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A hotel in Kyoto is just for sleeping.
Or is it?
You’ve been reading hundreds of hotel reviews on the best places to stay in Kyoto. But you still don’t know where to book because the problem is that all that good advice is, well, pretty good.
Instead of jumping to reserve your hotel, you’ve got analysis paralysis. So, the better question is: what kind of trip do you want your hotel to support?
That’s what I’ll help you figure out. I’ll suggest places to stay for travellers planning their trip around food, or day trips outside Kyoto, or quiet mornings with solitude, or even waking up surrounded by the historic Kyoto they travelled thousands of miles to see.
And I know where I’d stay if you want a little bit of everything without having to prioritize one experience over the other.
By the end, you’ll know which hotel best supports your priorities and what your trade-offs are to stay in them. But most importantly, you’ll know where you want to book without needing to read another hundred hotel reviews.
Short on Time? Where First-Time Travellers Should Stay in Kyoto
🏨 Where should you stay in Kyoto?
Choose your hotel based on the trip you want to have. There’s no one best area. Location should support what you actually want to experience.
🌿 Want quiet, solitude, and slow mornings?
Try RokuRoku near the Silver Pavilion. You’ll be closer to residential Kyoto, temples, quiet walks, and places like Hachi Shrine.
Trade-off: You’re farther from downtown, restaurants, and nightlife.
🏮 Want to wake up in historic Kyoto?
Consider staying at Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu in Higashiyama. Think Yasaka Pagoda, wooden houses, cobblestone steps, lanterns, and easy access to Kiyomizu-dera.
Trade-off: You’re staying in one of Kyoto’s busiest tourist areas.
🍙 Planning your trip around food?
Stay at Rojiyu Kyoto in Sanjo Dori neighbourhood. I’d try Rojiyu Kyoto for a traditional-style stay where I can easily access onigiri, sesame crêpes, Nishiki Market, and plenty of unexpected international food finds. 🌮
Trade-off: The area is more commercial than historic.
🚆 Taking lots of day trips?
Stay at Dusit Thani near Kyoto Station. Dusit Thani is my pick for a five-day trip that includes several day trips to places like Nara, Kobe, or Osaka.
Trade-off: You’re choosing comfort and convenient access to trains over traditional Kyoto charm.
🧳 Want the easiest first trip to Kyoto?
Book Richmond Hotel Premier Shijo. It’s central, comfortable, walkable to great restaurants and major sights, and easy for grabbing taxis when you need them.
Trade-off: It’s modern and practical, not charming or ryokan-y.
⭐ Where would I stay?
Richmond Hotel Premier Shijo. I value walkability, good food, comfortable nights, and easy access to major sites without needing to take the bus or subway.
📝 Still deciding?
Fill this out as you go:
I’m staying in ___ because I care most about ___, and I’m okay sacrificing ___ to experience it on my first trip to Kyoto.
Once you can answer that sentence, stop reading hotel reviews because you know where to stay.
If you want peace and solitude…
Then take a chance to stay at Roku Roku right by the Silver Pavilion on the Philosopher’s Path. It’s a mid-tier hotel ryokan with private rooms and gardens for meditation. It seems like a traditional place with modern conveniences.
I walked by here on the way to the Silver Pavilion and would give this place a try for a complete out-of-the-way experience. It looks like a place where I can wake up to writing in my journal while admiring the hilltops. Then I’d stroll through the suburbs of temples and pay my respects at the Hachi shrine at dusk.
The main trade-off for staying at Roku Roku is distance. It’s a couple hours walk from downtown Kyoto. But you gain to see more of local Kyoto complete with ceramic stores. And you’ll discover other well-known, but harder to reach, temples.
Some of these residential temples are harder to find because most travellers don’t wander this far away. Public transportation might be a bit sparse, but you can always order a taxi on Uber if you need to.
This could be the perfect retreat for travellers looking to escape noise. I’d say book a private room at Roku Roku if you’re prioritizing peace and quiet over downtown energy and nightlife.
If you want historic Kyoto…
You travelled all the way to Kyoto and you want to wake up immersed in old Kyoto.
I’d take a chance to stay at the modern, yet traditional, Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu hotel in Higashiyama district. It’s tucked into a side alley by the main street that leads you directly to the Kiyumizu-dera temple.
It doesn’t get more historic Kyoto than this. This is the street where you see the famous Yasaka pagoda (you know, the one picture of the tower that always comes up when you Google Kyoto?). The street is preserved with wooden houses, cobbled-stone steps, and lanterns at doorways. And the best part is you get priority access to the streets at dusk when shops are closing. There are less people, lanterns are lit, and you can stroll freely without the constant crowds.
For the quintessential Kyoto charm, the Higashiyama area is where you want to be. Now let’s be clear about the trade-offs. You want to stay here, but so do most tourists. And if they’re not, then bank on the fact they’ll be visiting during the day, especially at prime tourist season. This isn’t the most visited street for nothing.
But you are getting the atmosphere and architecture of old Kyoto with pretty much direct access to the famous Clear Water Temple. I’d recommend staying somewhere else for value, comfort, and convenience for future trips, but if this is your first trip, and waking up every morning to historic Kyoto is the biggest priority on your list, then Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu could be a great choice.
If you want food culture…
I’d consider staying at the Rojiyu Kyoto in the Sanjo Dori area. It appears to be a ryokan with modern amenities tucked into an alleyway close to Nijo castle. If you want a food culture with a traditional stay, then this is a place I’d try out.
The street the ryokan Rojiyu Kyoto is located on is a straight path that cuts to Sanjo Dori covered market. This market houses my favourite roast sesame crêpe store and onigiri store.
Walk straight down Sanjo Dori and you’ll hit the French and Spanish expat neighbourhoods. Stroll a few more streets and you’re in Nishiki market for a seafood extravaganza. Oh, and don’t miss the surprising find of a taco truck right in front. Don’t skip it!
And when you’re satiated from the food tour, stroll back to your Rojiyu Kyoto ryokan hotel to submerge yourself in the outdoor onsen. It probably helps with digestion. The potential main trade-off with this hotel is that it’s possibly quite small compared to other spacious business hotels near central downtown. You’re trading hotel room space with access for a variety of cuisine at your doorstep.
Sanjo Dori area is a bit more commercial. So if you were looking for a more preserved neighbourhood, then Gion or Higashiyama might be a better choice for you. But if tasting a variety of great food is your prime intention, then staying near Sanjo Dori at Rojiyu Kyoto by might make the most sense for your palate.
If you want easy day trips…
I’d pick staying at the Dusit Thani hotel if I had the chance. Staying by Kyoto station makes sense if you’re using it as a base for day trips. It’s easy to add day trips to your itinerary if you’re staying in Kyoto for 5 days, or more.
Dusit Thani lets you be as close to Kyoto station without living in industrial wasteland. You literally hop off the train, stroll to your hotel, freshen up in the chic modern bathroom, and flop in bed for a good night’s sleep.
Dusit Thani appears to be a premium hotel with gorgeous garden landscapes, restaurant on site, and spacious, modern rooms. The trade-off is that it’s a modern hotel; meaning don’t imagine wooden machiya houses or ryokans. It’s thoughtfully designed for the traveller who wants to indulge in their room versus looking for the most traditional accommodation Kyoto is known for.
I say indulge because after a day of exploring other cities outside of Kyoto, you’ll still want a comfy, pampered sleep. Sink into the large king beds and wake up to breakfast on site, so you can hop on the Kyoto Shinkansen for an early start without the rush and hassle.
A final benefit is the teppanyaki restaurant on site: catch a nice dinner without needing to head out again after a long day trip. For a 3 day trip focused entirely on Kyoto, I’d stay somewhere more central. But for 5 days with a few day trips added in, I’d trade traditional charm for Dusit Thani to be closer to Kyoto station.
If you want the easiest first trip to Kyoto…
Then stay at Richmond Premier Hotel in Shijo Dori. It’s not charming, it’s not ryokan-y, nor boutique-y. It’s simple, chic, and convenient. You’re trading charm and tradition for easy access to major temples, castles, and great food.
Richmond Premier Hotel is in the centre of downtown and walkable to Sanjo Dori covered market (my favourite onigiri shop is here!). It’s also close to Nishiki Market, which means you’re by Gion, and on your way to Higashiyama. Catch some seafood, watch a geisha performance, then head back to your hotel without having to endure the crowds.
Need a quick taxi ride one day? Get the concierge to order it for you. Their hotel has priority access, so a taxi shows up in about 2 minutes. Perfect for the day when you need a ride to Kyoto station to catch the airport express train with your luggage.
If it’s your first trip to Kyoto, and you want to have access to pretty much everything without needing to prioritize one over the other, then staying at Richmond Premier Hotel at Shijo Dori is your best choice.
Where Would I Stay as a First-Timer?
Knowing everything I know about Kyoto now, I’d still stay at Richmond Premier Hotel Shijo for my first trip.
It’s my no-fuss, no-muss choice. You’re right in downtown Kyoto without feeling like you’re staying in the middle of tourist land. I can walk to Nijo Castle, Gion, and Sanjo-dori covered market, then grab a taxi when I want to venture farther out. I’d rather spend my time walking around Kyoto than figuring out bus schedules and subway connections.
My favourite breakfast spot, Coffee Bogota, is also around the corner. Fresh coffee with a freshly cooked breakfast of toast, eggs, and jams sounds simple, but those are the little luxuries I value when I travel. Staying in Shijo gives me easy access to more of those everyday experiences.
I also value comfort and convenience over a traditional stay. Ryokans and historic accommodations can be wonderful experiences, but I like a good night’s sleep after spending all day exploring. My beauty sleep is non-negotiable.
That’s also why I wouldn’t stay near Kyoto Station when my trip is focused primarily on Kyoto. It’s convenient for trains, but not convenient enough for the parts of downtown Kyoto I actually want to explore on foot. And while Gion has plenty of historic charm, I’d rather visit it and walk back to somewhere away from the tourist bustle at night.
Richmond Premier Hotel Shijo itself isn’t particularly charming or boutique-y. You’re not getting traditional wooden architecture or a romantic ryokan experience. What you’re getting is modern, chic, clean, comfortable, and spacious rooms. I especially appreciate that extra space because I have a habit of returning from Kyoto with ceramic pottery souvenirs crammed into my large luggage.
I’ve returned to Kyoto knowing other, more special places I can stay at, but I still choose Richmond Premier Shijo. It gives me the things I value most: walkability, good food nearby, easy access to major sights, comfortable nights, and taxis when I need them.
So yes, knowing everything I know now, I’d still book Richmond Premier Shijo for my very first trip.
Choose where to stay based on the trip you want
By now, you probably have a good idea of what kind of Kyoto trip you want. Note it in my free-travel planner so you’re ready to flesh out your trip in more detail.
If you want to centre your trip around food, pick the hotel that lets you walk out for great food without time-consuming commutes. Only you should be doing the consuming.
Need a retreat for an escape? Then a hotel located farther out, but still close to major temples can offer sanctuary and serenity.
Stay in the historic, preserved districts if you’ve been longing to feel old Kyoto with its cobble-stoned streets and lantern-lit doorways.
And remember that all of these places have trade-offs, but they’re worth bearing if they fulfill the primary goal of your trip. Fill in the following line once you’ve figured out the theme of your itinerary:
I’m staying in ___ because I care most about ___, and I’m okay sacrificing ___ to experience it on my first trip to Kyoto.
There’s no one best place to stay at. It’s the right hotel for you if it satisfies your travel objectives for your first trip to Kyoto.
