In-Depth Review of the Six Senses Hotel in Kyoto - AFAR
"Opened in late April 2024 as the brand’s second urban outpost and first property in Japan, this Higashiyama hotel is an urban haven of well-being that melds contemporary chic with playful reinterpretations of the Heian period and The Tale of Genji. The design highlights include an open-air lobby facing a Japanese garden with a handmade raku-yaki tile screen depicting Mount Kurama, a white ash ceiling evocative of folded scroll paper, and interiors by Blink Design Group featuring soothing neutrals, asa-no-ha motifs behind beds, and tatami‑inspired hallway carpeting across 81 rooms and suites. Accommodations emphasize restorative sleep and low-waste living with Naturalmat organic mattresses, temperature-regulating pillows, Tential recovery pajamas, plastic-free minibars stocked with local craft items, yoga mats, take-home felt slippers, and playful fox‑mask Do Not Disturb indicators. Dining is hyper-seasonal and veggie-forward at Sekki (with the casual Café Sekki for daytime) — examples include miso‑vinaigrette carrots, tempura okra and tamba mushrooms, perfectly cooked wagyu, indulgent chocolate fondant, and a breakfast program featuring Uji eggs and Kyoto honey — while the Nine Tails bar offers a speakeasy vibe and cocktails like a Miso Ginger Sour from a zero‑waste menu. The extensive wellness program includes an onsen‑inspired hot bath, dry and wet saunas, a 62‑foot indoor lap pool with a Genji mural, an Alchemy Bar for making matcha masks and seasonal scrubs, four themed treatment rooms (including a Sound room), multi‑sensory therapies such as Ah‑Un and watsu, and a Biohack Recovery Lounge with compression therapy and LED masks. Sustainability is central: LEED Silver certification, a plastic‑free operation that bottles its own water, an on‑site Earth Lab that repurposes materials into crafts, regenerative local sourcing within a six‑mile radius, composting and zero‑waste initiatives, and a sustainability fund directing 0.5% of revenue to local forest conservation. Service is attentive and family‑friendly (GEMs are on call 24/7 and the Grow with Six Senses program and kid experiences are offered), the property is well located for sightseeing in Higashiyama, and practical touches include one wheelchair‑ready accessible room and Braille signage. Rates start around $1,083 per night." - Kathryn Romeyn
