HOSHINOYA Kyoto

This hotel is located off the river and requires a boat or a private car to get to. The area is beautiful particularly in the fall with the maple leaves and is highly recommended. The facility has 25 rooms and the service is impeccable. Each room has a view of the river and air condition, And beds are Japanese style and Wifi is fast and excellent. Check-in is 3 PM and check out is noon. There is no safe in the rooms but security is on premise and it would be difficult for the given location. The food is excellent and I would recommend to eat at a form of Michelin restaurant at least one night. Although expensive, American standards and food is exceptional and portions are Japanese style. We also recommend that you consider having breakfast in house. I would recommend that you arrive to this location and visit all the necessary temples other sites before you arrive here. We recommend at least 1 to 2 nights would be preferred. We also recommend that you consider cancellation insurance because there's no cancellation policy once you book.

Hoshinoya Kyoto was a huge disappointment. The rooms are dated, the service perfunctory, the meals uninspiring and the bearings cheap. Yes, cheap for a hotel that charges upwards of USD1000! They serve whipped butter at breakfast, which across my travels in Japan is the stuff budget inns use, served a ridiculous tiny portion of 2 tiny sausages with a lot of leaves and asks you to pay when you ask for milk! ONE hard boiled egg was served without asking how you like it done and fruit was a pathetic quarter of a quarter of a kiwi. Dinner was very ordinary, and honestly quite similar (maybe even lousier) to their other lower end hotels like KAI. The doors in the rooms are ridiculously low and the staff explained that they are more suited to Japanese height. It would be nice if the staff had also warned about the crows that steal from right under your nose, or the mosquitoes that are emerging as early as mid-Apr, but they didn't. There is no hot spring or spa, and there really is nothing to do but sit around, which is fine if the service is more refined and proactive. The view is stunning but will be appreciated only if you want to pay a lot of money in an old ryokan with cheap management and very mediocre service. Service has a generous tinge of the "we are a very expensive joint so please take care of our stuff when you are here.' arrogance. Staff chides u for moving a chair to face the view because of their precious tatami mat. Price - USD1000 upwards and your eternal regret

I only spent two nights at Hoshinoya Kyoto during a 5 nights stay in the city. It’s a shame as this may very well be one of my favourite hotels in the world.||I have written before about the fantastic hospitality at Hoshinoya Tokyo, and the Kyoto one does not disappoint in that regard. The commute to the hotel, by boat alongside the Katsura river, immediately makes one feel like an explorer, slowly getting to a secret cove, harbouring the promise of a unique experience.||We stayed in the ‘corner’ suite that features on all the pictures. The reasonably small supplement to pay for this suite is worth every Euro / Pound / Dollar. Breakfast in our private living room, surrounded by momiji leaves caressed by the morning sun, and the relaxing sound of the river a few meters away, felt nothing short of magical.||In the hustle and bustle of Kyoto, the tucked away Hoshinoya is that secret alcove where you may moor, relax, and recharge quietly in typical Japanese style.

This is a beautiful property situated on a wooded slope along a pleasant river. You take a 15 minute boat ride to reach it. Our room was wonderfully traditional with modern amenities. Service was impeccable. Our traditional breakfast was brought to our room each morning and the keiseki meal one evening was the best keiseki we had for all three weeks in Japan. It was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.

A great place to get away and immerse yourself in the nature of 岚山. The place can only be reached by a boat/car. The amenities and facilities are top tier. The food though not the best I’ve ever had but definitely worth it. Recommend to get the early bird price which is much cheaper than the normal price and certainly a great deal compared to many other places.

The Hoshinoya Kyoto is a unique and truly memorable hotel. The hotel is located in a gorgeous setting that was particularly lovely in late May. The hotel staff could not be more welcoming and kind. We were celebrating a special birthday and the staff went beyond our expectations to give us an exquisite dinner and a remarkable Japanese breakfast. The view from our rooms was mesmerizing and the Western style bed was extremely comfortable. There was a cedar bathtub as well as a shower. A wonderful and relaxing experience. We loved staying here.

One of the best hotels in Kyoto in the area. Location is perfect, food is perfect, and service outstanding. Yes, it's expensive, but worth it. I disagree with other reviews which concern about the worth, but it's Japan, not Mexico. The place is located in a remote part of Kyoto near the Bamboo forest, and access is by private car from hotel or river. Check is 3PM and check out 12:00. The place has trees over >400 years on the property and the room are modern, WIF Fast, and excellent air. Yes, you have to pay for mini bar which is not included, but eats from the mini bar when you can dine a former 5 star restaurant. Also no TV! and no children less than 13. This is a place to relax, and my suggestion is to come here at the end of Kyoto experience. Spend 1-2 nights, eat 1 once at the restaurant which services food like an art, and portions are Japanese. I recommend you bring your favorite food (snacks) before arrive, because there is no other options on site. Cost of dinner is 300-400/2 persons including alcohol based on USA currency conversion rates. You get 9 courses and I recommend to reserve in the lower restaurant with chef because watching prepare the food is the most interesting. It's like art. Yeah, it's expensive but worth it in my opinion. Would also recommend to check each room, all have great views of the river. Highly recommend you get cancellation insurance (trip insurance) which also medical, emergency evacuation because it's cheap and your reservation once submitted in non-refundable. I recommend insure my trip (or other pending your country), and also pre-pay in your currency if your currency is better than the yen, which is the case for USA clients. Avoid going to the monkey park (waste of time), and consider eating across the bridge in town which has many restaurants. Summers months are hot and muggy. Best time October, November for fall colors of cherry blossoms, and maples trees. Best of luck. Best place in my opinion in that area.

Room view was great. Room layout and facilities were good. Thought rooms could use some updating though. There was definitely wear and tear and scruff marks on the walls. Also, likely, because of the location, there were a lot of bugs and spiders in the room, which really freaked us out, but I guess that's not really the resort's fault. The service was really good and I enjoyed the waiting room and boat service. However by far, my biggest complaint was the food. It was by far the worst meals, and most expensive, I've had through my whole Japan trip. Even not price adjusted, they were the worst meals. No variety in breakfast options. I don't want to eat vegetable hot pot when its 30 degrees outside. Would have appreciated traditional japanese breakfast with grilled fish, miso, natto etc. Kaiseki dinner was the most expensive meal all trip for us, but many dishes were outright not good tasting. The sashimi also seemed lower quality and I get conger eel is a specialty of the area, but did we really have to eat like 5 courses of conger eel? The meal was clearly a very high attempt at creating an elevated experience with presentation etc, but honestly fell so short in terms of taste.

This hotel is located off the river and requires a boat or a private car to get to. The area is beautiful particularly in the fall with the maple leaves and is highly recommended. The facility has 25 rooms and the service is impeccable. Each room has a view of the river and air condition, And beds are Japanese style and Wifi is fast and excellent. Check-in is 3 PM and check out is noon. There is no safe in the rooms but security is on premise and it would be difficult for the given location. The food is excellent and I would recommend to eat at a form of Michelin restaurant at least one night. Although expensive, American standards and food is exceptional and portions are Japanese style. We also recommend that you consider having breakfast in house. I would recommend that you arrive to this location and visit all the necessary temples other sites before you arrive here. We recommend at least 1 to 2 nights would be preferred. We also recommend that you consider cancellation insurance because there's no cancellation policy once you book.

Hoshinoya Kyoto was a huge disappointment. The rooms are dated, the service perfunctory, the meals uninspiring and the bearings cheap. Yes, cheap for a hotel that charges upwards of USD1000! They serve whipped butter at breakfast, which across my travels in Japan is the stuff budget inns use, served a ridiculous tiny portion of 2 tiny sausages with a lot of leaves and asks you to pay when you ask for milk! ONE hard boiled egg was served without asking how you like it done and fruit was a pathetic quarter of a quarter of a kiwi. Dinner was very ordinary, and honestly quite similar (maybe even lousier) to their other lower end hotels like KAI. The doors in the rooms are ridiculously low and the staff explained that they are more suited to Japanese height. It would be nice if the staff had also warned about the crows that steal from right under your nose, or the mosquitoes that are emerging as early as mid-Apr, but they didn't. There is no hot spring or spa, and there really is nothing to do but sit around, which is fine if the service is more refined and proactive. The view is stunning but will be appreciated only if you want to pay a lot of money in an old ryokan with cheap management and very mediocre service. Service has a generous tinge of the "we are a very expensive joint so please take care of our stuff when you are here.' arrogance. Staff chides u for moving a chair to face the view because of their precious tatami mat. Price - USD1000 upwards and your eternal regret

I only spent two nights at Hoshinoya Kyoto during a 5 nights stay in the city. It’s a shame as this may very well be one of my favourite hotels in the world.||I have written before about the fantastic hospitality at Hoshinoya Tokyo, and the Kyoto one does not disappoint in that regard. The commute to the hotel, by boat alongside the Katsura river, immediately makes one feel like an explorer, slowly getting to a secret cove, harbouring the promise of a unique experience.||We stayed in the ‘corner’ suite that features on all the pictures. The reasonably small supplement to pay for this suite is worth every Euro / Pound / Dollar. Breakfast in our private living room, surrounded by momiji leaves caressed by the morning sun, and the relaxing sound of the river a few meters away, felt nothing short of magical.||In the hustle and bustle of Kyoto, the tucked away Hoshinoya is that secret alcove where you may moor, relax, and recharge quietly in typical Japanese style.

This is a beautiful property situated on a wooded slope along a pleasant river. You take a 15 minute boat ride to reach it. Our room was wonderfully traditional with modern amenities. Service was impeccable. Our traditional breakfast was brought to our room each morning and the keiseki meal one evening was the best keiseki we had for all three weeks in Japan. It was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.

A great place to get away and immerse yourself in the nature of 岚山. The place can only be reached by a boat/car. The amenities and facilities are top tier. The food though not the best I’ve ever had but definitely worth it. Recommend to get the early bird price which is much cheaper than the normal price and certainly a great deal compared to many other places.

The Hoshinoya Kyoto is a unique and truly memorable hotel. The hotel is located in a gorgeous setting that was particularly lovely in late May. The hotel staff could not be more welcoming and kind. We were celebrating a special birthday and the staff went beyond our expectations to give us an exquisite dinner and a remarkable Japanese breakfast. The view from our rooms was mesmerizing and the Western style bed was extremely comfortable. There was a cedar bathtub as well as a shower. A wonderful and relaxing experience. We loved staying here.

One of the best hotels in Kyoto in the area. Location is perfect, food is perfect, and service outstanding. Yes, it's expensive, but worth it. I disagree with other reviews which concern about the worth, but it's Japan, not Mexico. The place is located in a remote part of Kyoto near the Bamboo forest, and access is by private car from hotel or river. Check is 3PM and check out 12:00. The place has trees over >400 years on the property and the room are modern, WIF Fast, and excellent air. Yes, you have to pay for mini bar which is not included, but eats from the mini bar when you can dine a former 5 star restaurant. Also no TV! and no children less than 13. This is a place to relax, and my suggestion is to come here at the end of Kyoto experience. Spend 1-2 nights, eat 1 once at the restaurant which services food like an art, and portions are Japanese. I recommend you bring your favorite food (snacks) before arrive, because there is no other options on site. Cost of dinner is 300-400/2 persons including alcohol based on USA currency conversion rates. You get 9 courses and I recommend to reserve in the lower restaurant with chef because watching prepare the food is the most interesting. It's like art. Yeah, it's expensive but worth it in my opinion. Would also recommend to check each room, all have great views of the river. Highly recommend you get cancellation insurance (trip insurance) which also medical, emergency evacuation because it's cheap and your reservation once submitted in non-refundable. I recommend insure my trip (or other pending your country), and also pre-pay in your currency if your currency is better than the yen, which is the case for USA clients. Avoid going to the monkey park (waste of time), and consider eating across the bridge in town which has many restaurants. Summers months are hot and muggy. Best time October, November for fall colors of cherry blossoms, and maples trees. Best of luck. Best place in my opinion in that area.

Room view was great. Room layout and facilities were good. Thought rooms could use some updating though. There was definitely wear and tear and scruff marks on the walls. Also, likely, because of the location, there were a lot of bugs and spiders in the room, which really freaked us out, but I guess that's not really the resort's fault. The service was really good and I enjoyed the waiting room and boat service. However by far, my biggest complaint was the food. It was by far the worst meals, and most expensive, I've had through my whole Japan trip. Even not price adjusted, they were the worst meals. No variety in breakfast options. I don't want to eat vegetable hot pot when its 30 degrees outside. Would have appreciated traditional japanese breakfast with grilled fish, miso, natto etc. Kaiseki dinner was the most expensive meal all trip for us, but many dishes were outright not good tasting. The sashimi also seemed lower quality and I get conger eel is a specialty of the area, but did we really have to eat like 5 courses of conger eel? The meal was clearly a very high attempt at creating an elevated experience with presentation etc, but honestly fell so short in terms of taste.

The Hoshinoya Kyoto is a magical and peaceful place with impeccable service and wonderful food. Absolutely worth the trek. From the moment you arrive at the boat waiting room, you are taken care of. Whisked away to a waiting room with warm towels and tea while your luggage is set up on to the boat you will eventually take to the resort. The ride is short and lovely. We took ours at dusk. You are given a steward / concierge to help acquaint you with their facilities and make you feel at home. He/she can arrange for your reservation in a stretching class, reserve an in-room massage or set up dinner or breakfast for you. The food during the traditional kaiseki meal was beautiful and delicious. The rooms are well appointed. Wooden tubs with bath accoutrements. Luxury skincare products in the bathroom. Just an overall wonderful experience.

The room and service was great over all which makes sense since it is one of the most expensive hotels in Kyoto. I went there with my girlfriend from the US. It was her first time in Japan my home country and thought Hoshinoya would be a great place to show her some good old Omotenashi service. The food, the interior design, the boat, the river, and most of the other things about Hoshinoya was great. But like I said, being twice as more expensive than the average ryokan, this is to be expected. However, when I was standing by the river with my girlfriend, a rude staff came up to us with a rude attitude and a frown, and told us in English "You can't be here, private property please leave." before asking if we were guests. I was shocked. My girlfriend was already insecure being in a new country. I had to ask her again to double check i didn't hear her wrong. "Pardon me?". She repeats her exact same line. In absolute shock, I tell her that we are guests staying there. THEN, with out apologizing nor looking like she had remorse for what she had just done, she says "what is your room number then?". INSANITY! This incident made my girlfriend so insecure that she wasn't dressed well enough for the establishment and utterly ruined our time in Kyoto. I would never recommend this hotel to anybody who likes to wear jeans and T-shirts since you would risk getting kicked out and having your significant other questioning her own fashion style. AVOID if you are not in a suit. AVOID if you wear caps. AVOID if you do sneakers and denim in the morning. To add on to this, after I reported the incident to multiple managers, all we received was a mechanical, we are sorry and look into the incident. No refund, no voucher, no nothing. I was born and raised in Japan and this was utterly unbelievable that after all that the only thing they did was to say "sorry". I spend over 1000 dollars a night here and regret so deeply.

This place is good for an escape from city for a few days, otherwise there is nothing special here. Hoshinoya is like a chain, and its resort near Tokyo is the best according to a friend. You can either take a boat to get in this exclusive place (appx. 15 minutes) or take their chauffeur-drive car in, which is quite dangerous, frankly. That is pretty much the exclusive part. Simply put, it is not a place to come out and in very frequently. It is more like a resort. Inside, the atmosphere is really beautiful - it is all about nature. Air feels fresh and water is really clean. It is the mountain that the hotel is built in. Service is decent. There is not much that we experience, though. Price varies greatly - one family we met booked this hotel three months in advance and had a rate almost half of what we paid. We did not try the dinner menu, but I like its hot pot breakfast, with seasonal Kyoto veggies. Overall, it is a good experience as you boat your way in and take a break from the city. However, there is not so much value compared with the price, so you might want to try some other hotels, like Tawaraya, instead, for a Japanese-style hospitality.

My detailed full review: https://steemit.com/travel/@supertravelguide/a-week-in-japan-and-a-day-at-hoshinoya-kyoto I've stayed at many luxurious resort/hotel chain properties (ie. Ritz, Four Seasons, Rosewood, Fullerton, Wynn, Mandarin Oriental, Relais&Chateaux, etc) and even during this 7 day japan trip alone staying at Ritz Tokyo and Kyoto and two of most luxurious rokyans in Hakone (Gora Kadan and Madoki no Mori), yet I can confidently say that my one-day experience staying at Hoshinoya Kyoto was one of the absolute best among them all! First things first, this welcoming you to the hotel thing after meeting you at some meeting point thing is much more seamless, luxurious, convenient and comfortable than what I was made to think initially. The taxi drivers know exactly where to drop you off and you're escorted into a building facility at welcome rather than straight to the boat. Here, you're invited to the most amazing check-in experience involving a delicious ginger tea, hot towels, paperwork and the famous indoor boat ride along a gorgeously quaint river. Once we arrived at the resort proper, we were immediately taken back by the beautiful and scenic resort grounds that looked just beautiful as they were in the photos. We felt immediately relaxed just standing atop the gorgeous resort grounds and the upon entering our spacious room with warmly heated floors, a large window overlooking the river and the train pathway and the painstakingly modern bathroom readied with Hinoki style hot bath. Contrary to other reviews, I did not find that the resort was too inconveniently located or isolated from rest of Tokyo as you are allowed to freely roam back and forth between the main resort and the original welcome dock right near the bustling downtown Arashiyama area. And even in our one night stay where we chose not to venture out after check-in, we felt plentifully entertained and busier with various activities available at the resort available: drinking tea/coffee at the library, participating in morning stretch group class, enjoying small occasional treats at the salon (basically its Club Lounge), enjoying the inroom dining options and just relaxing sitting by the River admits it's gorgeous scenery. Highlights -The food! Both the mini kaiseki dinner and the morning hot pot was DELICIOUS and one of the best meals in our entire 7 day japan trip. Every ingredient tasted fresh and all seasonings done just right with lots of attention to details of the flavors. It was expensive and (probably) overpriced, but tasted very good -The thoughtfully laid out rooms with great nature views -The very friendly, warm and uplifting staff members -The AMAZING food -The irreplaceable feeling of relaxation and peace that you'll find immediacy taking a step into this resort -Fresh air quality and closeness to the nature without inconvenience Lowlights -it was hard to book using their website and price varied too much -this is a middle ground between a ryokan and a hotel, but wish it was just a ryokan where the food was included in Your stay. Otherwise the dining options was (although very good) very limited. -as others have noted, the staff there were indeed skewing young and did make a few small mistakes ie. Confusion over my luggage delivery service and booking wrong number of people for the morning exercise. However the staff here also were the most welcoming, genuinely friendly and kind people I got to meet and that far outweighed the negatives. Can't wait to try out other Hoshinoya properties!

Outrageously overpriced. Far short of expectations based on website. Service marginal at best. Anticipated a calm and serene environment but energy was bad, depressing. Bathrooms are well appointed.