Hotel
Park Hyatt Kyoto
A low-rise luxury hotel of 70 rooms and nine suites on the slopes of Higashiyama beside Ninenzaka, with the long-established Kyoyamato kaiseki restaurant in its grounds.
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.
At a glance
- Type
- Luxury hotel
- Area
- Higashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Official site
- fourseasons.com
Good to know
- Spa
- Pool
- Historic pond garden
- Several restaurants
Why we recommend it
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto stands at the foot of the Higashiyama hills in the south-east of the city, set back from the street in grounds that hold one of the area's oldest gardens. Shakusui-en is a circuit-style pond garden of around 10,000 square metres that dates back about 800 years, to the end of the Heian period, and it is one of the few surviving gardens of that era. The hotel is arranged around it, and many rooms and public spaces look over the water and the trees.
Rooms range from deluxe rooms to premier rooms facing the garden, a selection of suites and private residences, all designed in a calm, contemporary style that uses natural materials and Japanese details. The garden-view rooms are the ones to ask for if the setting matters to you, especially in spring and autumn when the planting changes colour. Facilities include a spa and a swimming pool, which are rare among Kyoto's city hotels.
Dining is a strength. Emba Kyoto Grill is the hotel's main restaurant, Sey and Fuju add further options, and Sushi Ginza Onodera serves a seasonal omakase sushi menu. A maiko performance pop-up bar runs around scheduled performances, giving guests a chance to see traditional dance without leaving the hotel.
The hotel suits couples, families wanting space and anyone looking for a quiet base with resort-style facilities in the city. Because it lies away from the main shopping streets, most guests use taxis to get around, but the location also means peaceful nights. Booking well ahead is wise for the cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons, when prices are highest and rooms sell out. If you are arriving with heavy luggage by shinkansen, a taxi from Kyoto Station is the simplest way to reach the hotel, and Japan's luggage forwarding services can send cases ahead between hotels.
Sanjusangen-do, the Kyoto National Museum and Chishaku-in are a short walk away, and Kiyomizu-dera and Tofuku-ji are only a few minutes by car. Gion is within easy reach by taxi, and Kyoto Station, with shinkansen services that link Kyoto with Tokyo and Osaka, is a short drive to the south-west.
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto FAQs
What is Shakusui-en?
A pond garden of about 800 years old and around 10,000 square metres, dating from the late Heian period, at the heart of the hotel.
Does the hotel have a pool?
Yes. There is a pool as well as a spa.
What restaurants are there?
Emba Kyoto Grill, Sey, Fuju and Sushi Ginza Onodera, plus a maiko performance pop-up bar.
Which rooms should you book?
Garden-view rooms overlook Shakusui-en and are worth requesting.
Where is the hotel?
In southern Higashiyama, near Sanjusangen-do and the Kyoto National Museum.
How do you get there from Kyoto Station?
It is a short taxi ride from Kyoto Station.
Is it good for families?
Yes. Suites and residences offer extra space, and the pool is popular with children.
When should you book?
Well in advance for the spring and autumn peak seasons.