Hotels

Although Kyoto is famous for its old wooden buildings and temples, the Shinpuhkan mall comes from a different part of the ancient city’s architectural past. Designed in 1926 by Tetsuro Yoshida, the handsome brick building has been renovated and extended by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma to form part of Ace Hotel’s first opening in Japan. The 213-room hotel features interiors by Commune Design, which crafted a layered design that weaves Western and Japanese sensibilities. The art and craft pieces are also a feature: Kazunori Hamana’s ceramic pots are joined by Minä Perhonen textiles and artworks by the late Samiro Yunoki, whose creative touch can be felt throughout the hotel. Dining options include the farm-to-table restaurant Kosa, while Stumptown Coffee can be found on the ground floor.

acehotel.com/kyoto
245-2 Kurumaya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, 604-8185

This Higashiyama hotel is conveniently located next to Sanjusangendo – one of Kyoto’s most impressive temples – and across the road from the Kyoto National Museum. The interior, courtesy of design studio Super Potato, incorporates Japanese motifs, while each room has a backdrop of different-coloured kimono silks. The sizeable Regency Executive Suite has a tatami room and a cypress-wood bathtub and offers views over the Japanese garden. The hotel’s restaurants include Trattoria Sette – which serves Italian food – and Touzan, whose seasonal Japanese dishes are made from ingredients mostly sourced in and around Kyoto. 

Hoshinoya Kyoto is a modern reinterpretation of Japan’s traditional ryokan. Located on the Hozugawa River in the forested Arashiyama district, the complex is run by Hoshino Resort Group and has just 25 rooms, with river views, western beds, heated floors and cedar bathtubs. The most spacious option is the Tsukihashi Maisonette, a two-storey riverside suite with tatami mats. Meals tend to be served in the rooms but there’s also a small bar and a restaurant if you fancy a change of scene. The hotel’s boat service runs from dawn until dusk, to and from a dock near Togetsukyo Bridge.