Kyoto is one of Japan's most ancient cities, a place of tea ceremonies and century-old miso stores, of shrines and imperial palaces. Ace Hotel Kyoto takes all of that heritage and - courtesy of one of Japan's most revered architects - slings it into the future. Kengo Kuma's work began with a 1926 masterpiece by the modernist architect Tetsuro Yoshida, first a telephone exchange, then a shopping centre and now a destination hotel that showcases the work of the designer of Tokyo's New National Stadium, built for the Olympics.
The large semi-industrial lobby space sets the scene, always with its own achingly hip soundtrack. Upmarket retail remains, in carefully selected stores, an echo of the building's past as Kyoto's original shopping centre. Kengo Kuma's new - and reimagined old - buildings for Ace Hotel Kyoto are structured around a new green courtyard, a place of calm and reflection, a retreat from the invigorating bustle of the city centre location on Karasuma Street, close to intimate dining options, to cafes and emerging boutiques.
Japanese minimalism is set aside - and then some - in the hotel's 213 guest rooms. Open the door to a no-holds-barred celebration of textiles and colour with mid-century modern influences framing Japanese design and art. And, yes, in many rooms that is a turntable in the corner. Ace Hotels around the world are renowned for their detailed focus on home comforts amid cutting-edge decor, and Ace Hotel Kyoto is no exception. Essential for your next adventure.
Visit the Ace Hotel Kyoto website to book your stay.
