Spa Hotels in Kyoto

A Truly Exceptional Stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto Our family had a wonderful experience at The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto, and we left with nothing but gratitude and happy memories. From the moment we arrived, the service was flawless and heartfelt — the kind of genuine hospitality that makes a trip feel truly special. A huge thank you to Cecilia and Vinnie from the Guest Experience team, who went above and beyond to make our stay seamless and comfortable. Their warmth, attentiveness, and thoughtful gestures made us feel incredibly welcomed. A very special shout-out to Cecilia, who noticed my daughter’s love for Winnie the Pooh after our visit to Disneyland Resort. She prepared a beautiful card, a sweet message, and even a handmade Pooh origami and placed it in our room. It absolutely made our daughter’s day — such a thoughtful touch we will never forget. We also want to commend Yuki from the restaurant team for his warm and wonderful breakfast service each morning. His kindness and attention to detail set the perfect tone to start our day. The Ritz Kids adventure passport was a delightful surprise — engaging not only for our daughter but also enjoyable for us as parents. And of course, we loved the festive Christmas atmosphere, especially the beautiful Christmas tree and the amazing gingerbread house with the incredible aroma that filled the lobby. The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto truly exceeded our expectations in every way. We felt cared for, welcomed, and genuinely appreciated. We can’t wait to return again. Highly recommended for families and anyone seeking an unforgettable Kyoto stay.

The front desk staff speaks fluent English, and there were quite a few Western guests during my stay. For the cherry blossom season, the value for money was pretty good. The room was relatively spacious compared to other Japanese hotels. Rooms facing the street can be a bit noisy late at night. Breakfast leans towards a Western style. It's very close to the subway, just a short walk to the Kamo River, and a five-minute walk to the lively areas of Sanjo and Shijo. Overall, it's a decent place.

My wife and I booked the Classic Room for 3 nights in April 2025. We thought this was one of the best hotels we stayed at during our trip. From the moment you enter the hotel, you are welcomed by the hotel staff. You leave your bags with them and you walk up to a separate reception area where you are seated and offered tea and macarons. Check in is conducted while you sip your tea. After you get your keys, you go up to your room and your luggage bags are already there. We were very impressed by the reception. The room itself is fairly sizeable and offers a cabinet of Fauchon snacks. We had a good view of the alley behind the hotel that was lined with Sakura trees. We could also see the mountains in the distance. The location of the hotel is also great. It is located about a 5-10 minutes walk from downtown Kyoto and about a 5 minutes walk to Kiyomizu-gojo station. We also had breakfast which included a free flow selection of bread and pastries like French croissant, baguette and brioche. You also get a fruit plate, salad, and omelette. If you stay for more than 1 night, you also get a premium breakfast menu for your 2nd night onwards. We will definitely return to this hotel the next time we are in Kyoto.

The hotel is nested in a quiet corner, within walking distance of Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho. Im however a bit disappointed with the limited facilites it offered when compared to the price we paid. We stayed in the Tsukinone Twin Room which is on the third floor of the building. The view is pleasant. The room is of decent size. Yet there were no public onsens. We need to pay YEN5000 for 45 minutes and there are only 2 private onsens. For more luxurious rooms with private onsen, the one I visited was on the ground level with no views as it were by the pathway to the reception , separated by wooden planks. We paid around Yen5000 for the breakfast in the hotel, Both western and japanese breakfasts were offered. We tried both. It is of standard. The 4 different juices presented on the top of the bento box was impressive. The vaccinity is pleasant. We could walk to the train station, the tourist rown area , the nearby parks and the world heritage sites. Nice area .

When we chose this hotel, we saw pictures and videos that made us think it was a resort estate, but it's not. There's very little to see inside the hotel; I could walk through the entire property in 5 minutes. Secondly, the hotel advertises natural hot springs, but the public ones reek of disinfectant as soon as you walk in, which is very unpleasant. The room itself was okay and had character, and the bathtub was very large with a pleasant woody scent when bathing. Finally, the breakfast – honestly, the taste was just mediocre. I wouldn't choose this hotel again at the same price point.

Everything was good except the service in hotel restaurants, which was exceptionally bad: 1) breakfast: waited for food for 40 mins, reminded the server 2 times - still nothing; 2) bar: a too long wait for a cocktail. the server said that as apology said cocktail won’t be in included in the bill… but it was there; 3) afternoon tea: told the staff that I dislike dairy products, but have no allergy. So, for example I can eat most sweets, but not the ones with a strong taste of mascarpone cream. In the end they gave me just a plate of fruit and when I remninded them of the above they… did nothing ) I stayed at this hotel and had afternoon tea there last year too - everything was fine then. All of the above are 3 different restaurants inside the hotel, so I wouldn’t recommend going to any restaurant there. In all other aspects except services related to food the hotel is good.

The environment is comfortable, and the facilities are convenient and thoughtful. The hot spring area is very clean and quiet. After a soak, you can even choose ice cream and green orange juice. In the mornings, they offer healthy mushroom soup after your bath! The hotel dinner was exquisite, but the taste wasn't particularly special. Breakfast was just average.

I stayed for 4 nights from January 4 to January 8, 2026. From the hotel, you can walk to Nijo Castle in about 10 minutes. There are many small convenience stores nearby (7-Eleven and the like), as well as two large supermarkets — Life is open until midnight, which is a huge plus. You can buy nice gifts for friends and family late in the evening without wasting daytime hours. The transportation access is great too: within a few minutes' walk there's a subway station and a JR line (convenient for coming from the railway station), and right next to the hotel there's a bus stop. This is important because Kyoto's sights are scattered all over the city, and you often need to use public transport or taxis. Speaking of taxis. Twice I asked the reception to call me a taxi, and both times the staff helped me — a huge thank you to them! It was especially important on the first day: thanks to a taxi, I made it to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in time and explored it without rushing. Check-in was very quick, and the staff explained where everything was. The room was quite spacious — or maybe it just felt that way. I comfortably unpacked my suitcase and took out everything I needed without feeling cramped. The room had all the essentials, and there were kettles near the elevator that you could take to your room if needed. I did, and had some tea before bed (on the first floor, you can grab a free tea bag if you don't have your own). The air conditioner worked for both cooling and heating — which was very useful on some evenings. Honestly, I only used the hotel to sleep, and it was perfectly fine. Every morning, breakfast is served on the first floor. To be honest, I expected something simple since the room rate was quite affordable. That's why the breakfast was such a pleasant surprise! My eyes wandered every morning at the variety of delicious food! A huge selection. Every day I had rice with various toppings, amazing salmon, cod, and various vegetables (the okra here was especially good). There's a small smoking room on the first floor with good ventilation. My overall impression of the hotel is extremely positive. I will definitely stay here again on my next visit to Kyoto.

We loved our stay at Hotel the Mitsui. Super nice and zen design . Absolutely adore their lobby area, which I think is designed by Andre Fu. Always drawn into his work somehow. Breakfast food was okay, but the view really made up everything l. Super relaxing & beautiful Service was great. Most of them were able to speak English proficiently. There’s a thermal spring at their basement, which you have to call the reception before you go to ensure there’s enough space. Everything was well prepared, including swimwear, disposable underpants, towels, water, etc. Since they control the # of people, everyone has their own space and it still feels very private. Room is nice with many details. Love their huge selection of pillows available for guests. It’s not huge, but the space is well used. Location wise, I wouldn’t say it’s the most convenient, but if you take a cab, everything is reachable in 20 mins max, so it’s not too bad. There are still good restaurants and touristy places to go that are in walkable distance, so it’s not middle of nowhere. Overall, fantastic experience which I will recommend for others!

The location is just opposite Nijo Castle, within walking distance, very convenient. Kyoto is not big, very leisurely, and the hotel is generally good to the attractions. The front desk and lobby manager are good, their English is online, very international, especially the European and American guys hired, the communication is very smooth. The facilities in the room are also good, the breakfast is also great, especially the freshly squeezed orange juice machine is quite interesting.