Travelling in style doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. This newly opened Candeo hotel in Kyoto city centre is a good example, as rooms start from just ¥8,800 per person per night.
Affordable luxury is hard to come by if you’re exploring a destination as popular as Kyoto, but this impressive four-star hotel has more to offer than its reasonable room rates. Built around the former Ban family residence, Kyoto Karasuma Rokkaku's authentic machiya (traditional townhouse) structure is a prime example of traditional Kyoto architecture prevalent during the Meiji era (1868-1912). This heritage building is a designated tangible cultural property.
While the machiya has been restored and refurbished, the key characteristics of the 125-year-old structure, like its tatami mat rooms and small stone courtyard, have largely remained unchanged. Other spaces, however, have been given a new lease of life. The family kimono shop that was attached to the former residence is now the 24-hour lobby and lounge area, where guests can sip tea or coffee while reading books from the hotel library. One floor above is the bar, a peaceful room lined with tatami mat facing the inner garden.
The guest rooms feature a more contemporary interior. They are furnished with warm wood tones that match the colour scheme and atmosphere of the historical machiya. Before you set out for a day of exploring Kyoto, you can tuck into a seasonal breakfast – served in a bento box – championing ingredients that reflect the current season.
At the end of the day, you can rejuvenate your tired body at the sleek marble onsen. The communal bath also features a steam room in the women’s section and a dry sauna in the men’s section.
For more information, check the hotel's website.
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