5-Star Hotels in Kyoto

A Truly Exceptional Stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto Our family had a wonderful experience at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, and we left with nothing but gratitude and happy memories. From the moment we arrived, the service was flawless and heartfelt — the kind of genuine hospitality that makes a trip feel truly special. A huge thank you to Cecilia and Vinnie from the Guest Experience team, who went above and beyond to make our stay seamless and comfortable. Their warmth, attentiveness, and thoughtful gestures made us feel incredibly welcomed. A very special shout-out to Cecilia, who noticed my daughter’s love for Winnie the Pooh after our visit to Disneyland Resort. She prepared a beautiful card, a sweet message, and even a handmade Pooh origami and placed it in our room. It absolutely made our daughter’s day — such a thoughtful touch we will never forget. We also want to commend Yuki from the restaurant team for his warm and wonderful breakfast service each morning. His kindness and attention to detail set the perfect tone to start our day. The Ritz Kids adventure passport was a delightful surprise — engaging not only for our daughter but also enjoyable for us as parents. And of course, we loved the festive Christmas atmosphere, especially the beautiful Christmas tree and the amazing gingerbread house with the incredible aroma that filled the lobby. The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto truly exceeded our expectations in every way. We felt cared for, welcomed, and genuinely appreciated. We can’t wait to return again. Highly recommended for families and anyone seeking an unforgettable Kyoto stay.

Very convenient, spacious, and modern Airbnb stay. The unit is well-equipped with almost everything you need, including a washing machine, drying rack, cooking utensils, grill stove, coffee machine, and other useful amenities. The space is surprisingly large and very comfortable, especially for families or groups. The location is also great, with a grocery store, restaurants, and other conveniences nearby, making daily needs easily accessible. One thing to note is that there is a cemetery directly behind the property. For guests who are sensitive to this, it may be something to consider before booking. However, if this does not bother you, the stay is otherwise excellent. The only issue we encountered was during check-in. The elderly front desk staff could not communicate in English and was initially unwilling to assist us. Even though our booking was fully paid and confirmed, we had to repeatedly explain the situation before he finally provided the check-in code. It appeared that the information was already available in the system, so the process was more frustrating than necessary. Other than the check-in experience, everything else was great. Overall, a comfortable, spacious, and well-equipped stay that offers excellent value for money.

This time, I stayed at the annex, and both check-in and check-out were incredibly fast and smooth. The service standards were exceptionally high, and the location was very convenient. The only downside to the entire hotel was that the showerhead couldn't be fixed securely, which made showering a bit inconvenient. Otherwise, all other facilities and drink provisions were excellent, and the breakfast was exquisite. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

My wife and I booked the Classic Room for 3 nights in April 2025. We thought this was one of the best hotels we stayed at during our trip. From the moment you enter the hotel, you are welcomed by the hotel staff. You leave your bags with them and you walk up to a separate reception area where you are seated and offered tea and macarons. Check in is conducted while you sip your tea. After you get your keys, you go up to your room and your luggage bags are already there. We were very impressed by the reception. The room itself is fairly sizeable and offers a cabinet of Fauchon snacks. We had a good view of the alley behind the hotel that was lined with Sakura trees. We could also see the mountains in the distance. The location of the hotel is also great. It is located about a 5-10 minutes walk from downtown Kyoto and about a 5 minutes walk to Kiyomizu-gojo station. We also had breakfast which included a free flow selection of bread and pastries like French croissant, baguette and brioche. You also get a fruit plate, salad, and omelette. If you stay for more than 1 night, you also get a premium breakfast menu for your 2nd night onwards. We will definitely return to this hotel the next time we are in Kyoto.

I have many good things to say about this hotel. Number one the beds are extremely comfortable and the sheets are high-quality. That’s good to know. I will miss my bed.  Number two. The breakfast is excellent definitely get it. Lots of varieties of both Japanese and western food great espresso bar not only at the main lobby, but in your bedroom and breakfast bar as well.  Great taxi service although a little more expensive from the hotel than regular. Very helpful front staff who were very attuning and supportive  Clean rooms  Good gym as well  Thank you thank you for my time

When we chose this hotel, we saw pictures and videos that made us think it was a resort estate, but it's not. There's very little to see inside the hotel; I could walk through the entire property in 5 minutes. Secondly, the hotel advertises natural hot springs, but the public ones reek of disinfectant as soon as you walk in, which is very unpleasant. The room itself was okay and had character, and the bathtub was very large with a pleasant woody scent when bathing. Finally, the breakfast – honestly, the taste was just mediocre. I wouldn't choose this hotel again at the same price point.

The room was very quiet, and the blackout curtains worked perfectly. The staff were super friendly and helpful; they even offered me an umbrella when it rained without asking for my room number, which was a lovely gesture and reminded me of the grand service of yesteryear. It's an easy walk to the bustling downtown area. Right next to the hotel is Foguang Temple, which has two huge ginkgo trees and is surprisingly peaceful with hardly any tourists.

Everything was good except the service in hotel restaurants, which was exceptionally bad: 1) breakfast: waited for food for 40 mins, reminded the server 2 times - still nothing; 2) bar: a too long wait for a cocktail. the server said that as apology said cocktail won’t be in included in the bill… but it was there; 3) afternoon tea: told the staff that I dislike dairy products, but have no allergy. So, for example I can eat most sweets, but not the ones with a strong taste of mascarpone cream. In the end they gave me just a plate of fruit and when I remninded them of the above they… did nothing ) I stayed at this hotel and had afternoon tea there last year too - everything was fine then. All of the above are 3 different restaurants inside the hotel, so I wouldn’t recommend going to any restaurant there. In all other aspects except services related to food the hotel is good.

Love the location and the peace in Arashiyama. Nice place to relax after a very busy week visiting places in Osaka and Kyoto. Love the private bath in the room we booked❤️ plus the private onsen bath especially if you have tattoo. Who doesn’t love a free ice cream/cold green tea after onsen😄 and don’t miss the free ramen from 22:30-23:30 😊 lastly, the staff are really nice, helpful, and the Japanese breakfast was very tasty! Beautiful experience and now we are well rested to visit other places in Japan!

The hotel had an authentique Japanese feel to it , very spacious rooms , kind staff , and perfect location ! If you are coming from Tokyo to get another feel of Japan then this must be the perfect location ! Being used to major hotels in Tokyo , this came as a contrast , it felt like a traditional home but with all the luxuries you need. I highly recommend