backyard neighbor, the Kyoto National Museum. The well-appointed Riraku spa offers a range of Western and Eastern treatments, including acupuncture and yoga classes.

The Mandarin Oriental is designed in timeless chic aesthetic, creating a relaxing refuge for both business and leisure travelers.

Owned by Japanese hoteliers, the 23-story Palace Hotel is located adjacent to the Imperial Palace Gardens and elegant and modern décor.

Indagare Review: Park Hyatt Kyoto is an elegant guesthouse-style property in Higashiyama offers a stylish home base looking out over the skyline of Kyoto.