Kyoto hotel with relaxed vibe where the design brings east and west together
Ace Hotel / Kyoto / Japan
Just a small warning before you start reading this post. I love Ace Hotels which means I am very biased. This post might be overly positive but the thing is, this is not only my bias shining through. Purely objective, Ace Kyoto is a truly exceptional hotel.
On this site, before Ace arrived, there was the Shin Puh Kan building, the Kyoto Central Telephone office building. It was designed by Tetsuro Yoshida, back in 1926. To transform this into an Ace hotel another Japanese architect was contracted, Kengo Kumo, who developed this hotel together with LA-based firm Commune Design. And this mix of perspectives, cultures and traditions are visible in the result. It truly is a beautiful mix of east meets west where traditional features have been gently woven into the contemporary design.
This 213-key hotel opened its doors back in June 2020 and is the first Ace hotel in Asia. One of the many things I find fascinating about this hotel is how large and spacious it is. Knowing how limited space is in Japan they have managed to maximize this site and through clever design solutions created a space that feels huge.
Although this hotel is located in central Kyoto it is a kind of destination hotel, meaning that you have everything you might need under one roof. There are three restaurants, bars, gym, a great coffee place and connected to the hotel there is a smart shopping area where you’ll also find some good places for food and coffee.
We arrived to Kyoto with Shinkansen train from Osaka and took the local subway to Karasuma Oike Station. The cool thing is that Ace has it is own entrance directly from the Subway, leading you all the way up to the reception area where locals are hammering away on their laptops at the communal working table, placed just next to the Stumptown Coffee place. Bringing ocals into the hotel is such a clever way to create a interesting mix of people and the atmosphere it results in is vibrant.
Our room had the same attractive design mix as the rest of the hotel, where traditional rice paper lanterns and a Japanese style bath tub were combined with more classic Ace features like a turntable and bespoke art work. Forward thinking without becoming gimmicky.
This is the 7th Ace hotel I have stayed at and I know one shouldn’t have favorites among your children, but I have to admit that this is mine.
Welcome to Ace Hotel Kyoto. This is the main entrance but there are other ways to arrive and enter…
…like we did, via the subway. There is an entrance to the hotel directly from the subway station. Never seen this before and a great way to connect a hotel to the city.
Following the corridors from the subway to…
…the reception area. A spacious are where you’ll find the shop….
…the communal table where people come to work or just hang out, which is a classic Ace feature.
Heading up to our room
A beautiful art installation to guide us to our room.
Our room was very typical Ace but with a distinct Japanese twist.
All Ace hotels always have a turntable in the room.
M out exploring the hotel.
The hotel facade facing the courtyard.
One of the bars on site.
Another classic Ace feature is the there is always an in-house Stumptown Coffee place.
M has bought coffee and brought it up to me in bed. I am spoilt that way.
Althought Ace Kyoto is attractive and interesting enough to stay in for, when I Kyoto, you don’t want to miss exploring this amazing city.
I was recommended this pottery store. It is called Utsuwa Monotsuki and was located on the third floor in a very discreet office building.
I loved everything that had produced but had to be a bit restrictive when deciding what to buy and bring home.
Tram to Saga-Arashiyama, just outside the city of Kyoto.
The beautiful Geino-jinja Shrine
When in Japan, visiting an onzen is more or less mandatory. We got this one recommended which was a very local place.
M heading inside to get clean.
In Saga-Arashiyama there are a lot of restaurants and shops. One of our (especially my husband’s) favorites is Snow Peak. A Japanese outdoor brand that also have cafees and hotels.
Another place that came recommended to us when we were looking for an authentic, local gyoza place was this one, Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima
Love these kind of places where you are right in the middle of the action. Basically 4 tables places IN the kitchen.
And the food was amazing!!!
Another great restaurant that I can recommend is Apollo Plus
This was hands down the best meat I have ever head. I had always thought the uniqueness of the Wagyu beef was overrated and over hyped. But after eating this I have been converted. It literally melted in my mouth. Had to fight off the others with my chop sticks to prevent them from stealing it from me.
RG inside info
Date of RG stay:
April 2025
This place is perfect if you…
…are into destination hotels in cities. Hotels where you have everything under one roof and where locals and visitors mix in an environment with really interesting design mix, infusing Japanese influences in the classic Ace style. If this sounds good to you, you should try out Ace Kyoto.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the design aesthetic. I have since I stayed at my first Ace Hotel back in Seattle many years ago had a soft spot for this chain and the unique style. What I love here is that this style is instantly recognizable as soon as you step through the doors, but there is a twist. A local twist the elevates the unique Ace design to another, even better level.
What not to miss when staying here…
…is so much. Kyoto is a great place to visit and the list of recommendations is so long. But three things to highlight; visit an onzen (Japanese bath house), go to a local Gyoza (dumpling) place and source some local pottery to bring back home. Above I have listed three good alternatives for these categories.
If you like this hotel you might also like:
Ace / New York City, NY, USA
Amour / Nice, France
The Standard / London, UK