tl;dr – The boutique brand will add to the already impressive lineup of luxury hotels in Kyoto.
Next month, luxury boutique chain Capella Hotels is set to open its newest property, the Capella Kyoto. Like many travelers, Capella Hotels first came on the radar of many travelers a few years ago when its flagship property, the Capella Bangkok, was crowned best hotel in the world. Last year, I wrote about some of the brand’s upcoming properties, including the since-debuted Patina Osaka – an exciting new property from Capella’s sibling brand, the Capella Taipei, and the Capella Florence. Though I’ve never stayed at a Capella location, just a few days ago I checked out of three-night stay at the Patina Osaka and I do have to say – it was one of my favorite hotel stays in recent memory, likely ranking my ‘all-time’ list. (I will post a full review of the Patina Osaka in the coming days, so stay tuned.)
At 98 rooms, the Capella Kyoto is housed in a former elementary school with the historic Miyagawa-cho District, one of the city’s storied geisha neighborhoods.
The property is located just a stone’s throw from the city’s oldest Zen temple, Kenninji. The hotel’s favorable location will make it a bit easier to wake up early and have the streets to yourself as you explore the Gion on a morning jog or stroll.
I can attest to the hotel’s solid location as I just scouted it in-person while strolling the streets of Kyoto. It does truly look just a few weeks (days!) away.
We do next-level research at You Are Travel.
Capella, even in busier destinations, does ‘substance’ well, and that’s why the brand excels. With Capella Kyoto’s exclusive local cultural offerings, that appears to be the case as well. Guests can experience Kyoto’s local geiko and maiko traditions set within a private ochaya teahouse. Other cultural offerings include geta making at a 150-year-old craft shop.
Auriga Spa is the signature wellness offering of the Capella brand, and at the Kyoto outpost, guests can enjoy private onsen rooms, a fitness center, and wet and dry saunas. There’s also a moss garden on site for peaceful reflection.
Going back to substance, the hotel boasts two restaurants – one of which is SoNoMA (yes, it’s spelled that way) by SingleThread, which is the latest (and first international) project from the team at 3-Michelin star SingleThread in Healdsburg, California.
There’s about a $2K spread in rates at the Capella Kyoto throughout the year. At its peak, a standard room was 497025 Yen ($3192.3 at the time of writing), and the rates bottomed out at 193000 Yen ($1239.60). If you’re eyeing one of the property’s suites, it’s worth noting that six of them include a private onsen.
Though it’s not a huge city, Kyoto remains a very popular destination amongst visitors to Japan, and on the luxury front, several luxury brands recognize this. With Hilton you have the Roku Kyoto, LXR Hotel & Resorts; Hyatt has the (imo overyped) Park Hyatt Kyoto; and Marriott has the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto as well as two Luxury Collection properties – the Suiran, A Luxury Collection Hotel, and the (imo, AWESOME) The Mitsui Kyoto, A Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa (recently named to the World’s 50 Best Hotels).
Other luxury properties in the city include the SOWAKA, Hotel Okura Kyoto, Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto, Kiyomizu Dusit Thani Kyoto, Six Senses Kyoto, and Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto. The Capella Kyoto has a good shot at setting a new standard for luxury in Kyoto.
