Last week I happened to be in the area of the Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, and decided to have a bit of a snoop around inside. What a place!
The Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto is Kyoto’s newest luxury resort having opened just last autumn, but it feels like it has been around a lot longer. Everything about this hotel from the softly lit interiors, and the magnificent gardens, to the warm and good-humoured smiles of the staff, suggests stately grace, calm, and tranquility. If you really want to spoil yourself then this is clearly the place to stay. It feels like a palace!
The interior design is a perfect blend of modern comforts with traditional style. This extends to the guest rooms which are decorated with artisanal touches like paper lamps, and fusuma screens. Some rooms also have their own balconies and suites also have their own dining areas and walk-in closets.
Dining options include a Brasserie stocked with local craft beer and a varied cosmopolitan menu, a sushi restaurant, a traditional tea house and a combined bar and lounge. In-room dining is also available and breakfast is buffet style.
For the full resort experience, this hotel also has a fitness center and a luxury spa with massage services, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, and a swimming pool. Should you want to venture out from this haven, the hotel can organize a variety of sightseeing tours, local outings, and cultural experiences.
Four Seasons Kyoto is a large hotel, but is well hidden from the hurly-burly of the city. Occupying a world unto itself it is tucked away on the slope of Onnazaka, and is convenient for visits to Sanjusangendo Temple, and the National Museum.
I was very impressed with my brief look round the Four Seasons Kyoto, not just by the beautiful interiors but by the charming manners of the staff. Not even a guest, I was simply there to take a few cheeky snaps, but they made me feel most welcome. I just wish I could afford to stay there myself!
Full text and original photographs by Michael Lambe – All rights reserved.
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