Frommer's Review
One of the best-known hotels in Japan, the Miyako first opened back in 1890 and boasts a guest list that reads like a who's who of visitors to Japan: Douglas Fairbanks, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Anwar el-Sadat, and Ted Kennedy. Even today, half of the guests staying here are foreigners.
You'd be hard-pressed to find evidence of that history today. Rather, the renovated Westin Miyako is one of Kyoto's most smartly appointed hotels, on par with the best of Tokyo's hotels. Its setting is as good as it gets: The hotel sprawls over more than 6.4 hectares (16 acres) of hilltop at the northeastern end of the city, close to some of Kyoto's most famous temples (and a subway station) and commanding a good view of the surrounding hills. There's a Japanese garden, and families appreciate the free use of indoor and outdoor pools and a small playroom equipped with billiards, video games, and an activity corner just for toddlers.
Western-style rooms, which come with Westin's trademark Heavenly beds and one-touch express service for everything from room service to messages, come in a variety of styles and price ranges, with the least expensive rooms occupying the oldest wing and the most expensive featuring updated, modern furnishings. Best of all are rooms on the fifth floor, with large terraces overlooking the valley. And for those who wish to experience the pleasures of a traditional tatami room but with all the nearby conveniences of a first-rate hotel, the Japanese-style Kasui-en annex is a good bet for ryokan first-timers. Built in 1959, the annex offers 20 modern, elegant rooms with views of the Japanese garden and cypress baths.
Facilities: 6 restaurants; bar; 2 lounges; 20m (66-ft.) indoor pool; shallow outdoor pool; grass tennis court (¥5,250/$44/£22 per hr.); Jacuzzi, sauna, and gym (free for hotel guests); game room; concierge; salon; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; babysitting, same-day dry-cleaning/laundry; nonsmoking rooms; executive-level rooms; sun decks (available also for viewing the full moon); observation deck; wild-bird sanctuary and bird-watching trail; jogging trail; tea ceremony room daily 10am-7pm (fee: ¥1,050/$8.75/£4.40).
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.
