East-Meets-West Craftsmanship Makes This Hotel A Japanese Favourite

This boutique-style American hotel chain pays homage to it’s first-ever Asian outpost.

We already know the Ace Hotel likes to be a hub in the middle of a busy city, and the Kyoto location is no different. Located in the Nakagyo Ward and part of the ShinPuhKan shopping centre, Ace Hotel Kyoto connects you to cafés, bars, sweet shops, and stores with traditional Japanese wares, all centred around a beautiful garden courtyard in the heart of the city.

The main attraction here is the large lobby, a two-story room with a long wooden communal table and comfy sofas for any neighbour or visitor looking to work or relax. Wander around to see the colourful art installations scattered throughout the main floor (and ceiling!), along with access to the American coffee chain Stumptown and one of the hotel’s restaurants, Piopiko.

Upstairs at the restaurant’s lounge, you can enjoy a Mexican-inspired cocktail while a DJ spins in a copper booth every weekend. A relaxing blue palette, wooden panelling, and tons of foliage create a modern space that manages to be open and airy while still feeling intimate. 

Every eatery set in the Ace Hotel Kyoto is all about design. From the wall of windows at farm-to-table Kōsa to the silk-screened panels at Mr. Maurice’s Rooftop Bar, you’ll want to try a meal at each place or at least just walk through to take it all in. 

As you make your way through the rest of the hotel, it’s easy to find and feel the signature Ace vibe. The Pendleton blankets, the record players, the handmade bath products. Each room has a retro, art deco feel—think lots of earth tones, minimalist furniture, and wood and steel accents. It’s things like the soft paper lantern light fixtures and bold ginkgo-printed curtains that connect this hotel to its surroundings. It’s that little bit of Americana mixed with local colour that makes this place different from the others. 

Japanese architect Kengo Kumo teamed up with Los Angeles-based design studio Commune to create the 213-room hotel in the former Kyoto Central Telephone Company building from the 1920s.

The road-facing facade is covered with mesh panels and slender louvres that soften the building while filtering light and breeze. The courtyard-facing facade features a wooden grid system that nods to the more traditional infrastructure of Kyoto. Inside, you’ll find the work of Japanese textile artist Samiro Yunoki, who created the artwork that hangs in each guest room and the hotel’s typeface and logo.

If you’re lucky enough to be heading to beautiful Kyoto, a night or two here will definitely add to the modern yet traditional experience that seems to encapsulate the city right now. You’re walking distance to almost every main attraction and right on a subway line that can take you to the others.