The Best Hotels in Kyoto: A JOTM Guide
Where you sleep in Kyoto becomes part of the story, woven into tatami-scented mornings, stone-lantern strolls, and the hush that lingers beyond temple walls. From boutique hideaways in Gion to Kyoto ryokan steeped in ritual, and luxury hotels that open to gardens or skyline views, this curated collection reveals the best hotels in Kyoto for those seeking presence, not just place. Whether you’re at a hotel near Kyoto Station or tucked away beneath Higashiyama’s slopes, these stays are more than accommodations, they’re quiet companions to your journey.
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The Mitsui Kyoto: Luxury Hotel Near Nijo Castle
What You’ll Feel Here
Behind an unassuming wooden gate, Kyoto’s old soul meets modern stillness. The Mitsui unfolds in stone, water, and whispered elegance, where a private garden hums softly with time, and rooms open onto nature as if bowing to it. Every surface is intentional. Every silence, held.
What Will Stay With You
- A thermal spring bath tucked into a lantern-lit enclave, reserved for hotel guests only
- Suite views of Nijo Castle where light filters through shoji screens at dawn
- The scent of hinoki wood and incense in the air, even as your footsteps echo on polished stone
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Near Nijo Castle, Nakagyo Ward
- Within Wandering Distance: Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, Kyoto Imperial Palace
- Starting From: ¥90,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Forbes 5-Star 2024 · Condé Nast Traveler Gold List
Banyan Tree Higashiyama: Kyoto Luxury Retreat with Private Onsen
What You’ll Feel Here
This is Kyoto in half-light, where the hills soften the skyline and the city hushes just enough to breathe. At Banyan Tree, luxury is draped in simplicity. Tatami warmth meets sculpted stone, and every corner feels like a pause between thoughts. You don’t stay here, you dwell.
What Will Stay With You
- A personal onsen drawn from sacred waters, steaming beneath the moonlit slope
- The texture of handmade washi sliding doors that filter morning light like mist
- Elevated kaiseki meals served with the restraint and reverence of ceremony
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Higashiyama’s Southern Hills
- Within Wandering Distance: Kiyomizu-dera, Kodaiji Temple, Sannenzaka
- Starting From: ¥110,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Banyan Tree’s First Flagship in Japan · Architectural Digest Feature 2024
Park Hyatt Kyoto: 5-Star Hotel in Historic Higashiyama
What You’ll Feel Here
Tucked above cobbled lanes and ochaya teahouses, the Park Hyatt Kyoto balances poised stillness with architectural precision. You arrive through silence, the kind that settles between pagoda shadows and the rustle of leaves in temple courtyards. Here, luxury is not declared. It’s distilled.
What Will Stay With You
- Panoramic views of Yasaka Pagoda framed by floor-to-ceiling glass and quiet restraint
- A minimalist suite where charcoal tones and warm hinoki woods reflect the land outside
- Sake tastings in the hotel’s private bar, held like a ritual more than a pastime
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Higashiyama, near Kiyomizu-Zaka (Kiyomizu Slope)
- Within Wandering Distance: Kiyomizu-dera, Kodai-ji, Maruyama Park
- Starting From: ¥90,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto: Riverfront Luxury Hotel in Central Kyoto
What You’ll Feel Here
The Kamogawa flows just outside, slow and steady like the rhythm of a tea whisk. Inside, The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto offers a rare symmetry: glass and garden, marble and moss, stillness and scale. It doesn’t feel like a hotel, it feels like stepping into a deeply considered moment.
What Will Stay With You
- The sight of cormorants gliding across the river at sunrise, framed from your balcony
- Artisan-crafted decor: lacquered chests, calligraphy scrolls, and Nishijin textiles
- A tranquil indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling views of Higashiyama’s shifting light
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Kamogawa Riverside, Nakagyo Ward
- Within Wandering Distance: Gion, Pontocho Alley, Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station
- Starting From: ¥110,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Forbes 5-Star 2024 · Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice · Michelin Guide Kyoto
Unlock Kyoto’s rhythms with our How to Get Around Japan guide, and discover whether the Japan Rail Pass makes sense for your visit.
Sowaka: Best Boutique Hotel in Gion Kyoto
What You’ll Feel Here
Slip behind an unmarked wooden gate in Gion, and you’ll find Sowaka, where silence pools like water in a stone basin. This is Kyoto pared down to breath and light. The inn moves with you, gently, from tatami to terrace, letting time soften and stretch.
What Will Stay With You
- A restored ryotei mansion, where each room is uniquely designed with local crafts and textures
- Private balconies and garden courtyards that shift with the seasons
- A Michelin-starred dining experience downstairs that feels like an invitation, not a performance
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Gion, Higashiyama
- Within Wandering Distance: Yasaka Shrine, Hanamikoji Street, Kenninji Temple
- Starting From: ¥70,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Michelin Guide Kyoto · Design Hotels Collection
The Shinmonzen: Design Hotel by Tadao Ando in Gion
What You’ll Feel Here
Art flows like the nearby Shirakawa Stream at The Shinmonzen, where each room feels like a gallery and every corridor, a curated path. Designed by Tadao Ando, the hotel hums with restraint, light bouncing off brushed stone, shadows cast in cedar and silk. Kyoto, reimagined through form and quiet.
What Will Stay With You
- Suites styled with Japanese antiques and contemporary art, each a meditation in balance
- Floor-to-ceiling windows that blur the line between inside and streamside
- An intimacy that feels more like staying in a collector’s home than a hotel
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Shinmonzen-dori, near Gion-Shirakawa
- Within Wandering Distance: Pontocho, Gion District, Shirakawa Canal
- Starting From: ¥110,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Tadao Ando Masterpiece · Vogue’s Best Hotels in Kyoto
Nazuna Kyoto: Ryokan with Private Onsen Near Kyoto Station
What You’ll Feel Here
Tucked within a restored machiya in a quiet Kyoto alley, Nazuna is less an inn than a hidden ritual. Lanterns flicker low against lattice walls. Steam rises from stone baths scented with yuzu. And silence, true silence, settles in as naturally as sleep.
What Will Stay With You
- Private onsen-style bathtubs in every suite, many opening onto inner gardens
- Rooms designed with warm earthen walls, vintage beams, and subtle contemporary touches
- A traditional breakfast served in-room with reverence and seasonal care
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Near Higashi Honganji Temple, Shimogyo Ward
- Within Wandering Distance: Kyoto Station, Nishiki Market, Shosei-en Garden
- Starting From: ¥55,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Nazuna Group Flagship
Seikoro Ryokan: Classic Kyoto Ryokan Near the Kamo River
What You’ll Feel Here
Seikoro Ryokan is Kyoto as it was, unfolding in soft footsteps, sliding screens, and the rustle of futons being laid out as dusk settles in. For over a century, it has welcomed travelers not with spectacle, but with sincerity. This is a place where tradition breathes, unhurried.
What Will Stay With You
- Tatami rooms with tokonoma alcoves displaying fresh flowers and calligraphy scrolls
- Multi-course kaiseki dinners served in-room by kimono-clad hosts
- A wooden bathhouse that smells of hinoki and time
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Sanjo Keihan, near the Kamo River
- Within Wandering Distance: Sanjusangendo, Gion, Kyoto National Museum
- Starting From: ¥40,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Family-Owned for 7 Generations
OMO5 Kyoto Gion: Budget-Friendly Hotel in Gion Kyoto
What You’ll Feel Here
OMO5 Kyoto Gion offers an unexpected quiet in the heart of Kyoto’s most storied district. From its lantern-lit entrance to its compact yet calming rooms, this stay proves that beauty doesn’t need to be expensive. It’s where thoughtful design and playful charm meet under tiled rooftops.
What Will Stay With You
- Rooms with minimalist touches, local art, and smart spatial flow
- A rooftop lounge with city views and a breeze that carries the scent of nearby temples
- Friendly staff offering neighborhood insights and hidden walking routes through Gion
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Gion, Higashiyama
- Within Wandering Distance: Yasaka Shrine, Hanamikoji Street, Maruyama Park
- Starting From: ¥14,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Hoshino Resorts Flagship City Stay · Travel + Leisure Smart Stay Pick
Ryokan Shimizu: Affordable Traditional Ryokan Near Kyoto Station
What You’ll Feel Here
A few quiet blocks from Kyoto Station, Ryokan Shimizu offers something rare: simplicity with soul. The tatami floors creak gently. The owners greet you by name. And as evening settles over the tiled rooftops, you may realize, this modest ryokan holds the kind of peace no price can measure.
What Will Stay With You
- Thoughtful hospitality from a family-run team, fluent in warmth
- Access to a shared goemonburo bath with old-world atmosphere
- Rooms that are humble but immaculate, with hand-drawn maps of neighborhood walks
Need to Know
- Where You’ll Wake: Shimogyo Ward, near Kyoto Station
- Within Wandering Distance: Higashi Honganji, Kyoto Tower, Kyoto Aquarium
- Starting From: ¥9,000
- Where It’s Been Honored: Consistently Rated 9+ on Booking Platforms
FAQs About Where to Stay in Kyoto: A Few Last Things Before You Go
If you’re planning where to stay in Kyoto, here are some of the most common questions travelers ask, about the best areas, top-rated ryokan, and which hotels are closest to Kyoto Station or the bullet train.
A: For direct proximity and charm, Ryokan Shimizu offers an authentic traditional stay just minutes on foot. For a blend of luxury and convenience, Nazuna Kyoto Higashi Honganji provides private onsen baths and traditional machiya charm just blocks away. For a modern, stylish option with easy access, OMO5 Kyoto Gion is a short, direct ride from the station.
A: The best Kyoto hotels with private onsen include Nazuna Kyoto Higashi Honganji, known for seasonal in-room baths, and Banyan Tree Higashiyama, where stone tubs are paired with hillside views and lantern-lit ambiance.
A: For direct access to the Shinkansen, Ryokan Shimizu offers a traditional stay just minutes on foot from Kyoto Station. For luxury travelers seeking convenience, Nazuna Kyoto Higashi Honganji is also very close, featuring private onsen baths. For a full-service experience directly connected to the station, Hotel Granvia Kyoto is a top-rated choice.
A: Beyond the Shinkansen, travelers arriving by JR or local lines will find Ryokan Shimizu and Nazuna Kyoto ideally located, both within walking distance of Kyoto Station while offering a calm, design-forward atmosphere that feels far removed from transit.
A: The top luxury hotels in Kyoto include The Mitsui Kyoto, Park Hyatt Kyoto, and The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto. Each offers refined design, tranquil settings, and thoughtful hospitality near Kyoto’s cultural heart.
A: Top-rated hotels in Kyoto include Sowaka, Nazuna, and The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, praised by travelers for exceptional service, serene settings, and memorable design.
A: Yes. Ryokan Shimizu is a well-loved option for travelers seeking traditional hospitality at a gentle price point. Nazuna Kyoto is another nearby option, offering elevated design and private baths.
A: The best areas in Kyoto for first-time visitors are Gion (cultural charm), Higashiyama (temple access), and Kyoto Station (transport convenience). Choose based on whether you prioritize tradition, sightseeing, or easy transit.
A: Sowaka, The Shinmonzen, and OMO5 Kyoto Gion are our top picks. Whether you’re looking for boutique luxury, architectural grace, or thoughtful design at a modest price, Gion offers it all, just steps from temple paths and lantern-lit lanes.
A: Yes. OMO5 Kyoto Gion and Ryokan Shimizu are top budget-friendly hotels under ¥15,000 per night. They combine charm, comfort, and local character without sacrificing experience.
