Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

There is a lot to like about the Four Seasons Kyoto, but there were major missteps in customer service. Firstly, I scheduled two tours through the hotel. I was looking forward to the Kyoto at Dawn tour because I wanted to beat the infamous crowds. The car for the tour was a 1/2 hour late, defeating the purpose of getting my family up early. (Not to mention the guide was nice but lacked any historical knowledge). Pro tip - use Context Tours, not the Four Seasons. I use them in every country I go to. No apologies were offered until I mentioned it at the front desk. (The concierge was aware because they were frantically calling around trying to find us ride.) They offered to refund $120 - utterly ridiculous considering that I lost valuable time at the shrine and spent around 18k at the hotel. After, I expressed that it wasn’t about the money but the experience and how disappointed I was - they offered to refund a total of $350. Again, not adequate for the initial lack of apology, poor outcome etc. and amount of money I’m spending at their hotel. Other missteps, the front desk calling me after 10:00 PM at night to tell me about a room charge and “oh, also to see how your day was.” Why are you calling me this late? Especially about a room charge if we aren’t checking out for days. Other annoying things, room service wrong 2 out of 2 times ordered. Every little customer service interaction I had was just so annoying; this is a shame because my favorite hotel in the world is Four Seasons Geneva. I’ll end on a positive note. The maiko performance and music at night were excellent. The breakfast was pretty good and the setting was very pretty. Nonetheless, the whole experience was subpar. I recommend looking at the Ritz or Park Hyatt.

An absolutely gorgeous hotel within walking distance (about 1.5 mikes from lots of great shopping, food, etc of Kyoto. The hotel has an amazing backdrop with bamboo, a pond with Koi and other plantings and a great little gym. I highly recommend this hotel although it is not budget friendly as it is a Four Seasons Hotel

We were very happy with our stay at the FS Kyoto. The grounds are beautiful, the breakfast and overall service was excellent and in particular the concierge (Catherine) was very attentive.

Quite simply, the perfect Kyoto hotel, which embodies the tranquil zen beauty of this special place. 10/10 recommended. Elegant, luxurious, sublime. Staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. Etienne the Head Concierge is so good at his job, and the cultural activities held in the lobby add a lot to the overall experience.

After the disaster in Osaka with the Ritz-Carlton, this was a very welcome change. This is likely one of the top 5 hotels which I have ever stayed at. The service - impeccable. Room - impeccable. Location - great. Breakfast - room for improvement. Our normal room was large, aesthetically one of the most beautiful I have stayed at, and the attention to detail, shockingly good. We have been members of the Marriott Bonvoy for ages and have consistently stayed at Ritz-Carlton, JW, St. Regis and am a member of the Leading Hotels of the World but after a few bad experiences with the Marriott hotels and lately with the RC in Osaka, we have decided to ditch the membership loyalty and go with privately owned hotels like the Four Seasons. The benefits of these loyalty programs is a sham and if you want to enjoy your vacation, go with private. This Four Seasons is what one would not only expect considering the price and reputation, but they attempt to exceed it at every turn. From the locally sourced turn down treats to the Japanese Gatorade (Pocari Sweat) outside their sauna/ Ofuro area and swimsuit centrifuge, you have the feel that they are not cutting costs where they can to please shareholders, but to provide their guest with a memorable experience. That is something that RC has lost and feels like the corporate monstrosity which we felt. Thank you Four Seasons - even without a loyalty program, you have now gained a family of loyal guests. Bye bye Bonvoy!