Mountain View 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.

Our stay at Seryo Ryokan in Ohara was an 11/10 experience and the highlight of our Japan trip. From arrival to departure, the service was exceptional. The staff were warm, attentive, and even helped arrange luggage delivery to our next hotel in Fukuoka, which made our trip much easier. The onsen was relaxing and well-maintained. While smaller than those in Hokkaido, it still offered a peaceful and authentic experience. The kaiseki cuisine was top notch. Every dish was beautifully presented, and the menu exceeded our expectations. Even the breakfast was really good. Everything about this ryokan was thoughtful and well-prepared. The area is also nearby so many temples and is surrounded by mountains. If you love nature this is a perfect ryokan for you. Luckily we found seryo for our trip. This ryokan isPerfect for families looking for a quiet and memorable stay. Highly recommended!

We chose a large corner room with windows on both sides. The hotel building has a history of more than 200 years. The location is great. It is right at the entrance of Kiyomizu Temple Commercial Street. It is quiet in the bustling city. The hotel is very quiet and elegant, with high-end decoration, complete facilities and excellent service! Breakfast is served in a library-style restaurant, which is very special. I highly recommend Japanese breakfast. Everyone thinks it is high-end Japanese cuisine when they post it on WeChat Moments. There are also vegetarian and children's meal options for breakfast. I also strongly recommend the window seat in the executive lounge. Drink Japanese tea or Japanese whiskey in the afternoon and look at the quaint buildings outside. It is worth the effort!

This hotel right by Kyoto's Kamo River offered an amazing experience! Booking in advance made it excellent value for money. The location is absolutely superb; step out and cross the street for a shopping mall, with a supermarket right across from that. There are also plenty of Japanese eateries nearby, making dining and shopping incredibly convenient. The room came with a private indoor hot spring bath – soaking in it after a full day of sightseeing was wonderfully therapeutic and really eased the travel fatigue. The room itself was quiet and peaceful with expansive views, perfect for relaxing indoors. The layout and design were well-thought-out, and it was impeccably clean. The complimentary tea bags and drinking water were a thoughtful touch. The breakfast was just so-so, and we occasionally encountered some ill-mannered guests, but thankfully it didn't affect our sleep. Overall, we were very satisfied with our stay.

Stayed at The GrandWest Arashiyama and had a pleasant experience. The room is spacious and looks exactly like the photos on Trip and Google. The building feels more like a small apartment house, giving it a homely vibe. Towels are changed daily — they are on the thinner side but still usable. There is **no elevator**, and the staircase is quite narrow. We were lucky to have only one medium and one small luggage, and we sent our big suitcases to the next hotel. If not, carrying them up to level 3 would have been tough. There is a laundry room available from 9am to 9pm. If you return after 10pm, you can enter the building with your room key. Sometimes the hotel offers a morning tour (1,200 yen per person), where their staff brings you around nearby spots. It’s a 40-minute tour (7:00–7:40am or 8:00–8:40am), but not always available. I didn’t join due to a tight itinerary. The location is convenient — just a few minutes’ walk to Lawson, Mini Stop, and Hankyu station. It’s in a quiet residential area, so nights are peaceful. Beds are comfortable, and the bathroom layout is practical, with the toilet and shower separated by the basin area. Overall, a nice and comfortable place to stay in Arashiyama.

The view is good, but everything else is pretty average. The check-out time is early, and the service is quite ordinary. The hotel is old but lacks the super high-end service and grandeur you'd expect from a heritage hotel. The breakfast is terrible – limited variety, poor quality, and bad taste. The bakery and coffee also look very plain, not at all like what you'd find in a high-end hotel. If you find the location convenient, it's fine for just one night's sleep, but definitely skip the breakfast.

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.

We stayed here for a family trip over Children's Day in May. Banyan Tree is such a renowned brand even in Korea, so I had high expectations when I booked our stay. However, we were hoping for a mountain view, but instead, we got a cemetery view – and on a dark, rainy night, it was quite enough to give us nightmares. If you're looking for a relaxing experience, like soaking in a Japanese cypress (hinoki) bathtub, you'll be satisfied, but I have to say the view was extremely disappointing. On the positive side, the Japanese tatami room vibe was very pleasing, and the aroma oil program at the spa was really interesting.

Wonderful, Convenient Stay at Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto Rating: 5/5 | Travelled as a leisure tourist I recently spent a few nights at Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto and could not recommend this hotel more highly - our entire trip was elevated by incredible service, an unbeatable quiet location, and seamless convenience for sightseeing around Kyoto. First and foremost, I want to single out a staff member Suga for her outstanding hospitality that turned our nice stay into an unforgettable one. Suga greeted us every day with a warm, genuine sweet smile and was very attentive to the requests we had which included local recommendations, transit guidance, and help sorting out travel logistics, Suga was super helpful, resourceful, and all with a great positive vibe. She made us feel genuinely welcome and cared for throughout our visit. The hotel’s location struck the perfect balance between peace and accessibility. Tucked in a calm residential neighbourhood, we slept soundly every night. Even better, the surrounding streets are lined with an amazing selection of local eateries: traditional kaiseki, ramen, izakayas and pizza, so we didn't have to travel far for delicious meals. Major subway and train stations are only a 5–10 minute walk away. Hands, Daimaru are about 15 minutes leisurely walk away. Nishiki Market and Gion are also a nice 30 to 45 mins walk. There is a 7-Eleven just a 2-minute stroll from the hotel entrance where we bought a lot of yummy yogurts and cup noodles. The room is big in Japan's standards, bed & pillows are nice and clean. Their bathroom is immense! My daughter and I showered together and there's plenty room left! Their breakfast selection is not a lot but it's good quality - offers Western and local Japanese selections. If you’re planning a trip to Kyoto and want a clean, conveniently located hotel with heartwarming, top-tier service, book Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto without a second thought. A huge thank you again to Suga for such thoughtful, cheerful assistance - we will absolutely return on our next visit to Kyoto!

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.