Kyoto : book your hotel

Kyoto is Japan’s ancient capital with a very modern talent for tourism. Founded in AD 794, it ran the country’s cultural show for more than a millennium, which is why the city still feels like a living museum that refuses to sit quietly behind glass. Seventeen sites here are UNESCO-listed, yet you can still stumble into everyday magic between futuristic convenience stores and lantern-lit lanes.

Ancient tea houses coexist with minimalist cafés, and centuries-old crafts find new life in contemporary design studios. The city’s rhythm shifts with the seasons - cherry blossoms unfurling along the Philosopher’s Path in spring, paper lanterns glowing during Gion Matsuri in summer. Despite its historical treasures, Kyoto isn’t frozen in time; it pulses with creative energy and quiet innovation.

Start in Higashiyama, where the famous Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple clings improbably to the hillside on wooden stilts and the approach streets slope past sweet shops, pottery stalls and rental kimono studios. It’s busy but the views over the city are worth the shuffle, especially early morning or late afternoon. Hotel-wise, Banyan Tree Higashiyama puts you right in that neighbourhood’s temple-and-teahouse circuit.

As evening settles in, Gion and the Shirakawa canal area come into their own. Lanterns flicker on, the crowds thin, and the narrow streets reveal a quieter Kyoto of wooden teahouses, small bars and the occasional flash of kimono silk disappearing around a corner. Dhawa Yura sits near Sanjō, an easy base for river walks and last-minute dinner bookings.

If you want imperial-era power aesthetics, Nijo Castle delivers Japan’s Tokugawa shoguns (the military rulers who governed from the early 1600s to the mid‑1800s) in architectural form. Its nightingale floors squeak underfoot by design, a reminder that this was once a place where paranoia and politics went hand in hand. The Garrya Nijo Castle is just five minutes' walk from the impressive castle.

Don't leave without a wander through Kyoto Station, which is so much more than a transport hub. A futuristic counterpoint to the city’s temples, the station has vast steel-and-glass architecture, rooftop views, and the practical bonus of being the launchpad for easy day trips across the Kansai region. For maximum day-trip flexibility, Mercure Kyoto Station is an easy walk away.

Kyoto's ibis Styles hotels are comfortable, central, and priced for real-world travellers. ibis Styles Kyoto Station is a practical base metres from JR Kyoto Station, which is exactly what you want when you’re juggling early trains, late check-ins, and the occasional souvenir escalation.

To get even closer to the exact centre of the city, ibis Styles Kyoto Shijo lands you near Karasuma and Shijō’s shopping and dining streets, with multiple stations in easy walking distance. It’s the kind of place that leaves more yen for temples, taxis, and irresponsible snack spending.

Kyoto does luxury in the unmistakably Japanese way, with a focus on space, restraint and a sense of place rather than spectacle. Banyan Tree Higashiyama is set away from the city’s busiest corridors, deliberately removed from the rush below. The design draws on local materials and proportions, and the experience is paced for travellers who want their days structured around temples and their evenings around stillness, wellness and privacy.

By contrast, Garrya Nijo Castle offers a more urban interpretation of luxury. Located beside Nijo Castle, it’s firmly embedded in the city’s historical grid while remaining contemporary in feel. The hotel’s appeal lies in its balance: refined rooms, thoughtful service and dining spaces that work just as well for a quiet solo meal as they do for large groups.

If you want convenience without sacrificing style, midscale is Kyoto’s quiet winner. Mercure Kyoto Station is a strong all-rounder for a city of brilliant neighbourhoods connected by very enthusiastic walking. It also has an on-site restaurant and bar, handy when your feet are railing against a day of Kyoto's iconic cobblestone streets.

For a central base with easy access to river walks and the city’s nightlife lanes, Dhawa Yura sits near Sanjō Station, with dining and bar options on site and the kind of location that makes spontaneous plans feel effortless.

Kyoto romance works best when you let the city do its thing: lantern light, riverside strolls and the gentle thrill of getting lost on purpose. Banyan Tree Higashiyama is built for couples who want quiet luxury near the city’s most atmospheric temple neighbourhoods, with a spa and onsen-style hot springs. Set in the temple-lined eastern hills, the hotel leans heavily into calm and craft, with generous rooms and refined interiors.

For something more intimate and design-forward, Garrya Nijo Castle mirrors its surroundings with low-key elegance and a focus on privacy and restraint. Rooms feel deliberately uncluttered, the dining and bar spaces encourage unhurried evenings, and the proximity to one of Kyoto’s most important historic sites adds a sense of depth to the stay.