ANA Hotel Kyoto (Zenniku Hotel Kyoto)

Just across the street from Nijo Castle and offering rooms with castle views, this hotel has one of the most eye-catching lobby lounges in town, complete with a glass wall overlooking an impressive waterfall and tiny landscape garden, all to the accompaniment of koto music (a Japanese stringed instrument). Kimono-clad hostesses greeting guests as they enter the lobby are a welcoming touch. Rooms are attractive if a bit cramped, with roomy bathrooms and unusual extras like shoe dryers and dehumidifiers (both handy during the rainy season), and ion-free hair dryers and hairbrushes. None of the singles face the castle; double rooms that do -- with floor-to-ceiling windows -- start at ¥31,185 during the regular season. Other pluses: a rooftop beer garden in summer, and a complimentary shuttle bus four times an hour to and from Kyoto Station from 8am to 7:45pm (to 9:45pm in summer).

Facilities:
5 restaurants, including Unkai; bar; lounge; concierge; lobby computer w/free Internet; indoor pool and sauna (fee: ¥1,575); room service; smoke-free rooms

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.