The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Truly the most amazing stay I’ve ever experienced. From the moment I checked in, Shoko made the process seamless and welcoming, I felt at home right away. My room had a magnificent view overlooking the river, mountain, and the sunrise. I honestly could not have asked for a better view of Japan. Every detail throughout my stay was executed to perfection, a true reflection of why this hotel holds its Forbes 5-star. The Japanese set breakfast was exceptional, both in taste and presentation. A special thanks to Yuka, the Director of Operations, for the warm welcome. This stay exceeded every expectation, and I’ll definitely be coming back.

Service always pleasantly surprised. We were celebrating a milestone anniversary and they did small meaningful things for us, even though we never asked. Sonya in particular shone through her knowledge of the country, initiative, and attention to detail. Can say the same of many of the staff we dealt with. Makes us want to come back despite the long flight. Garden view room is fantastic. I like the design of the room. When you sit at the table, you sort of feel like you’re on a wood platform in one of their zen gardens. Black out curtains were particularly good because they are designed to go behind this wood frame so no light leaks around the edges of the curtain. Highly recommend their Japanese breakfast!.

While our view was over the roof toward the river, I can’t say anything bad about our stay. The beds were the most comfortable in Japan, the breakfast buffet was great and you could walk from Gion through Pontocho and down the river back to the hotel. Our son had a mild allergic reaction at dinner and when we got back to the hotel, they got us to an urgent care and the concierge called the restaurant and gave us a spread sheet of ingredients.

We had the best experience at ritz Carlton Kyoto, their service was impeccable, from The Art of Kyo-Karakami Paper Craft to morning cycling tour, every staff member went above and beyond to make us stay feel very special. A special shout out to Victoria, who was our tour guide for both activities, she was so sweet, attentive and knowledgeable.

We had a fantastic 5-night stay this past June. The hotel is serene and lovely, and the service is impeccable. We had a corner KITA suite and really enjoyed having a view of the river. Hotel is very centrally located, but also not in the touristy hubs that get very, very crowded with tourists. Walking distance to Pontocho Alley and Shinbashi-Dori street/Shirakawa Canal (charming historic district). One story that exemplifies the level of service at this hotel: I booked a van to the train station on our departure day and they didn't have the largest van available, only the second-largest. The concierge mentioned that with four people and four large suitcases, it might be a little bit of a tight fit. I said that was fine (it's less than a 20-min drive to the train station, so we'd survive.) The morning of pickup, we showed up at bell services to find that they'd given us two vans--one for us, and a separate one just for our suitcases-- so that we'd be comfortable. Other highlights: The Bar had a very nice ambiance at night, and a good cocktail menu. Nice breakfast with a large variety of options and very attentive staff. Highly recommended.