Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

We had a fantastic stay at the four seasons. The hotel is stunning with beautiful gardens you can enjoy. It is very close to most attractions. The staff and the service was beyond expectation. A special mention to Jamie from guest experience who helped us arrange our taxis, our dinners and made us feel very welcome. He was extremely attentive and really went above and beyond. We highly recommend this hotel, it is worth the pricy rooms.

Four Seasons Kyoto exceeded my lofty expectations for a Four Seasons hotel. Beautifully-designed contemporary facility and wonderful historic garden. Rooms are spacious, comfortable, quiet, spotlessly clean. Location is satisfactory - we could walk to major areas (e.g., Gion and Shinkyogoku shopping street) but Uber is also readily available and very easy to use. Staff and service are outstanding. Staff greeted me and my family members each time we entered the lobby and asked if they could assist with anything. Within a couple days of arrival, the hostess at breakfast knew us and addressed us by name (remarkable considering how many guests she must see every day). Food costs were on the high side (not out of line for Four Seasons) but many local dining options are readily available. If I visit Kyoto in the future, I would not look elsewhere for lodging.

Our stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto was easily the highlight of the trip. The property itself is stunning—peaceful, beautifully designed, and somehow feels tucked away while still being close to everything. The rooms were exactly what you hope for: clean, modern, super comfortable… and yes, hands down the best toilets we experienced in Japan :) You expect great service at a Four Seasons, but this was on another level. There were so many small “wow” moments throughout the stay, and what really stood out was how the staff and management took the time to actually get to know us. It never felt forced—just genuinely thoughtful and personal. The pool was a huge bonus for the family and a great way to unwind after long days out. Food and drinks were also excellent across the board—no weak spots. One of those places you don’t just enjoy while you’re there—you miss it as soon as you leave. Can't wait to go back!!

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