The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Kyoto has long been an enormously popular travel destination, but what it lacked until fairly recently was a proper luxury hotel. Needless to say, now that there’s a Ritz-Carlton, that’s all changed. But what’s surprising are the pains the Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto has taken in order to assimilate itself into a city whose tourist trade is dominated (at the higher end, at least) by traditional ryokan inns. It starts with the location, on the banks of the scenic Kamo River, and it carries on into the construction: no neoclassical palace, this Ritz-Carlton keeps low to the ground, the better to blend into its surroundings.

A handful of tatami-style suites are there to complete the ryokan effect, if that’s what you’re after. But even the so-called western-style rooms have more than a whiff of the ryokan about them; the design is minimal and traditional, the materials overwhelmingly natural, and the atmosphere is as serene as can be. You’ll look out through an oversized window at the Japanese garden or a view of the city, and while they’re stocked with all the latest high-tech gizmos, what’s front and center are the more timeless luxuries: yukata, bathrobes and slippers, expansive, immersive bathrooms and Kyoto Shabon-ya handmade soap and bath salts.

And while it won’t replace the absolutely authentic ryokan experience, the Ritz-Carlton’s got the facilities to go a bit above and beyond. The simple onsen bath is replaced by a lavish full-service spa, complete with fitness center and 20-meter indoor pool. You can get your kaiseki dinner at Mizuki, as well as other a la carte Japanese specialties — and when you’re feeling European you’ve got La Locanda, the Italian eatery, as well as the lobby lounge with its Pierre Hermé desserts. It just might actually be the best of both worlds.