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Many travelers say that a stay at the Park Hyatt Kyoto is a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Maybe so, but after visiting in March, I hope fate brings me back to this enchanting spot soon.
The hotel was born out of a collaboration between renowned 19th-century teahouse and kaiseki multicourse restaurant Kyoyamato, Japanese construction company Takenaka and Hyatt. This initiative proves that it’s possible to build a brand-new hotel that seamlessly blends with a heritage cityscape and hews to the time-honored traditions of the region.
It certainly earns its place on our list of the best Park Hyatts in the world thanks to its extraordinary character and unique location; it’s slotted into the hillside of the historic Higashiyama neighborhood. Known for its narrow alleyways and winding stone staircases, there are Instagram-worthy vistas everywhere you look.
Explore the many paths that wind through gardens at Park Hyatt Kyoto. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
The hotel, with its mukuri tile roofs and Japanese gardens, doesn’t feel out of place among the traditional Japanese shops, townhouses and storefronts. However, it also offers plenty of modern conveniences. The Jacuzzi and separate steam shower sealed into their own compartment in our suite’s master bath is something we’ll talk about forever.
Service struck the right balance of authenticity and old-fashioned excellence, and the staff seemed able to navigate nearly any situation. Here’s everything else you need to know about the Park Hyatt Kyoto and why it’s so worth a stay.
Yasaka Pagoda as seen in the distance from Ninenzaka House (suite 308) at Park Hyatt Kyoto. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUYGetting there
Most travelers arrive at Kyoto Station via the Shinkansen bullet train. We took the Nozomi (fastest train) from Tokyo. The journey lasted two hours and 15 minutes; I paid 15,400 yen (about $98) per person, one-way for first-class reserved seats. (We bought tickets on the smartEX app.)
Pro tip: If you or anyone in your party suffers from motion sickness, pack some ginger chews, peppermint or meclizine/Bonine/Dramamine. The train races along the track at about 185 mph, and the curves can be tough for some people. The train was also very warm, so don’t overdress.
When you exit the train, follow signs to the taxi stand; then, take a quick 11-minute ride (about $15) to the Higashiyama Ward, home of the Park Hyatt Kyoto.
Higashiyama neighborhood is just steps away from Park Hyatt Kyoto. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUYBooking details
The Park Hyatt Kyoto is an outsized value for redeeming points, but you must book early — especially if you hope to successfully apply a Hyatt upgrade certificate for a Park Suite to your stay. For my early March 2024 stay, I booked a standard king room 12 months in advance at a cost of 35,000 World of Hyatt points per night. (Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to your Hyatt account instantly on a 1:1 basis.)
If you have your mind set on visiting in the spring for cherry blossom season, you really have to be on top of booking any hotel in Kyoto as soon as the reservation window opens (that’s 13 months in the case of Hyatt properties).
If paying cash, a standard king room with a garden view goes for around 365,000 yen ($2,390) per night during peak season. TPG values World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each, so laying out 35,000 points per night for a standard room is equivalent to paying $595. In this scenario, you’re actually getting closer to 6.7 cents per point, which is a fantastic redemption value.
It’s this kind of value that keeps me a loyal World of Hyatt member, and the reason why two of my favorite credit cards are the World of Hyatt Card Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. However, if you’re not working toward World of Hyatt elite status and only care about points, your better bet is probably the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® since you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt so easily.
Our trip commemorated 30 years of marriage, so we decided to spring for a paid upgrade to a premium suite. It was 180,000 yen ($1,180) per night to upgrade to Ninenzaka House (see the Suite section below for details and photos of that suite). The going cash price for that suite was about $2,600 per night for our dates.
If you don’t book directly with Hyatt, Park Hyatt Kyoto is also part of American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts. That’s ideal for anyone holding The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Book via the Amex travel website for complimentary perks like availability-based upgrades, up to a $100 credit to use on-property during your stay for things like drinks or meals, complimentary daily breakfast for two and guaranteed late checkout.
If you don’t have World of Hyatt points or the Amex Platinum card, book via a Hyatt Prive travel agent. These rates offer similar benefits to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program. You’ll receive all your World of Hyatt perks plus benefits, including complimentary breakfast, a one-category room upgrade when available, early check-in (when available), late checkout (when available) and a food and beverage credit.
Standout features The inviting lobby features stunning furniture, fireplaces and a gilded ceiling. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
Phenomenal public spaces make you feel thoroughly at home from the moment you walk past the Japanese garden at the entrance and into the dimly lit lobby with its roaring fireplaces.
Staff members have perfected their craft and make you wish you could live full-time at the Park Hyatt Kyoto.
It offers a not-to-be-missed gourmet teppanyaki experience from a dining room with incredible views of Yasaka Pagoda and much of Kyoto.
Drawbacks
If you don’t book with points, a stay at Park Hyatt Kyoto can be pricey (more than $2,000 per night in high season).
We encountered a bit of a language barrier in the casual dining room (Kyoto Bistro). It wasn’t a huge deal, but it’s something to be aware of. If you have dietary requirements, learn the words in Japanese or translate them on a card to show your waiter.
The area of Kyoto around the hotel is not easy to navigate if you have mobility challenges. I brought a cane, which I needed to more easily manage long, steep staircases with no handrails.
The vibe The Living Room at Park Hyatt Kyoto. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
To describe the hotel’s vibe, I need to tell you about a Japanese architectural concept summed up as “inward depth and interval.” It’s executed flawlessly at the Park Hyatt Kyoto. Guests are meant to shift through a sequence of quiet spaces as they transition from the busy tourist district to the comfort of their guest room or suite.
Sheer rock walls flanked by cedar trees are the focal point of the hotel’s entrance. A dimly lit walkway leads guests past the Yasuo Kitayama-designed Pritzker Garden on the right with 31 300-million-year-old stones from Colorado (a gift from the Aspen home of Hyatt executive chairman Thomas J. Pritzker).
Yasuo Kitayama-designed Pritzker Garden. TAKESHI NAKASA/HYATT
A covered walkway spans from the driveway entrance to reception, with the garden on the right and a shallow pond filled with river stones on the left.
Tranquility begins before you even enter the hotel. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
Next, guests trigger an automated door, where the transition from outdoors to indoors begins. In one direction is the hotel’s casual restaurant, Kyoto Bistro, and an elevator to some guest rooms; the lobby and additional guest rooms are in the other direction.
Gorgeous cherry tree branches decorate hallways and the lobby. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
Once inside the hotel, guests turn left to walk along an indoor/outdoor hallway that leads to the lobby, The Living Room and Wine Bar.
ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
The Living Room across from the front desk and concierge is also dimly lit and accented by waves of light from strategically placed glass-fronted fireplaces. It’s here where your mind is coaxed into thinking you are visiting the home of a Japanese friend.
As you walk farther into this oasis, you pass the dining area where afternoon tea is served. Natural light filters in from a wall of windows. The elevator to guest rooms is hidden around the corner.
The first time I stepped off the elevator on the way to my suite, I was struck by how quiet and dark the hallway was. The area by the elevator was also cordoned off by automated doors that created a bit of an “airlock” feel. Our suite was at the very end of the hallway, and we walked past several lantern-style lights that emitted warm amber tones along the way.
Guest room hallways are quiet and dark, illuminated by lanterns. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
By the time we arrived at our suite, I was already in love with the feel of this hotel. Beauty, simplicity and serenity typify the Park Hyatt Kyoto. If you’re looking for bold colors, bright lights and buzzy nightlife, this is absolutely not the hotel for you.
The suite Ninenzaka House, suite 308. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
Since we were celebrating a big anniversary, we booked a specific (named) suite for this trip, of which there are nine. (See the next section for information about standard rooms.)
Suite types include Park Suite and Ninenzaka House (both 732 square feet), the 968-square-foot Higashiyama House and the 1,453-square-foot Pagoda Houses. We secured Ninenzaka House and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The suite was beautiful and offered excellent views of the city. All rooms and suites are stocked with amenities that make your stay more comfortable: bathrobes (Western and kimono-style), slippers, Aesop toiletries (bergamot rind, frankincense and cedar shampoo and conditioner; geranium leaf body cleaner and bar soap in a pleasing bergamot rind and Tahitian lime scent), bath salts, a powerful Dyson hair dryer and more.
I also loved that you could call guest services to ask for all sorts of complimentary amenities, such as baby shampoo and lotion, deodorant, eye masks, instant noodles, earplugs, lens cleaning wipes, heat packs, nail polish remover and more. If you like doing light workouts in the room, you could also request a free weight set, yoga mat and even fitness shoes.
Upon check-in, there were some nice treats in our room (some due to me being a Globalist and others to celebrate our anniversary). We enjoyed a bottle of Ruinart Champagne, a delicious strawberry cake and two types of loose-leaf tea from purveyor Kyoto Narumiya.
The Ruinart welcome Champagne was a nice touch. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
When it comes to guest rooms and suites, American interior designer Tony Chi worked with Takenaka to create warm interior spaces using natural materials.
Throughout the hotel, you’ll see wooden beams tied together via traditional methods using no nails. Beige walls accent the bright grain of the Japanese cypress and tamo ash woods used throughout. Bathrooms are outfitted with rich marbled granite, and there are gold accents in the suites and rooms.
In Ninenzaka House was a half-bath to the right as you entered the suite and walked toward the living area.
Both the living room (with a daybed, three chairs, table, TV and bar) and bedroom (with a king bed, chair, ottoman and side table) featured floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ninenzaka House living room. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
We felt as if we were in the center of the historic district — even when we were just kicking back in our room. Don’t worry, though: The blackout curtains don’t let any light into the suite when you want to rest.
In the living room, there was a flat-screen TV as well as a minibar and coffee/tea setup.
In-room minibar and coffee/tea area. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
The king bed was very comfortable, and I liked having a little table and chair in the room as well.
Ninenzaka House king bed. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
A second flat-screen TV faced the bed with the master bath through a door on the right.
Ninenzaka House bedroom. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
The master bath was stunning. The sliding doors on both ends of the closet area, which connects the entry hallway to the bathroom, were convenient. You could also enter the master bath from a sliding door in the bedroom. The master bath featured a separate steam shower and bathtub, a dual-sink vanity and a separate room with a Toto toilet.
rooms
There are 70 guest rooms at Park Hyatt Kyoto. Standard rooms with hillside views start at about 484 square feet and accommodate up to two adults plus a baby in a crib. Rooms are outfitted with either a king bed or two twins, a work area, a 55-inch flat-screen TV, a coffee maker and a daybed. In the bathroom, the bathtub and shower are separate, and the vanity has dual sinks.
The rooms in the next category up are the same size as the standards but have garden views.
Gardens at Park Hyatt Kyoto. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
For a very serene and atmospheric view, go for the terrace rooms with views of a Japanese-style garden. If you have your heart set on a possible pagoda view, opt for King or Twin Bed View rooms.
Finally, there are two categories of roomier deluxe rooms that clock in at 732 square feet. Deluxe rooms have hillside views, while Deluxe View rooms look out over the 1,350-year-old Yasaka Pagoda.
Food and drink
Although there are phenomenal restaurants all around Kyoto, you’ll want to spend a meal or two enjoying the Park Hyatt Kyoto’s restaurants.
Yasaka Restaurant with Yasaka Pagoda views. HYATT
Yasaka offers a teppanyaki experience that fuses Japanese culinary sensibilities with French cooking techniques. It’s the hotel’s signature restaurant, and I wish I had made reservations here for more than one dinner. It was exquisite.
There are two identical dining rooms that each feature one U-shaped table. Both have gorgeous views of Yasaka Pagoda. Book the early seating if watching the sunset is important to you.