Kyoto: the name of this ancient Japanese city has long sparked images of a landscape scattered with timeless temples, scarlet shrine gates, old wooden houses, and peaceful tea rooms. Today, however, travelers can add something no less eye-catching to the already lengthy list of reasons to visit: a growing constellation of some of Japan’s best hotels. The city is currently awash not only with a record level of tourists, but also with a spectrum of high-quality hotels, both old and new.
For some, the ultimate Kyoto hotel experience might involve checking into a centuries-old ryokan, where the art of omotenashi hospitality is expressed through an outdoor bath soak, the whisk of matcha, sliding paper screens, and futons unrolled nightly. Others may gravitate toward a contemporary wellness sanctuary, where the city’s ancient wisdom is filtered through the lens of minimalist design, holistic therapies, and micro-seasonal cuisine. Whether you’re looking for traditional crafts, contemporary arts, a deep culture dive, a food odyssey, a design sanctuary, or simply a place of beauty to rest your head and recover from temple-hopping fatigue, there’s something for you on this list. Read on for 16 of the best hotels in Kyoto.
For more places to stay, check out our list of the best Airbnbs in Kyoto.
How we choose the best hotels in Kyoto
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.