I am a Marriott Bonvoy Member and I am thinking of going to Kyoto for a night and was looking for places to stay. Came across Ritz Kyoto and was wondering if there are better options for 100,000¥?
Loved The Royal Park Kyoto hotels and they were pretty affordable and had great decor and amenities for even their standard rooms
For one night? Definitely. If you are platinum and above you also get a complimentary japanese breakfast (unless they changed it due to covid). They also had some quick guided morning bike ride tours that were complimentary as well.
What is your Marriott Bonvoy Status? Stay at the Ritz if you are titanium and above since u can get suite upgrades and their garden terrace suites are amazing. If you are platinum, go for Suiran in Arashiyama! free rickshaw service to or from the hotel from the train station. If you get upgraded to a suite, it’s better than the Ritz Carlton.
No. Spend half that much (or less) and get a nice vacation rental.
Also, only one night? I think anyone who tries to do Kyoto in less than 3 full days (not including the many excellent day trips available in the area, for which I would recommend at least 3 more days) is cheating themselves.
I really enjoyed my stay there a few years back with my husband. We did a morning bike ride activity with the hotel and unbeknownst to us, the General Manager joined us on the ride. Since we arrived late back at the hotel he comped our breakfast. Before checking out, they gave us a hand written thank you letter along with a USB stick of photos taken during the day of us. The service was amazing throughout our stay there and we would stay there again if we could.
I’m doing 5 nights there this coming May and did 3 nights there last year pre covid. It is an amazing hotel with superb service. That being said, I do not think it is worth paying the cash price unless you have money to spare. I used points for my previous stay and will be doing so for my future one as well. If you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card right now, the bonus is 100,000 points which would easily cover one night.
I have no idea, but that’s a hell of a lot of money and there are probably a lot of other things you could do in Kyoto by spending that much.
Do you really want to use that sort of budget for a hotel – in other words, something that can be found in most cities the world over – rather than using it for something particularly Kyoto, whatever that may be?
100,000¥ for one night.. That’s a ridiculous amount of money. What’s the point? I mean even if you have endless cash, why would you spend this on a bed..
I would rather spend it on a ryokan tbh. The regular Western-style hotels are nice but no matter how fancy, I just couldn’t compare the level of comfort and experience. I used to work for several botique hotels across midtown NY and even the rooms that were sometimes rated at $800+ per night on peak season felt overpriced.
For price comparison, we paid around $250 per person (per night) for ryokan suite (private onsen) around Nagano and Yamanashi. That includes breakfast and kaiseki meal. In Nagano, they had kaiseki style breakfast and dinner.
No. I would go somewhere else. There are other luxury hotels that are better than the Ritz. If youre going purely on the name.. dont do it. You can probably save half that and get a 50,000¥ a night hotel in osaka thats just as nice and train into kyoto.
I’d opt for Hoshinoya. While it’s about half the price, I’d wager it’s at least double the experience of the Ritz. Check it out – I first saw it from afar while taking a walk in the hills outside the city. It’s a remarkably beautiful place.
For similar kind of money (add a few 1000 yens) you can stay at Aman Kyoto or Aman Amanemu in Mie prefecture – aman has several hotels/resorts in Japan and they are “worth” the money if you are willing to spend 1000USD per night. Aman in Tokyo is nice, but not worth 1000$/night in my opinion.
I stayed in Ritz Carlton Kyoto in 2018. It was nice, views are beautiful but my overall experience in Aman was better.
As a side note, you can book Ritz Carlton with points, do a bit of research and you might be able to get a good deal and book ritz carlton in kyoto for less than 1000$ per night, if you really want to stay there.
As it’s always the case, it depends.
If you need a high-end hotel with a concierge to book certain activities (eg. certain high-end restaurants around Ponto-cho) – it probably makes sense.
If you are looking for the best possible Japanese experience, then high-end ryokans like Hoshinoya would probably be make more sense.
I wouldn’t for Kyoto. If you’ve got status with Marriott, I think it’s better spent in Tokyo where you are guaranteed a high rise with a spectacular skyline view. I used to have Hyatt status and can say the Andaz and Park Hyatt hotels in Tokyo were quite memorable.
This is all just a simulation. Do it. There’s no drawback.
I had afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto and was actually quite unimpressed with the building and the staff weren’t amazing. Aman staff in Tokyo were exceptional so their property in Kyoto would probably be better than RC.
Stayed there for a couple of nights because the Marriott points worked out really favorably at the time. It is definitely nice, but for me it wouldn’t have been worth paying the amount you’ve quoted.
I’d rather spend $200 per night for a week but I’ve found that over a certain point I don’t appreciate it enough for the money…
We’ve stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto twice and its one of my favorite hotels. However, both times we stayed on points. If I was paying that kind of cash for a hotel it would be the Aman. I also don’t typically like staying at really nice hotels for only one night as you don’t really get to experience the hotel. But worth is ultimately relative and it’s a nice hotel, but if I was paying cash I think the Aman is more worth it at a similar price point.
That depends how much money you have.
Stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo a few times. The service and experience was unparalleled.
I’ve been there and it was nice for sure. But when I’m in Kyoto I’d rather stay more traditional in a ryokan for that amount of money. Better experience
if you want to save 1k and go for free instead… You can go for free (95 annual fee on the chase sapphire card ) if you get the Chase sapphire preferred (spend 4k within 3 months and get 100k bonus points that you can then transfer to Marriot)
Seriously – you can rent out an entire amazing machiya for less than half the cost of a night at the Ritz
I stayed there when I found a good deal, $150/night. And at that rate I thought it wasn’t really worth it, for $1000 that’s insane. Definitely don’t waste the money.
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We stayed there for two nights in 2019 on points. It was quite an amazing experience, and they included breakfast. We did not get upgraded to a suite even though they were available. But we did get a river view room. As others have already said, I’m not sure it would be worth paying that much money but on points it was a no-brainer.
Do what you enjoy but I’d choose maybe Aman Kyoto or one of the high end ryokans for an authentic experience.
This thread made me feel poorer than ever
Will gladly be your tour guide in Japan just to stay in those hotels for once in my life
For a place to just sleep in and eat breakfast. If you have to ask this question, its not worth it. Go eat som 5:11 or ichiran instead.
A thousand for one night? Even if you got it, hell no! Now a couple of days to really relax and enjoy, sure. But for maybe a max 6hrs, nah bro
For that kind of money I would get a ryokan in the Fuji Five Lakes region. You will get a multi course seasonal Japanese dinner and breakfast with a private onsen looking out at Fuji and that just feels more authentically Japan to me than a nice hotel in Kyoto. True no points but it depends on what your goals are.
The thousand hotel in kyoto in badass and probably cheaper! Also highly recommend a ryokan near mt fuji
Stay at an authentic Japanese Ryokan Same luxury service, can come cheaper and you’re experiencing the real Japan instead of a watered down western version. I say if you want to travel, experience the culture- it’s amazing.
5 course dinners, private and group baths, beautiful scenery, spa treatments,Tatami rooms, hospital staff- I went to one in Tokyo that was about 60,000 and service was amazing
36 comments
Loved The Royal Park Kyoto hotels and they were pretty affordable and had great decor and amenities for even their standard rooms
For one night? Definitely. If you are platinum and above you also get a complimentary japanese breakfast (unless they changed it due to covid). They also had some quick guided morning bike ride tours that were complimentary as well.
What is your Marriott Bonvoy Status? Stay at the Ritz if you are titanium and above since u can get suite upgrades and their garden terrace suites are amazing. If you are platinum, go for Suiran in Arashiyama! free rickshaw service to or from the hotel from the train station. If you get upgraded to a suite, it’s better than the Ritz Carlton.
No. Spend half that much (or less) and get a nice vacation rental.
Also, only one night? I think anyone who tries to do Kyoto in less than 3 full days (not including the many excellent day trips available in the area, for which I would recommend at least 3 more days) is cheating themselves.
I really enjoyed my stay there a few years back with my husband. We did a morning bike ride activity with the hotel and unbeknownst to us, the General Manager joined us on the ride. Since we arrived late back at the hotel he comped our breakfast. Before checking out, they gave us a hand written thank you letter along with a USB stick of photos taken during the day of us. The service was amazing throughout our stay there and we would stay there again if we could.
I’m doing 5 nights there this coming May and did 3 nights there last year pre covid. It is an amazing hotel with superb service. That being said, I do not think it is worth paying the cash price unless you have money to spare. I used points for my previous stay and will be doing so for my future one as well. If you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card right now, the bonus is 100,000 points which would easily cover one night.
I have no idea, but that’s a hell of a lot of money and there are probably a lot of other things you could do in Kyoto by spending that much.
Do you really want to use that sort of budget for a hotel – in other words, something that can be found in most cities the world over – rather than using it for something particularly Kyoto, whatever that may be?
100,000¥ for one night.. That’s a ridiculous amount of money. What’s the point? I mean even if you have endless cash, why would you spend this on a bed..
I would rather spend it on a ryokan tbh. The regular Western-style hotels are nice but no matter how fancy, I just couldn’t compare the level of comfort and experience. I used to work for several botique hotels across midtown NY and even the rooms that were sometimes rated at $800+ per night on peak season felt overpriced.
For price comparison, we paid around $250 per person (per night) for ryokan suite (private onsen) around Nagano and Yamanashi. That includes breakfast and kaiseki meal. In Nagano, they had kaiseki style breakfast and dinner.
No. I would go somewhere else. There are other luxury hotels that are better than the Ritz. If youre going purely on the name.. dont do it. You can probably save half that and get a 50,000¥ a night hotel in osaka thats just as nice and train into kyoto.
I’d opt for Hoshinoya. While it’s about half the price, I’d wager it’s at least double the experience of the Ritz. Check it out – I first saw it from afar while taking a walk in the hills outside the city. It’s a remarkably beautiful place.
For similar kind of money (add a few 1000 yens) you can stay at Aman Kyoto or Aman Amanemu in Mie prefecture – aman has several hotels/resorts in Japan and they are “worth” the money if you are willing to spend 1000USD per night. Aman in Tokyo is nice, but not worth 1000$/night in my opinion.
I stayed in Ritz Carlton Kyoto in 2018. It was nice, views are beautiful but my overall experience in Aman was better.
As a side note, you can book Ritz Carlton with points, do a bit of research and you might be able to get a good deal and book ritz carlton in kyoto for less than 1000$ per night, if you really want to stay there.
As it’s always the case, it depends.
If you need a high-end hotel with a concierge to book certain activities (eg. certain high-end restaurants around Ponto-cho) – it probably makes sense.
If you are looking for the best possible Japanese experience, then high-end ryokans like Hoshinoya would probably be make more sense.
I wouldn’t for Kyoto. If you’ve got status with Marriott, I think it’s better spent in Tokyo where you are guaranteed a high rise with a spectacular skyline view. I used to have Hyatt status and can say the Andaz and Park Hyatt hotels in Tokyo were quite memorable.
This is all just a simulation. Do it. There’s no drawback.
I had afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto and was actually quite unimpressed with the building and the staff weren’t amazing. Aman staff in Tokyo were exceptional so their property in Kyoto would probably be better than RC.
Check out the Nazuna Ryokan. The experience and staff were absolutely delightful. The outdoor patio private bathtub was *chef’s kiss”!!
https://www.nazuna.co/en/news/nazuna-kyoto-nijojo-gosho-michelin-2020
Stayed there for a couple of nights because the Marriott points worked out really favorably at the time. It is definitely nice, but for me it wouldn’t have been worth paying the amount you’ve quoted.
I’d rather spend $200 per night for a week but I’ve found that over a certain point I don’t appreciate it enough for the money…
We’ve stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto twice and its one of my favorite hotels. However, both times we stayed on points. If I was paying that kind of cash for a hotel it would be the Aman. I also don’t typically like staying at really nice hotels for only one night as you don’t really get to experience the hotel. But worth is ultimately relative and it’s a nice hotel, but if I was paying cash I think the Aman is more worth it at a similar price point.
That depends how much money you have.
Stayed at the Park Hyatt Tokyo a few times. The service and experience was unparalleled.
I’ve been there and it was nice for sure. But when I’m in Kyoto I’d rather stay more traditional in a ryokan for that amount of money. Better experience
if you want to save 1k and go for free instead… You can go for free (95 annual fee on the chase sapphire card ) if you get the Chase sapphire preferred (spend 4k within 3 months and get 100k bonus points that you can then transfer to Marriot)
Honestly I was tempted as well 🤣
#DONT STAY IN A CHAIN HOTEL IN KYOTO
https://www.kyoto-machiya-inn.com
Seriously – you can rent out an entire amazing machiya for less than half the cost of a night at the Ritz
I stayed there when I found a good deal, $150/night. And at that rate I thought it wasn’t really worth it, for $1000 that’s insane. Definitely don’t waste the money.
[deleted]
We stayed there for two nights in 2019 on points. It was quite an amazing experience, and they included breakfast. We did not get upgraded to a suite even though they were available. But we did get a river view room. As others have already said, I’m not sure it would be worth paying that much money but on points it was a no-brainer.
Do what you enjoy but I’d choose maybe Aman Kyoto or one of the high end ryokans for an authentic experience.
This thread made me feel poorer than ever
Will gladly be your tour guide in Japan just to stay in those hotels for once in my life
For a place to just sleep in and eat breakfast.
If you have to ask this question, its not worth it.
Go eat som 5:11 or ichiran instead.
A thousand for one night? Even if you got it, hell no! Now a couple of days to really relax and enjoy, sure. But for maybe a max 6hrs, nah bro
For that kind of money I would get a ryokan in the Fuji Five Lakes region. You will get a multi course seasonal Japanese dinner and breakfast with a private onsen looking out at Fuji and that just feels more authentically Japan to me than a nice hotel in Kyoto. True no points but it depends on what your goals are.
The thousand hotel in kyoto in badass and probably cheaper! Also highly recommend a ryokan near mt fuji
Stay at an authentic Japanese Ryokan
Same luxury service, can come cheaper and you’re experiencing the real Japan instead of a watered down western version. I say if you want to travel, experience the culture- it’s amazing.
5 course dinners, private and group baths, beautiful scenery, spa treatments,Tatami rooms, hospital staff- I went to one in Tokyo that was about 60,000 and service was amazing