"As fresh as the first cherry blossom, Aman Kyoto feels as if it could have existed for centuries, which sets it apart among the flurry of new hotel openings in the city. This delightfully out-of-time quality has much to do with its setting: 80 serene acres of woodland, dense with maples, crosshatched by stone paths and fast-flowing streams. It’s a city hotel enfolded in nature. The aura also comes from the late architect Kerry Hill’s knack for merging traditional and contemporary. Containing just 28 bedrooms, Aman Kyoto’s six pavilions have latticed walls and pitched roofs that echo the forms of machiya houses; every bathroom has its own wooden ofuro tub. Another factor in Aman Kyoto’s curious magic is its slow genesis. Between its conception and completion, Vladislav Doronin acquired Aman, owner Adrian Zecha stepped down, and Hill passed away. Thus, Aman Kyoto bridges old Aman and new Aman, embodying all that has made the brand so exciting and influential. —Steve King" - Danielle Demetriou
