Hoshinoya Kyoto

What it is

Hoshinoya Kyoto is a ryokan of 25 rooms at 11-2 Arashiyama, in the Nishikyo-ku ward of Kyoto. The hotel's page describes a riverside retreat near Mount Arashiyama, with guest-pavilion windows that frame the gorge beside the property, and an interior design that recreates the playfulness of the Kyoto aristocracy.

It has two restaurants and a café or lounge, a public bath, an onsen and a spa. The page does not give an opening year.

Arriving by boat

Our itineraries describe the hotel as reached by its own boat up the river, with kaiseki dining. The page we read from the hotel does not mention a boat, and it lists no shuttle and no parking. It does mention a luggage service from Kyoto Station and from Kansai Airport.

Ask how guests arrive, from where the boat leaves, and at what times. That detail decides your first and last hour of the stay.

Rooms and the rate

The rate in our itineraries is JPY 127,500 a night, taken from a Kyoto luxury hotel guide and described there as the low end of the hotel's range. Our autumn itinerary notes that autumn rates are higher, so a stay in the foliage season may cost noticeably more than the figure we use.

Who it suits

It suits travellers who want a ryokan stay on the river in Arashiyama for a few nights, and who are comfortable being outside the city centre.

It is a poor fit for anyone who wants to step out into the centre of Kyoto in the evening. With only 25 rooms, ask early about the cherry-blossom and foliage seasons.