Kyoto has some of the best luxury hotels in the country, with both Japanese and international brands to choose from. Here are our top picks for Kyoto luxury hotels, all personally inspected and ranked in order of preference.
Ritz Carlton guest room
If you’re interested in our criteria for ranking Kyoto hotels, skip to the end of this article for details.
Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto has the best location of any hotel in town: It’s right on the Kamo-gawa River and just steps from downtown. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, many with sweeping views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains. It’s a superb choice and gets top honors on this list.
Ritz-Carlton Kyoto
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
The Hyatt Regency Kyoto offers excellent, spacious rooms, great on-site restaurants, attentive service and a relatively convenient location. It’s a reliable choice for a relaxing stay in Kyoto. And, it costs a fraction of what the Ritz and the Four Seasons cost.
Hyatt Regency Kyoto
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
The Four Seasons is a hidden sanctuary in Southern Higashiyama. It boasts a stunning building and grounds and some fantastic rooms. It’s the most expensive hotel on this list.
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto Room Interior
Kyoto Hotel Okura
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
The Kyoto Hotel Okura is a fine hotel with extremely reasonable rates and an unbeatable downtown location (it’s directly connected to the Kyotoshiyakusho-mae subway station in the middle of downtown). It’s highly recommended.
Kyoto Hotel Okura
Hotel Granvia Kyoto
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The Hotel Granvia Kyoto is an excellent hotel located directly above Kyoto Station, making it the city’s most convenient hotel for transport connections. Rooms are on the large side and well kept and there are countless restaurants with a few minutes of the lobby. It’s a great choice, especially for those who want to explore the rest of central Japan but be based in Kyoto.
Hotel Granvia Kyoto
Saka Hotel Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
Located just down the hill from Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Saka Hotel is a hidden gem in Kyoto. It’s a ryokan-style hotel, with finely appointed Japanese rooms, great bathtubs and excellent food. And, the rates are so low, we almost placed it in the mid-range bracket.
Saka Hotel Kyoto
Mimaru Kyoto Shinmachi Sanjo
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Travelling with kids? These Japanese-style apartment/suites are just the ticket. They’re within walking distance of downtown and they’ve got all you need for a comfortable stay with the whole gang.
Mimaru Kyoto
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
With a great location in Southern Higashiyama, the Celestine is a small-scale luxury hotel with a bit of a boutique feeling. The rates are lower than average for hotels in this class.
Hotel The Celestine Kyoto Gion
The Thousands Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
Just steps from the front of Kyoto Station, the Thousands, which opened in 2019, is a beautiful hotel with spacious rooms and excellent service. It’s also much cheaper than most of the entries on this list.
The Thousand Kyoto
Suiran
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If you want the feeling of being away from it all and surrounded by soothing natural scenery, the Suiran is a great choice. It overlooks the Hozu-gawa River in Arashiyama. It’s a trek to the rest of the city, but that might be a plus for some people.
Suiran
Westin Miyako Kyoto Hotel
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
The Westin Miyako is a good hotel in a commanding location, near a subway station (Keage Station on the Tozai Line) and right between both the Northern and Southern Higashiyama sightseeing districts. It can be a bit busy and some of the rooms need refreshing, but it’s a good value.
Westin Miyako Kyoto Hotel
Genji Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
Located on the south side of Kyoto Station, this apartment-style hotel has spacious rooms that are great for families. If you don’t mind the location, it’s a great choice and the rates are much lower than most of the places on this list.
Genji Kyoto Hotel
Kyoto Brighton Hotel
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
A reasonably priced luxury hotel not far from the Kyoto Gosho (Imperial Palace), the Kyoto Brighton Hotel is often overlooked but deserves a mention for its excellent restaurant, large rooms and capable staff. It’s the cheapest entry on this list.
Kyoto Brighton Hotel
Park Hyatt Kyoto
(View on Booking.com or Agoda.com)
With immaculate Japanese style and a location in the heart of the Southern Higashiyama sightseeing district, the Park Hyatt is perfect for a special stay in Kyoto. Walk out the door and immediately find yourself on one of the city’s most picturesque lanes – ideal for romantic evening strolls. This is honeymoon material.
Park Hyatt Kyoto
Ryokan – Kyoto’s Luxury Traditional Accommodation
If you’re going to visit Kyoto, the heart of traditional Japan, you really should try a night in a good ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). When our friends, family or clients visit Japan, we often recommend that they spend one night in a ryokan for the experience and then move to a hotel for convenience. See our Kyoto Ryokan page for full details.
Machiya – Vacation Rentals in Traditional Kyoto Houses
Another great option for those who can afford luxury rooms is to stay in a traditional Kyoto machiya, or townhouse. See our Kyoto Machiya page for full details.
How Do We Choose the Best Hotels in Kyoto?
Kyoto is awash with accommodations, so how do we choose the best ones? Here are our criteria:
- Location: We only choose places that are well located, usually downtown or near Kyoto Station, occasionally in Southern Higashiyama. These are the most convenient locations to be based in Kyoto (for more details, see Where to Stay in Kyoto).
- Personal inspections: We personally inspect EVERY place on this list (and many others which don’t make the cut).
- Feedback: We get a lot of feedback from InsideKyoto users and from guests at our tour company, Chris Rowthorn Tours.
- Value: We compare the prices of these places to others of similar rank in Kyoto. Only those that are a great value make the list.
In short, the places on this list are places that we recommend to our own family and friends when they visit Kyoto.
Kyoto Hotel Guide
- Where To Stay In Kyoto
- The Best Places To Stay In Kyoto
- Best Kyoto Hotels For Sightseeing
- Kyoto Hotels Overview
- Best Luxury Hotels in Kyoto
- Best Mid Range Hotel in Kyoto
- Best Budget Hotels in Kyoto
- Best Kyoto Hotels For Families
- Best Boutique Hotels in Kyoto
- Best Value Hotels in Kyoto
- Kyoto Hotel Bargains
- Kyoto Ryokan
- Kyoto Vacation Rentals
Kyoto Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Kyoto guide
- Check Kyoto accommodation availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Osaka and Kyoto to Tokyo
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Kyoto
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport. You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- Compare Japan flight prices and timings to find the best deals
- If you're making frequent train journeys during your visit, you might save money with Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- A prepaid Welcome Suica card makes travelling around Kyoto easy – here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
