Hiiragi-ya Annexe offers similar luxury and standards to the main Hiiragi-ya Hotel, but at more affordable prices: JPY15,000-JPY25,000 depending on the size of the room for a single room with two meals. It is possible to stay without meals, but the food on offer is fantastic anyway. Discover a fascinating insight into traditional Kyoto way-of-living.
When in Japan, plan a stay at the venerable Tawaraya Ryokan. Having the distinction of being Kyoto's oldest inn, Tawaraya upholds the traditions of true Japanese living with minute references to modernity. Soak in tradition and the tranquility at this refined and elegant 300 year old inn. The 18 rooms are authentically decorated with antique chests, lanterns, ikebana arrangements and the like. Slide open the glass doors of your ground floor room and feel like you are looking out onto a beautiful Japanese painting, replete with stone lanterns and lush bamboo gardens. Come back from a busy day out and relax in the garden with tea or ravish a Kaiseki dinner. The guest list at Tawaraya is pretty impressive, so be prepared to bump into ‘A' class celebrities.
Since its establishment in 1888 the grand Kyoto Hotel has been serving foreign and Japanese guests with famed distinction. A controversial rebuilding in 1994, which broke the city's height restrictions at the time, still retained the hotel's classic imperial elegance and wood paneling with the accent on luxurious space and refined style. The atrium is truly breath-taking. All rooms are attractively furnished in a Western fashion.