Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto sits on a former family estate across from Nijo Castle and has its own natural hot spring
Sitting directly across from the Unesco World Heritage listed Nijo Castle, the new Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto is a luxurious place to stay. The stately location was once home to the private residence of the affluent Mitsui family. Although the main house is no longer there, the impressive 300-year-old Kajiimiya Gate still stands at the entrance.
The sumptuous rooms are decorated using natural materials. You’ll find intricate itoya-goshi lattice woodcraft on the walls, lampshades made by washi paper artisans, and other modern twists on traditional Japanese crafts. Every room has a superb view of either the hotel gardens, Nijo Castle or a Kyoto city view.
The two opulent Onsen Suites are each furnished with a private bath made from stone, large enough to stretch your legs after a long day of exploring the city. Guests in other rooms won’t miss out on the hot spring treatment either. They all have access to the thermal spring spa (pictured). It's a natural onsen pool filled from a spring beneath the hotel. This mood-lit grotto isn’t your traditional Japanese hot spring, so be sure to wear your swimsuit.
The hotel has two main restaurants: Toki for refined teppanyaki and Forni for Italian, both led by executive chefs who’ve worked at Michelin-starred venues. On the casual side, there’s also the Garden Bar, serving afternoon tea and cocktails. For special occasions, Shiki-no-ma offers a private dining experience with celebratory kaiseki meals.
The main landscape garden, at the centre of the ground floor, is surrounded by the four dining areas. Different flowers are in bloom each season, so the view changes according to the time of year. The courtyard garden, an extension of the main garden, flanks the Shiki-no-ma restaurant and offers the sense of tranquility found in traditional Kyoto gardens.
Hotel guests have access to cultural activities and tours led by local specialists, some of which are free, including a 45-minute art tour of the hotel itself, a 15-minute tea ceremony, and a 40-minute wellness breathing class at the Shiki-no-ma’s wooden garden deck.
For more details, see the Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto website.
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