Garrya Nijō Castle Kyoto, Kyoto

Garrya Nijō Castle Kyoto is an intimate luxury hotel that transports you back to the period between the end of the Samurai era and the dawn of a new age. The hotel has about 25 rooms, including one suite, paying homage to the city's historic past and tech-forward present. Throughout the hotel, you'll gaze out of floor-to-ceiling windows to a garden filled with indigenous trees and moss. You'll be just a 6-minute walk from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nijō—a traditional Japanese castle characterized by its beautiful gardens and architecture and the "nightingale floors" that chirp when walked upon.

The Deluxe rooms at Garrya Nijō Castle Kyoto welcome you with a comfortable and relaxing ambience, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and lacquered furniture in an auspicious shade of red—a tribute to an art form that goes back centuries. The Well-Being room has a sliding panel that separates the bedroom from the bathroom, creating a restful space for unwinding in the deep soaking tub. The Nijō Castle View rooms offer panoramic views of the UNESCO site from the highest floor. In contrast, if you stay in the Bamboo Garden rooms, you can relax on the furnished terrace and enjoy your own Japanese garden.

Some rooms provide yoga mats and resistance band items if you want to exercise during your stay. Once you've worked up an appetite, make your way to Restaurant Singular at the hotel, where the head chef transforms locally sourced ingredients from the best producers in Kyoto and across Japan into culinary masterpieces. You'll find fresh, seasonal produce selected personally by the chef and sourced directly from producers all over Japan.