Review: Ritz-Carlton Kyoto fell short of expectations

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The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto opened its doors in 2014 as the first international luxury hotel in this historic city. I heard a lot of great things about it, such as having strong elite recognition. I decided to splurge and spend more than half a million points for a 5-night stay here.

While I benefited from the fifth night free by booking on points, the rate was still steep. It averaged 106,400  points per night with unfavourable dynamic pricing at play for a standard deluxe king room.

 Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – Location

The property is located by the Kamogawa River, with the stunning Higashiyama mountains forming as its backdrop. Nestled in Nijho Ohashi, it’s near Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, Gion, and is also close to “Kyoto’s Kitchen”, Nishiki Market. For shopping and entertainment, Kawaramachi-Dori is just a short drive away.

What I particularly liked about the location is its proximity to a variety of restaurants. One memorable restaurant, only a 10-minute walk from the Ritz-Carlton, was Hafuu Honten. They prepare deliciously tender Wagyu steaks at a reasonable price. I highly recommend it if visiting Kyoto.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – First Impressions and Check-in

We took the train from Osaka, followed by a taxi, to arrive at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto in the early afternoon. Our taxi pulled up to the hotel’s small covered parking area. Porters helped us with our carry-on luggage, while our remaining luggage was conveniently transferred using a luggage transfer service from the Waldorf Astoria Osaka.

The parking area was so small, and next to it was a small walking pathway lined with rocks and water features on each side. I was a bit unimpressed by the entrance, and I didn’t feel like I was stepping into a Ritz. Though the hotel’s exterior design was inspired by Kyoto’s Japanese townhomes (Machiya), I found the design underwhelming.

Inside was a dimly lit hallway with a bellman desk and seating throughout this space. Past it were large doors leading to the lobby. Once we stepped inside, a hotel staff member welcomed us.

We had arrived around 1:30 p.m., and we learned that our room wouldn’t be ready before 3 p.m. The associate offered to check us in immediately and call when our room was ready, leading us to the La Locanda restaurant.

He once again welcomed us and asked if we’d like anything to drink. We asked for coffee. He disappeared, returning without the drinks but instead with a sheet listing the hotel’s facilities and activities. While acknowledging my Platinum status, he didn’t share what benefits we could expect.

He disappeared again, then a server came by and dropped off the coffee with a bill. We were surprised, as we thought it was complimentary. After paying, he returned with a small chocolate treat to go with the coffee and said it was complimentary. How kind.

I had applied my Nightly Upgrade Awards to the booking to stay in a suite, but they were declined. I had a feeling that using the upgrade for a 5-night stay at a popular destination would have low probability of success for one of their larger suites, but I figured they would at least assign us a room upgrade, even if it wasn’t a suite. No such luck.

When our room was finally ready, a different associate finalized our check-in at reception. He handed us our room keys and an info page detailing the Marriott elite benefits. One benefit was the complimentary breakfast for two at La Locanda, with an option for in-room dining as a single-day benefit.

The Ritz-Carlton is one of the Marriott Bonvoy brands that generally doesn’t offer complimentary breakfast to Platinum elite members and higher. This is one of the rare ones that does, like the Ritz-Carlton Muscat.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto  – King Deluxe to Room Upgrade With A View

With the check-in formalities completed, another associate arrived to escort us to our King Deluxe guest room, 319. He described the room features, then he very gently handed me a small green pouch made from recycled kimono as a gift. I was bemused as he acted as if he handed me a gift of diamond earrings.

The room was slightly less spacious than the premier room we were assigned at the Waldorf Astoria Osaka. Adjacent to the room entrance was a small walk-in closet with a safe. The layout of the room was such that we entered through a short hallway that was partitioned in the middle. On one side was a long shelf with drawers containing silverware, dishes, glasses, mini bar items, and a coffee machine.

The other side was double bathroom vanities in a narrow, open space. Opposite them was an enclosed shower and soaker tub, separated from an enclosed Toto bidet. A box of bathroom amenities was provided that included mouthwash, toothbrushes and toothpaste, hair comb, razor, sanitary bag, shower cap, shoe polisher and handmade soap. Similar to other Ritz-Carltons, bath products were by Diptyque Paris. I’m not a fan of open concept bathrooms, even just for the vanities.

Past it lay a king bed, with a comfortable mattress, though not as firm as I expected. Bedside outlets included USB-C, various switches, including reading lights and an alarm clock. Across from the bed was a table that had four water bottles and a traditional Japanese kettle with complimentary match tea.  Other amenities included bathrobes and slippers. I personally loved the plush brown slippers, definitely a change from the typical white ones.

At the room’s other end, a nice seating area with two chairs and a table that had a welcome amenity of a small plate of grapes. The floor-to-ceiling windows had a city view, which wasn’t the scenic view we’d hoped for.

Since I wasn’t impressed with our guest room, I inquired again about a room upgrade. Midway through our stay, we moved to room 329, a Grand Deluxe Kamogawa with two double beds. This room was more spacious with additional seating. The real highlight was the picturesque river view. I only wished we’d been assigned this room from day one.

Evening turndown service was offered, leaving us a piece of chocolate each night, even though it was clear that there were two of us in the room. A small detail, but reflected their limited hospitality.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – Mixed Breakfast Experience

Our daily ritual started at La Locanda, where breakfast was served from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. If arriving later in the morning, you can expect a line. The breakfast consisted of a buffet and an à la carte menu.

The buffet spread was surprisingly sparse, with minimal options for cheese, cold cuts, breads, veggies, fruits and jams, with no hot food items. The Pierre Hermé Paris pastries were delicious though. The à la carte menu featured the options of a Japanese breakfast (grilled local fish, miso soup and choice of rice or porridge) or an American breakfast (French toast and various egg dishes).

By day three, I was bored with the breakfast. It wasn’t until the fourth day that I inquired if it was possible to have a cheese plate, given the limited buffet selection. The waiter obliged and brought me a cheese plate that had a more varied selection.

On our final morning, we had a really friendly waiter. I mentioned to him that I was surprised that no avocado toast was offered on the American menu. He told me he could make it happen. My only regret was not asking for it before!

Service proved to be hit or miss. One morning, we waited for them to assign us a table, only to find it dirty. A staff member noticed and suggested that we grab buffet items while he cleaned. We experienced several mornings of painfully slow service, where it took long waits for menus and even longer waits to place our orders.

Another morning, I went to toast bread. A waitress offered to bring it to my table when ready. I guess she forgot because the bread never arrived. This was contrasted with a couple of mornings where attentive waiters brought us items not listed on the menu.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – Dining

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto showcases different Japanese cuisine through several restaurants. Open daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays for lunch and dinner, options include:

• Kaiseki Mizuki – multi-course Japanese fine dining experience.
• Sushi Mizuki – Edomae-style sushi on an 11-meter-long counter.
• Tempura Mizuki – fresh seafood and vegetables, fried in a crispy, light batter.
• Teppan Mizuki – offers courses such as lobster and steak, grilled on a flat-top grill in an open kitchen.

If you want a change from Japanese cuisine, La Locanda is open for dinner every day except Sundays and Mondays, serving Italian dishes. Lunch is also served daily, except on Mondays. For casual dining and afternoon tea, The Lobby Lounge is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. While The Bar serves cocktails, wines and spirits during the evenings. If you have a sweet tooth like me, desserts are offered at the Pierre Hermé Paris Boutique found near the reception.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – Wellness

La Prairie Spa offers an assortment of treatments such as body scrubs, massages, facials and scalp and hair treatments. I treated myself to a facial, and it was the rejuvenation I needed. Upon arrival, I received a welcome drink of green tea. I was given a robe and slippers to slip into, and the associate described the facial treatment. Afterward, I was led to a relaxation room and offered rice pudding.

The change room featured a steam room, a jacuzzi and a sauna. On the same floor, an indoor heated swimming pool was open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For fitness enthusiasts, the 24/7 gym offered strength equipment, free weights and cardio machines, such as ellipticals, exercise bikes and treadmills.

Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – Activities

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto offers complimentary cycling tours, hiking adventures, and art tours. For a fee, guests can also sign up for other activities:

• Pottery workshops crafting ceramics
• Kimono experience
• Samurai experience
• Japanese dance performances
• Koh-incense making ceremonies

For the little ones, treasure hunts and balloon activities offer free entertainment. A fun experience is creating origami, a Japanese art of paper folding available through a workshop.

Takeway

I arrived at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto with high expectations, perhaps too high. Staying here felt like a downgrade right after having just stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Osaka.

The gentleman who initiated our check-in was aloof and made no mention of Marriott elite benefits like the complimentary breakfast. My Nightly Upgrade Awards were declined just before check-in, with no effort for a room upgrade, until later in the stay and only after further inquiry. The welcome drink followed by an unexpected charge showcased poor hospitality, though a manager did remove the fee afterwards.

The breakfast offerings felt limited both in the buffet spread and à la carte menu. The service was inconsistent, and I didn’t feel like I was staying at an upscale hotel. With fierce competition in the luxury space, ranging from the Four Seasons and Park Hyatt to Aman, plus a new Ritz-Carlton Reserve opening in 2028, this property needs to up its game. After this experience, the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto would not be at the top of my list.