Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
A luxury hotel in southern Higashiyama built around Shakusui-en, a pond garden of about 800 years old, with a spa, pool and several restaurants.
Ace Hotel Kyoto
A design hotel partly housed in the former Kyoto Central Telephone Office, connected to Karasuma Oike Station, with a rooftop Italian restaurant and Japan's first Stumptown Coffee.
At a glance
- Type
- Design hotel
- Area
- Karasuma Oike, Kyoto, Japan
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- acehotel.com
Good to know
- Rooftop restaurant and bar
- Coffee shop
- Station connection
Why we recommend it
Ace Hotel Kyoto brings the American brand's mix of design, music and food to a central Kyoto location. Part of the hotel occupies the former Kyoto Central Telephone Office building, a historic structure that has been carefully restored, and part is in a new wing behind it. The result combines old brickwork and arches with contemporary interiors that use Japanese craft, textiles and art.
Rooms come in a wide range of types. Standard and superior rooms suit most travellers, while the historic king and twin rooms and the Ace Suite are in the former telephone office building, and there are tatami suites and loft suites for those wanting something different. The hotel's style is relaxed rather than formal.
The food and drink are a draw for locals as well as guests. Piopiko serves contemporary tacos and cocktails by chef Wes Avila, Mr. Maurice's Italian is a rooftop restaurant with pasta, wood-fired pizza and wine and its own rooftop bar, and Kosa is a modern Japanese steakhouse. Stumptown Coffee on the ground floor was the first Stumptown shop in Japan and is a lively meeting place in the mornings.
The hotel suits couples, creative travellers and anyone who wants a sociable atmosphere with good bars on site. It is not a quiet retreat, but the rooms are comfortable and the location is hard to beat for getting around. Prices are mid to upper range, rising sharply in spring and autumn. Even if you stay elsewhere, the lobby, Stumptown and the rooftop bar are open to non-residents, so the hotel works as a meeting point in the centre of town. Weekend evenings are the busiest time at the bars, so reserve a table at the restaurants if you have a particular night in mind, especially for the rooftop in good weather.
The hotel connects directly to Karasuma Oike Station, where the Karasuma and Tozai subway lines meet, so Kyoto Station is a few stops away. According to the hotel, Inoda Coffee is about six minutes' walk, the Kamo River and Sanjo Ohashi bridge about ten minutes and Nishiki Market about twelve minutes. Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace are a short subway ride away, and Honke Owariya is nearby for soba.
Ace Hotel Kyoto FAQs
Where is Ace Hotel Kyoto?
In Kurumaya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, with a direct connection to Karasuma Oike Station.
What is the historic building?
Part of the hotel is in the former Kyoto Central Telephone Office.
What restaurants are there?
Piopiko, Mr. Maurice's Italian on the rooftop, the Kosa steakhouse and Stumptown Coffee.
Is there a rooftop bar?
Yes. Mr. Maurice's has a rooftop bar.
Is it good for nightlife?
Yes. The bars and restaurants are popular with locals as well as guests.
How far is Nishiki Market?
About twelve minutes on foot.
Are there tatami rooms?
Yes. The hotel has tatami suites among its room types.
How do you get there from Kyoto Station?
Take the Karasuma subway line to Karasuma Oike, which connects directly to the hotel.