Review: The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto | Prince of Travel

Japan’s cultural capital, Kyoto, is a well-liked vacation spot for home and worldwide vacationers alike.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, has lengthy been exalted as top-of-the-line properties in Japan, and even in the complete chain. I used to be very desirous to expertise it for myself throughout a Summer season 2019 go to to Asia, because it had been on the prime of my must-stay record for fairly a while.

Amy additionally visited this property together with her household on a Spring Break 2023 journey to Japan, and we’ve up to date this evaluate to replicate her expertise.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Reserving

On the time, I had the chance to make the most of a candy spot of redeeming 60,000 Bonvoy factors per evening for top-tier inns (which lasted till March 2019). I knew this may be the golden alternative to fit in a three-night keep at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto and kick off our summer season journey to Asia in type.

Since I used to be making bookings at these high-end Bonvoy inns quite speculatively again in early 2019, I had really booked two separate reservations on the Ritz-Carlton for 2 nights and one evening, respectively, however I had no drawback getting them mixed right into a three-night keep for 180,000 Bonvoy factors in complete. 

These days, Marriott Bonvoy makes use of a dynamic pricing mannequin, and you’ll anticipate to pay 88,000–126,000 factors per evening. It goes to point out how a lot has shifted with this system prior to now 4 years.

That’s definitely quite a lot of factors to spend, however may nonetheless show worthwhile in comparison with the money charges, which often hover round ¥120,000–175,000 ($1,200–1,750 CAD) per evening, however can shoot as much as ¥250,000 ($2,500 CAD) or extra throughout fashionable seasons.

I really booked two rooms for my keep. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, and lots of inns in Japan for that matter, have a most occupancy of 4 friends per room. As we have been travelling as a household of 5, we needed to e book two rooms right here, however we determined to go for the splurge to see what the hype was all about.

Every room price 92,000 factors, which was no less than in the direction of the decrease finish of the dynamic pricing. We booked one utilizing factors, and the opposite utilizing a Free Evening Award price 85,000 factors from our Marriott Bonvoy Good American Specific Card, topped up with 7,000 factors.

If reserving the property isn’t potential utilizing factors, you’ll want to get in contact with us for quote. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto participates in Marriott STARS, a most popular accomplice program.

You’ll obtain a set of additional perks and advantages throughout your keep, corresponding to a $100 (USD) credit score and precedence for upgrades, whereas nonetheless paying the identical as one of the best accessible versatile fee for the lodge.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Location

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto is positioned on the banks of the Kamo River, and boasts spectacular views of the close by Higashiyama mountains.

Simply down the road from the lodge is the Kyoto Gyoen Nationwide Backyard and the Kyoto Imperial Palace. 

You’ll even have fast entry to the Nishiki Market, which is simply over 5 minutes by automobile or round 20 minutes away from the lodge on foot.

Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae station is the closest Kyoto Subway station, which is lower than a minute by automobile or simply 5 minutes by foot. From there, you’ll have entry to the remainder of the town.

Kyoto Station is round 10 minutes from the lodge by automobile or round half an hour by transit.

Osaka Itami Worldwide Airport is the closest airport serving the realm, typically dealing with home flights inside Japan, and is positioned 60 minutes away by automobile or bus.

Alternatively, it’s an extended trek to Kansai Worldwide Airport, which is the foremost worldwide port of entry into the Kansai area. Relying in your technique of transportation, you may get to the lodge in 75 minutes by automobile or two hours by transit.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Test-in

We arrived in Kyoto quite late within the day, having taken a night flight from Tokyo Narita to Osaka Itami following our Japan Airways enterprise class flight from Chicago. Kyoto is served by the airports of the Osaka metro area (Itami, Kansai, and Kobe), all of that are a good distance away from the town; Itami was the closest airport, and even from there, we solely arrived in Kyoto by means of a one-hour airport limousine bus journey.

The zen-like entryway – a small lined roundabout space for autos, adopted by a downward-sloping pathway resulting in the doorway accompanied by a gently flowing stream of water – set the proper tone for our keep, and I returned to take some images of the lodge’s beautiful exterior within the morning.

In a fashion that you just won’t essentially anticipate of the Ritz-Carlton model, the lodge’s understated exterior – which principally consists of easy gray stonework obscured by rows of bamboo shoots – makes it really feel rather more like a luxurious non-public residence than a lodge and permits it to seek out its place effortlessly among the many surrounding neighbourhood.

Following the stone pathway to the doorway, we step into a brief hallway, which results in the lodge’s gorgeous foyer.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto has one of the crucial elegantly designed lobbies and public areas that I’ve ever seen. Wooden panelling, glass, and polished stone make up the principal textures, illuminated by a refrain of soppy temper lighting. 

The foyer consists of two hallways working the size of the constructing, every consisting of carefully-partitioned areas for the lodge’s cafe, the Pierre Hermé pastry store, and pockets of foyer seating. The 2 hallways overlook a central staircase main right down to the decrease degree together with a gorgeous fashionable chandelier that ties all of it collectively. 

The house leaves a putting first impression with its masterful interpretation of each fashionable structure and Japanese design sensibilities, and we shortly perked up from our sleepy demeanours once we first arrived.

A lodge affiliate sat down with us in one of many seating areas to start the check-in course of, though we’d then proceed into the room itself as a way to full the “in-room check-in” – a Ritz-Carlton model custom that I’ve been handled to at choose properties (although not all of them) prior to now. 

Regardless of my greatest makes an attempt at “suite-talking” my means into an improve over the chat app for this keep, there was not one forthcoming in the long run, and the check-in affiliate confirmed that we had been upgraded to a Deluxe Kyoto Room with views of the central courtyard. 

I gave another half-hearted try on the matter, asking “So there have been no suites accessible as a Titanium member?” and was met with a bold-faced “sorry sir, we don’t have any suites accessible for this keep,” and I didn’t actually have the power to pursue it additional.

As an alternative, we adopted our affiliate into the elevators and made our means as much as the third flooring of the constructing.

The Ritz-Carlton’s hallways retain the identical subtle décor from the foyer, utilizing comfortable heat lighting, tempered by a sequence of horizontal and vertical wood screens, to create a way of order and serenity. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Deluxe Kyoto Room

As you enter the room, you see in entrance of you two units of hallways resulting in the bed room: one on the left aspect, which is part of the open-concept toilet, and one other on the precise aspect that serves because the walkway correct. 

Let’s proceed down the hallway on the precise, the place the pantry and minibar is discovered alongside the aspect.

Right here, there’s not one however two beverage machines: a Nespresso machine for the morning espresso, in addition to a Particular.T machine by Nestlé, which lets you make tea in the identical means that you’d function a Nespresso.

Persevering with by way of, we arrive on the bed room and sitting space, which I assumed was comparatively spacious for a non-suite room sort. The king mattress was an actual pleasure to sleep in each evening, particularly given our crippling jet lag having simply arrived in Asia. 

In the meantime, the sitting space consisted of two chairs and a desk, going through throughout from the room’s tv, and flanked by a small chest-of-drawers with my very favorite function of the room on prime: a pleasant little bonsai tree to complete off the room’s tasteful décor and tie all of it along with a further contact of zen. 

A small fruit plate had been left on the desk as our welcome amenity, together with some origami cranes for adornment and a snack field with just a few morsels and bites inside, which was replenished each day.

The room additionally featured a ceremonial tea cupboard with a easy tea set that you may use in the event you needed to arrange your infusion in a extra old-school means in comparison with the Particular.T machine. The Ritz-Carlton additionally catered very effectively to our wants by offering ample bottled water within the room, and leaving us much more bottles on subsequent days after we persistently drank all of them.

Now we’ll transfer on to the lavatory, which is open-concept by design, though there are a sequence of sliding doorways to shut the house off from the hallway and bed room and create slightly extra privateness.

The toilet options double sinks, every with its personal mirror with LED lighting, and one other tv embedded inside the mirrored floor that lies in-between.

Maybe essentially the most thrilling factor concerning the toilet was the washing space, which included each the bathe and bathtub in a single giant “moist room”, with water from the bathe draining straight by way of the gaps within the planks. The bathe’s water strain was additionally a really highly effective blast – inevitably spilling water everywhere in the bathtub as effectively – which made for a really satisfying bathe certainly once we arrived after an extended journey throughout the Pacific.

Then there’s a separate room for the sensible Japanese bathroom.

On the very again of the room is a big walk-in closet, the place the bellhops had proactively positioned our bags. One factor I actually favored was that the Ritz-Carlton affords each the same old fluffy bathrobes for sporting proper earlier than bedtime, in addition to a lighter set of yukatas (lighter, extra casual variations of a kimono) for sporting casually across the room within the daytime.

Total, whereas I used to be in fact slightly disenchanted to not obtain a set improve at a property I had been so eagerly wanting ahead to, I used to be nonetheless extraordinarily glad with our Deluxe Kyoto Room, whose completely soothing décor – as with the remainder of the lodge – made you’re feeling splendidly relaxed everytime you have been inside. 

Jessy and I shortly fell into an extended, deep sleep after our arrival, and we awoke at round 5:30am. We frolicked for some time earlier than heading right down to our breakfast reservation at Mizuki restaurant 9:30am. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Grand Deluxe Kamogawa River View Rooms

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto underwent a comfortable renovation in Fall 2022. All of the accent materials and carpets in rooms have been modified, and the carpeting is now a darkish brown with lighter motifs all through, versus the previous checkered sample.

Since we needed to e book two rooms, we requested if the lodge may put us in adjoining rooms, which they have been joyful to do. The rooms have been each from the identical class, however one had a king mattress and the opposite had two double beds.

The primary a part of the rooms function a sofa reverse from the mattress, which has a minibar positioned simply beside it. 

In entrance of the home windows, each rooms function a pleasant desk which overlooks the close by river.

Within the bogs, the lodge now makes use of refillable toiletry bottles, according to turning into extra eco-friendly.

The Ritz Carlton Kyoto is a family-friendly lodge, providing a number of facilities and providers for kids.

After we made our reservation with the kids, the lodge emailed us forward of time to seek out out their ages. Upon arrival, our rooms had kid-sized slippers and robes for all the children.

In addition they had particular toilet facilities, together with kids’s toothbrushes and puppy-shaped sponges for bathing.

These touches have been actually appreciated, particularly since we needed to e book two rooms to accommodate our whole household.

Total, we discovered that the rooms have been spacious and vibrant, which isn’t all the time the case in inns inside Asia. In case you are a household of three or 4, you may simply slot in one room; nonetheless, in the event you’re a household of 5 or extra, you’ll must e book a second room, as they’re fairly strict of their most occupancy coverage.

The lodge affords a wide range of connecting room choices, however the price of having to e book two rooms might outweigh the good thing about the kid-friendly facilities they provide.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Breakfast

One of many methods through which the Kyoto location really units itself other than different Ritz-Carltons around the globe is in providing complimentary breakfast to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above, which Ritz-Carlton inns will not be obligated to supply below this system’s phrases and circumstances. 

Certainly, not solely are Platinum members and above handled to any complimentary breakfast, however they’ve their alternative of the Japanese set breakfast within the Mizuki restaurant, the Western buffet breakfast within the La Locanda Italian restaurant, and both a Japanese or Western breakfast delivered through room service at no extra cost.

It’s loopy to me that the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto affords one of the crucial beneficiant elite breakfast choices of any lodge I’ve stayed at, and so they don’t even need to within the first place – they merely achieve this out of their very own generosity. It’s such a easy solution to stand out from their friends and go away a implausible impression on the model’s most loyal friends, and I can’t assist however want that extra Ritz-Carltons around the globe would observe go well with!

Now, for the reason that Japanese set breakfast requires a little bit of preparation time, friends are requested to make reservations upfront primarily based on after they plan on heading down for his or her meal. We organized our breakfast instances with our check-in affiliate the earlier evening, having determined to benefit from the Japanese breakfast on our first two mornings, and left the third morning open.

The standard Japanese breakfast is a extremely distinctive ritualistic expertise, and undoubtedly made for one of many highlights of our keep. 

After taking your seats, servers wearing lengthy black yukatas will start by pouring you some scorching tea, earlier than handing you a few cleaning juice pictures – grape juice and apple cider on this event – to kick off the meal. 

Subsequent up is the nice and cozy tofu tub appetizer, which is served in an ornate wood tub consisting of a pool of scorching water, through which you’ll discover just a few items of tofu floating round. You pour your self some soy sauce from the kettle, earlier than utilizing your hand-held metallic internet to scoop out some tofu and blend it in your sauce bowl with some condiments on the aspect.

For sure, we have been blown away by the presentation of the breakfast, and we had a number of enjoyable fishing for the tofu each morning (regardless that a easy giant bowl of tofu most likely would’ve sufficed in sensible phrases). 

The primary course took the type of a traditional Japanese breakfast bento field, which was introduced delightfully in a set of vibrant and purposeful dishes and ramekins, all organized neatly in a fan-shaped tray. 

The person morsels consisted of assorted creations primarily based on fish (each cooked and uncooked), seafood, meat, tofu, and greens, and it was an extremely satisfying breakfast expertise to make my means across the tray, sampling just a few bites of every portion earlier than transferring on to the following. A bowl of miso soup and a few recent Japanese rice – the marginally sticky sort, the place you may nearly style the earth on which it was grown – to convey all of it collectively.

Lastly, after we completed our bento packing containers, we have been provided some tea or espresso to complete off the meal. Not like a western breakfast, sipping on espresso through the meal would inevitably conflict in opposition to the flavours, so I might deal with myself to a cappuccino afterwards to present me that jolt I wanted for the day.

We returned for one more spherical of the Japanese breakfast on the second morning. Then, on the third day, we determined that there was no level making an attempt out the Western breakfast – in any case, we may get a pleasant buffet unfold of bacon, sausages, and eggs just about wherever on the earth. 

As an alternative, we determined to order breakfast through room service, so we positioned our order utilizing the in-room breakfast card – one set of each the Western and Japanese room-service breakfasts – and put it up exterior our door the evening earlier than.

Proper on cue the next morning, our breakfast was delivered by means of two separate meals carts, and our in-room server – a person wearing a full go well with – took about 5 minutes to painstakingly organize the whole lot on our eating desk.

For the in-room Japanese breakfast, we have been nonetheless handled to principally the identical programs because the Mizuki restaurant, excluding the juice pictures (and the truth that the tofu got here in a smaller heat bowl this time, quite than a full multi-storey wood tub).

Notice that the contents of the bento field modifications from daily; in line with the ideas conventional Japanese washoku delicacies, the cooks create the unfold primarily based on the freshest elements accessible within the mornings. 

Then, for our Western in-room breakfast, we had ordered some over-easy eggs with bacon and hash browns, a salad, a fruit bowl, a glass of yogurt, and a field of Pierre Hermé pastries, together with croissants, ache au chocolat, and brioche. 

By far essentially the most extravagant a part of the breakfast was the truth that it got here with an in-room toaster for the brioche, which our server dutifully helped us arrange alongside the countertop subsequent to the bonsai tree.

I imply, simply look at this breakfast unfold – I merely couldn’t imagine my eyes that each one this was accessible on a complimentary foundation for elite members. I’d give full marks to the lodge for his or her breakfast providing, and it was simply one of the best factor about staying right here and made me really feel essentially the most enthusiastic about eager to return.

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto is among the only a few Ritz-Carltons to incorporate breakfast for friends, together with youngsters. The Japanese breakfast for kids included a alternative of rice or congee together with miso soup, recent fruit, tamago, the fish of the day, and a aspect of greens.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto – Different Amenities

There are just a few extra issues I’d prefer to level out concerning the lodge that make it particular. First off, there’s the Pierre Hermé pastry boutique positioned within the foyer, the place you may take pleasure in your entire responsible pleasures from the French patisserie.

Not solely is the boutique very fashionable with lodge friends, however I noticed many Kyoto locals dropping in to choose up macarons and candy treats for themselves through the day as effectively.

On the lodge’s decrease degree is the health centre, swimming pool, and spa amenities. I didn’t have a lot time to hit the health club, however I most likely ought to have, given the sheer quantity of meals we have been consuming throughout our time in Japan.

The pool appeared like it will be a enjoyable place to take a dip, particularly since there’s a sauna proper adjoining to it. 

It’s price noting that in contrast to many different Ritz-Carltons around the globe, the Kyoto location doesn’t provide a Ritz-Carlton Membership Lounge. Even when it did, although, we probably would’ve needed to pay for entry, and I’m undecided if we’d’ve chosen to take action anyway.

Lastly, regardless that it’s not strictly a part of the lodge, considered one of my favorite issues about staying right here was the “secret” set of stone steps main from the again of the lodge throughout the mild Kamo River that flows previous the property. 

It’s a helpful little shortcut throughout the river to get to the prepare station (which you’d take to go to the well-known gates of Fushimi Inari), and I simply thought it was essentially the most pretty factor to have on the Ritz-Carlton’s doorstep, and that it got here to completely signify the lodge’s emphasis on tranquillity and serenity as we used it to make our means out and in of the property. 

On our last morning in Kyoto, after a very beautiful in-room breakfast through which Jessy and I saved swapping seats to pattern each the Western and Japanese meals, we bid a longing goodbye to our room and hopped again on the airport bus for Osaka Itami Airport. 

The lodge affords a lot of actions for kids, and may organize balloon twisting, origami folding, and treasure hunts for youths aged 4–12. These are led by their very own in-house workers and will be organized individually or as a part of their Ritz Youngsters Evening, which is when workers will take care of your youngsters for 1.5–2 hours, whilst you can get pleasure from a kid-free dinner.

You’ll be able to organize for actions through e-mail earlier than your arrival, however you may as well e book them if you get there.

There additionally 20 bicycles that are free to make use of on the lodge, and two of them are sized for kids. Advance reservations are advisable because of the restricted availability, so you’ll want to get in contact with the lodge upfront in the event you’d like to make use of them.

It’s very nice to go for a leisurely household journey alongside the Kamo River.

At check-out, the recreation crew had customized thanks and farewell notes for the children together with a photograph of them from the day earlier than through the Ritz Youngsters Evening.

These are all very nice touches that make household stays much more fulfilling.

Conclusion

So far as I’m involved, the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto was simply not solely one of the best Ritz-Carlton property I’ve visited, but in addition one of the best metropolis lodge that I’ve stayed at up to now throughout all my travels. 

Even with no suite improve, I felt a way of unparalleled consolation when spending time in our Deluxe Kyoto Room, as if all the troubles on my thoughts would flitter away with a single look over on the bonsai tree by the window. Throw within the very beneficiant and extremely memorable elite breakfast providing – each in Mizuki and within the room – and this was a near-perfect lodge keep whose recollections I’ll cherish for a very long time. 

Even in the event you don’t usually select to remain at luxurious inns, I’d advocate this lodge as a candidate for a uncommon splurge in the event you’re ever in Kyoto, particularly in the event you’re a Platinum Elite member or above and may make the most of the great breakfast providing.

I’m undoubtedly wanting ahead to returning to the Ritz-Carlton sooner or later, though the following time I’m in Kyoto, I may be tempted to attempt Suiran, a Luxurious Assortment property within the mould of a conventional Japanese ryokan that’s additionally recognized for being top-of-the-line luxurious redemptions that Marriott Bonvoy has to supply.