Nestled in a stylishly repurposed 1920s building, this hip hotel offers spacious rooms with record players, trendy dining, and prime access to Kyoto's coolest spots.
"The Ace Hotel Kyoto is massive, beautiful and full of creature comforts. The Ace Hotel Kyoto is not, however, a traditional Kyoto experience. Once you’ve found your sea legs in Japan, you might jump from the Ace for a stay at a hyper-traditional ryokan in the countryside. But if you have any hint of trepidation over language or cultural barriers — or you just want a taste of international cool to return to after a day of exploration — Ace Kyoto is your spot. Traditional touches are thoughtfully woven throughout the details of the hotel, from the artwork in the rooms to the lantern-like light fixtures. But at its core, the Ace Hotel Kyoto feels like a well-curated modern oasis, with a Japanese-style photo booth in the lobby and a display of records and tote bags located next to the check-in desk. You won’t feel out of your element here as an international traveler, and for some, that’s the ideal experience. After all, taking home a fun tote bag as a souvenir and grabbing your reliable cup of coffee can be appealing, especially when you’re on a trip that might feel out of your comfort zone. Entering Ace Hotel Kyoto, the first of the storied boutique brand in Asia." - Alexis Benveniste
"Modern-Americana-meets-handcrafted-Kyoto is not a conventional formula—yet Ace brand’s first Asia outpost was always going to break rules as well as turn heads. In an ancient Japanese capital famed for its aesthetic discretion (latticed facades, minimal tea rooms, sliding screens), the direction here is unapologetically unorthodox. From tacos and DJ parties to paper lanterns and temple-inspired joinery, it’s a confident cross-pollination of east and west courtesy of LA-based Commune Design and Japanese architect Kengo Kuma (plus 50 homegrown artisans). First is its size: the hotel inhabits a cavernous century-old building known as the Shin-Puh-Kan, plus a new build with a striking angular gridded facade whose abstract lines hint at the city’s famed townhouses. In the lobby, music fills the industrial-edged space, with young staff in striped jackets hovering by a shiny pink copper front desk as round as a rubber ring. Rainbow-bright bursts of contemporary artwork cover the walls, while local creatives gather beneath a high timber ceiling at a long communal table, and craft coffee lovers can get a taste of Portland at the hotel’s on-site Stumptown Coffee. The compact guest rooms mix up Judd-inspired benches and TEAC turntables with washi-ceilings and tatami areas plus vintage-tinged textiles and bold artworks. Food belongs unwaveringly in the US camp: zesty tacos—a Kyoto novelty—at Piopiko (by Wes Avila of LA’s Guerilla Tacos); and quality comfort food at Mr Maurice’s Italian, by Marc Vetri. Another highlight is Kosa directed by chef Katy Cole; enjoy modern farm-to-table treats and natural wines in a contemporary tea room-inspired space, with vast paper lanterns crafted at a centuries-old atelier—an unapologetic finale to perhaps the ancient city’s most novel hotel yet. —Danielle Demetriou" - Danielle Demetriou
"A city rich in traditional Japanese culture, with attractions including temples, the Gion district, and the Kyoto National Museum."
"The first Ace hotel in Asia is the Ace Hotel Kyoto, designed by Kengo Kuma and Commune Design. Kuma’s primary contribution as architect was his powerful revision of an early modernist telephone exchange by Tetsuro Yoshida. And Commune and Kuma together were responsible for adapting Ace’s eclectic, bohemian aesthetic to Kyoto, paying tribute to this historic city without falling into shoji-screen clichés." - Mark Fedeli
"The first Ace hotel in Asia is the Ace Hotel Kyoto, designed by Kengo Kuma and Commune Design. Kuma’s primary contribution as architect was his powerful revision of an early modernist telephone exchange by Tetsuro Yoshida. And Commune and Kuma together were responsible for adapting Ace’s eclectic, bohemian aesthetic to Kyoto, paying tribute to this historic city without falling into shoji-screen clichés." - Mark Fedeli
