The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto Hotel – Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan 🇯🇵

Name: The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
Rooms: 134
Rating: 5-Star
Brand: The Ritz-Carlton
Parent: Marriott International

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto pays homage to the former capital of Japan and its cultural heart. Located on the bank of the Kamogawa river, with views of the 36 Higashiyama mountains in a city famed for its Zen temples, palaces and gardens, this riverside resort is a peaceful sanctuary full of historical and modern Japanese design elements, with many folds of Kyoto’s history waiting to be discovered. The hotels architecture and design have retained the character and aesthetic of a traditional Meiji house and courtyard into the structure of the building. Sitting on the gentle banks of the Kamogawa River in Nijho Ohashi, the hotel is close to Kyoto’s popular downtown areas including Gion and Kawaramachi-dori, the city’s retail and entertainment districts.

The hotel’s 134 guestrooms and suites offer full views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains. The interiors created by Peter Remedios and Spin Studios honour the cultural design traditions of Japan, with patterned motifs created by local artisans and the incorporation of Zen rock gardens (karesansui) and water features, including a four-storey waterfall are aesthetically positioned in the heart of the hotel. The hotel’s interior spaces were each designed with concepts that pay respect to Kyoto’s history. The public spaces, banquet rooms and conference rooms were designed in accordance with the concept utage, or “feast”, the spa embodies seido, or “stillness and movement”, the lobby exudes miyabi, or “elegance”, and the guest rooms were designed with hana (“opulence”) and nagomi (“calm”) in mind.

Exceptionally rich in beauty, history, spirituality and culture, Kyoto draws 50 million visitors annually to experience the former capital of Japan and its 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city and its environs are home to almost a quarter of Japan’s national treasures. A must-see destination for sophisticated global travelers who are attracted to the city for its quintessential Japanese experience, Kyoto has been prosperous with tourism attractions since the Edo period (1603-1868) when show tents and kabuki dance theaters congregated its banks. In fact, the premises where The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto stands had once been the land of samurai and kuge, the Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto, believed to love the spectacular landscape of the mountains and river. Today Kyoto is a city steeped in history where visitors can immerse themselves in traditional Japanese culture creating memorable experiences with authentic activities.