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Which to choose · Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton or HOTEL THE MITSUI, Kyoto?

The Ritz-Carlton, opened in 2014, sits on the west bank of the Kamogawa at Nijo-Ohashi, looking across the river to the Higashiyama hills; HOTEL THE MITSUI, opened in 2020, stands opposite Nijo Castle on land the Mitsui family held for more than 250 years, entered through a restored 1703 gate. The Ritz-Carlton has the river, a pool and more restaurants; the Mitsui has a stroll garden and a natural hot spring beneath it.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Nijo, Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Opened 2014 · 117 rooms

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Nijo, Kyoto

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Opened 2020 · 139 rooms

In short

Choose the Ritz-Carlton to walk to Gion along the Kamogawa, with a pool, the four Mizuki restaurants, a chef's table and La Locanda; choose HOTEL THE MITSUI for its own hot spring, a stroll garden and Nijo Castle across the street. The Mitsui's Onsen Suites, with a private outdoor bath from the hotel's spring, have no equal at the Ritz-Carlton.

  • A first visit to Kyoto

    The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

    Gion, Teramachi and Kawaramachi are within walking distance, and the river rooms face the Higashiyama hills.

  • An onsen

    HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

    A natural hot spring from about 1,000 metres down, and Onsen Suites with a private outdoor bath fed by it.

  • Winter

    HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

    A hot-spring bath at the end of a cold day; the Ritz-Carlton's heated indoor pool is the alternative.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Choose The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto for

  • Grand Deluxe Kamogawa River View rooms face the river, and the Kamogawa and corner suites add the Higashiyama mountains
  • Tempura, kaiseki, sushi and teppanyaki under the Mizuki name, a chef's table, and La Locanda for Italian
  • A heated 20-metre indoor pool, and a La Prairie spa beside a four-storey waterfall

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Choose HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa for

  • A natural hot spring from about 1,000 metres down, in a swimsuit bath and a private onsen of over 100 sq m
  • Onsen Suites with a private outdoor bath fed by the hotel's own spring
  • A 1,300 sq m stroll garden with lanterns from the original Mitsui garden, and Nijo Castle across the street

Side by side

Where
Nijo
Nijo
Opened
2014
2020
Last renovated
–
–
Rooms
117, 17 of them suites
139, 22 of them suites
Room sizes
50–62 sq m
43–67 sq m
Restaurants and bars
9
4
Pool
Yes
–
Hot spring
–
Yes
Awards
1 MICHELIN Key, Forbes 5 stars
3 MICHELIN Keys, Forbes 5 stars
Design
Peter Remedios and Spin Studios
André Fu Studio
Airport
Osaka Itami (ITM), 60 km
Osaka Itami (ITM) about 60 minutes by car
Brand
The Ritz-Carlton
The Luxury Collection
Booked through us
Marriott STARS
Marriott STARS

The rooms

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Which to book. Ask for a Grand Deluxe Kamogawa River View room, the hotel's signature category facing the river; the Kamogawa and corner suites add the Higashiyama mountains, and the Garden Terrace Suites have rooftop gardens of their own.

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Which to book. For the castle, book a Nijo Room or the Nijo Suite, which face Nijo Castle; for a private outdoor hot-spring bath, the Onsen Suite. Garden Rooms and Garden Suites look onto the 1,300 sq m stroll garden.

The first room

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Deluxe Kyoto (King)

Deluxe Kyoto (King)

50 sq m · inner court or courtyard view

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Deluxe Room

Deluxe Room

43–51 sq m · city view

The room to ask for

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Grand Deluxe Kamogawa River View (King or Twin)

Grand Deluxe Kamogawa River View (King or Twin)

55 sq m · Kamogawa river view · the hotel's signature rooms

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Nijo Room

Nijo Room

50 sq m · Nijo Castle view

The largest suite

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton Suite (Presidential Suite)

The Ritz-Carlton Suite (Presidential Suite)

212 sq m · river view · one bedroom, living room, balcony, fireplace

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Presidential Suite

Presidential Suite

213 sq m · Nijo Castle view · among the largest suites in Kyoto

Dining

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

  • Tempura Mizuki · tempura restaurant

  • Kaiseki Mizuki · kaiseki

  • Sushi Mizuki · Edomae sushi counter

  • Teppan Mizuki · teppanyaki

  • Chef's Table by Katsuhito Inoue · kaiseki-style tasting menu

  • La Locanda · Italian restaurant

  • The Lobby Lounge · lobby lounge · afternoon tea

  • The Bar · bar

  • Pierre Hermé Paris Boutique · pâtisserie

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Fish with a herb sauce at TOKI
The meat course at TOKI

  • TOKI · French counter dining

  • FORNI · Italian restaurant · breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • THE GARDEN BAR · garden bar and lounge · afternoon tea

  • SHIKI-NO-MA · private dining room

The spa and the pool

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

La Prairie Spa, the first in Asia, with seven treatment rooms including a private spa suite, set beside a waterfall; a heated 20-metre indoor pool, a steam room, a dry sauna and a 24-hour fitness centre.

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

THERMAL SPRING SPA, with a swimsuit hot-spring bath drawn from the Kyoto Nijo Onsen source about 1,000 metres below the hotel, a private onsen of over 100 sq m with its own living space and Japanese garden, spa treatments and a gym.

Where they are

The two stand 1.6 km apart, as the crow flies.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

On the Kamo river at Nijo-Ohashi, within walking distance of Gion

  • Osaka Itami Airport

    58 min by bus, airport limousine bus, booking required; 60 km

  • Kansai Airport

    105 min by bus, airport limousine bus, booking required; 100 km

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

On Aburano-koji Street, facing Nijo Castle

  • Nijojo-mae station

    3 min on foot, Tozai line, exit 2

  • Karasuma Oike station

    10 min on foot, exit 2

  • Kyoto station

    15 min by car

  • Osaka Itami Airport

    60 min by car

  • Kansai Airport

    75 min by train, JR Haruka to Kyoto station, then car

The building

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Opened in 2014 by The Ritz-Carlton and developer Sekisui House as Kyoto's first international luxury hotel. The building keeps the character of a traditional Meiji house and courtyard, and the listed Ebisugawa-tei is preserved as La Locanda's private dining room; interiors by Peter Remedios and Spin Studios use patterns made by local artisans, karesansui rock gardens and a four-storey waterfall. Forbes Five Stars for nine consecutive years to 2026.

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Master design adviser Akira Kuryu (exterior); André Fu Studio for the guest rooms and lobby; Yohei Akao of Strickland for the restaurants and spa; landscape by Shunsaku Miyagi, using stone lanterns and features from the original Mitsui garden; sliding-door paintings by Takafumi Asakura and ceramics by Yukiya Izumita. The Kajiimiya Gate, built in 1703 and moved to the Mitsui residence in 1935, was dismantled and restored by temple carpenters Fujita Shaji Kensetsu under Shimizu Corporation. Opened in November 2020; Three MICHELIN Keys in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and Forbes Five Stars from its opening year.

Booked through us

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Marriott STARS

  • A room upgrade on arrival when one is available

  • Daily breakfast for two

  • A US$100 hotel credit each stay

  • Early check-in and late checkout when available

On the hotel's flexible public rate.

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa

Marriott STARS

  • A room upgrade on arrival when one is available

  • Daily breakfast for two

  • A US$100 hotel credit each stay

  • Early check-in and late checkout when available

On the hotel's flexible public rate.

Become a client

Still deciding? Tell us your dates and what matters most, and we will say which we would choose, and book it at the hotel’s own rate with the perks above.

Questions

HOTEL THE MITSUI: its THERMAL SPRING SPA draws from the Kyoto Nijo Onsen source, about 1,000 metres below, and the Onsen Suites have their own outdoor baths. The Ritz-Carlton's spa has a heated indoor pool, a steam room and a dry sauna.

The Ritz-Carlton: Gion and the Teramachi and Kawaramachi shopping streets are within walking distance. HOTEL THE MITSUI is three minutes' walk from Nijojo-mae station on the Tozai line and about 15 minutes by car from Kyoto Station.

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