Kiyomizu Kyoto, Japan
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe WellnessOutside the door
The house
Four SeasonsHeian grove sanctuary
Low-rise architecture wraps around an 800-year-old pond garden, where glowing washi lamps and weekly maiko performances set a tranquil tone.
“A traditional and elegant design aesthetic permeates the hotel for a Zen vibe.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Interiors incorporate shoji panels, washi lantern fixtures, hand-hammered stone, and custom woven textiles from a historic Kyoto atelier.
Remarkable
Attentive concierge staff, twice-daily housekeeping, custom mattress toppers, and spacious marble bathrooms with deep-soaking tubs.
Remarkable
A subterranean retreat featuring a twenty-metre heated indoor pool, traditional Japanese ofuro baths, and sake-infused spa therapies.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Forbes Four-Star
Forbes Travel Guide
2026
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Japan
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Also in The 50 Discovery, Wallpaper* and AFAR.
the property’s centerpiece the 12th-century Shakusui-en, a pond garden which is every bit as picturesque as it sounds.
“the hotel’s modern architecture stands-out – an angular, cubist property partly veiled by the green curves of its ikeniwa garden.”
“The opulence is subtle, however, camouflaged by clean, Zen-like style, at the hotel’s heart is a beautiful, 800-year-old pond garden.”
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Set in historic Higashiyama, the hotel sits a short walk from Kyoto National Museum and 15 minutes from Kiyomizu-dera.
The rooms
Rooms echo traditional Kyoto residences with sliding fusuma screens, bespoke mattress toppers, and wide windows opening toward temple roofs or pond greenery.
Pool, baths and gym
Bring a swimsuit.
A 20-metre heated indoor lap pool sits underground near traditional stone ofuro soaking baths and saunas.
The spa
Subterranean suites host bamboo stick massage rituals and mineral baths infused with local rice sake.
Dogs stay too.
At the table
Waterfront terraces serve charcoal-grilled wagyu beside the pond, and a garden pavilion pours matcha and evening sake.
The Four Seasons Kyoto is a serene, modern-day sanctuary with elegantly crafted interiors and deluxe comfort levels, rooted in the city’s layered heritage.
How it began
The grounds preserve Shakusui-en, an 800-year-old Heian-era pond garden once owned by a prominent samurai family.
“Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto works because it understands that the garden is not a backdrop, but the point.”
Good to know
Stay here
Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
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Kyoto
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.