Where To Book Your Stay In Kyoto Japan For A Local Experience

This timeless city and cultural capital in Japan is home to age-old ‘ryokan’ or traditional Japanese inns and upscale hotels with ‘onsen’ or hot springs.

Old-world Kyoto has a fantastic selection of places to stay, from local hostels that specialise in daily events and cultural classes to history-rich ryokan with tatami-mat floors and luxury hotels that cater to business and pleasure travellers. Every traveller is catered for in the cultural capital of Japan; it’s where classic art and architecture meet modern design and convenience. When you’re not visiting some of the 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines dotting the city, here are the best places to stay in Kyoto – bookable on Culture Trip.

1. The Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Sanjo

Hotel

Near the edge of the Kamo River, which passes through the heart of Kyoto, the Royal Park Hotel is a spacious and modern retreat providing a comfortable place to stay. It has a wide selection of room choices that cater to every guest – from standard double rooms to corner deluxe suites. Amenities include Monsieur Itoh, the on-site restaurant that serves up classic Western dishes.

2. Ryokan Motonago

Ryokan

Feeding off the traditional Edo vibe and aesthetics of the old capital of Japan, Motonago is an authentic ryokan in the Higashiyama District that takes you back in time through its design. This interior incorporates shoji screens, tatami mats, minimalist use of space and Japanese wood-built baths. This place to stay in Kyoto also offers quality multi-course kaiseki cuisine that skips through sashimi, tempura and grilled fish.

4. Hotel Granvia Kyoto

Hotel

This grand and elegant place to stay in Kyoto caters to guests of every kind and can host events and meetings large and small. As a guest, you’ll have access to an indoor pool and a comfortable lounge area, along with your pick of several dining options, including Japanese and European cuisines. There’s also a private dining area available.

5. Karasuma Kyoto Hotel

Hotel

The Karasuma Kyoto Hotel prioritises comfort and good food over everything else. There’s an on-site restaurant serving Chinese cuisine, and after dinner, there’s a beautifully lit and decorated bar perfect for a nightcap. The hotel also has a range of options for meetings and events if you’re in Kyoto for a business trip or a party.

6. Ace Hotel Kyoto

Hotel

The Ace Hotel is an excellent place to stay in Kyoto. The rooms here are decorated in a modern style with a spectrum of colours and shapes brightening every space. To make every stay unique, the hotel hosts frequent, fun events, from happy hour to taco Tuesdays. And, if you’ve chosen Kyoto as your wedding destination, Ace can cater to that as well.

7. Ryokan Sumiya Kiho-an

Ryokan

Ryokan Sumiya Kiho-an offers a true Japanese hotel experience, through its aesthetics and design and its on-site onsen facilities. Designed from the ground up as an authentic Japanese ryokan, this place to stay in Kyoto is characterised by shoji screens, tatami mats and wood panelling. However, the baths, surrounded by a natural backdrop of rocks and trees, are the biggest draws.

8. Zen Kyoto Apartment Hotel

Serviced Apartment

A room at Zen Kyoto Apartment Hotel, with two double beds, a large sofa, and a raised tatami platform with a low dining table

Standing out in a busy crowd of unique hostels and luxury guesthouses, Zen Kyoto Apartment Hotel sets itself apart by providing a true home-from-home experience. Each fully equipped and spacious apartment-style room has a lounge area, a TV and a traditional Japanese dining area. The hotel wants you to find complete comfort in its homespun atmosphere.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

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