About this hotel
General information
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto sits on a hilltop in the Higashiyama district, next to Kiyomizu-dera Temple and wrapped in a grove of bamboo. It is an intimate hotel of 52 rooms, where tatami floors, wooden soaking tubs and quiet Japanese detailing meet modern comfort, and windows look out over the old rooftops of Kyoto or onto inner gardens.
At its heart is the Bamboo Pavilion, a Noh stage set in the bamboo garden, where evenings bring classical Japanese music and candlelit performances. The hotel draws water from its own natural hot spring for public baths with indoor and open-air pools, for the private onsen in selected rooms and for the spa's treatment suites. The kitchens build their menus around seasonal Kyoto produce, from kaiseki courses to counter dining.
Location
The hotel stands on a hill in Higashiyama, between the Gion district and Kiyomizu-dera Temple, about 0.8 km away on foot. Kodai-ji and Kennin-ji temples, the Yasaka Pagoda and the old lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka are close by. Kansai International Airport is around 90 minutes by taxi; alternatively, the Haruka express reaches Kyoto Station in about 75 minutes, as do shinkansen trains from Tokyo, and the hotel is a 20-minute taxi ride from there.
Spa
Banyan Tree Spa Higashiyama Kyoto runs on water from the hotel's own hot spring, with onsen baths, steam saunas and treatment rooms that have hinoki cypress tubs for a private soak. Its approach follows the brand's Eight Pillars of Wellbeing alongside Japanese bathing and care traditions. Treatments include Onsen Indulgence, which pairs a private onsen with a full-body massage, the 150-minute Royal Banyan ritual combining Eastern and Western techniques, massages with a choice of aromatic oils, Thai body scrubs and facials using Banyan Tree Spa products. The Banyan Tree Gallery shop sells bath, body and aromatherapy products. Separately, on the ground floor, gender-separated public baths fed by the natural hot spring have both indoor and open-air pools.
Sports & leisure
There is a gym, morning yoga overlooking the Japanese gardens and guided meditation sessions. Beyond that, leisure here is devoted to Kyoto's culture:
- candlelit Noh performances on the Bamboo Pavilion stage
- koto and shakuhachi concerts on the same stage
- walks through the bamboo garden
- rickshaw rides along Sannenzaka and the old streets of Higashiyama
- zazen meditation guided by a Buddhist monk
- a workshop making a red paper lantern on a bamboo frame
- a lesson in traditional Japanese sweets with a local confectioner
Restaurants & bars
All three venues focus on Japanese cooking and seasonal Kyoto ingredients, and in-room dining is available.
- Ryozen — restaurant beside the Bamboo Pavilion serving Japanese breakfast, afternoon tea and dinners of kaiseki courses or counter dining, where chefs cook over the grill
- Ryozen SEN Bettei — an intimate branch of the Kyoto restaurant SEN, with creative kaiseki at a quiet counter overlooking Higashiyama in a Noh-inspired room; dinner only, at a single seating
- Bar Ryozen — sake from Fushimi and other regions, cocktails and light meals, plus Kyoto-style afternoon tea with local sweets
Rooms
The 52 rooms, from 48 to 74 m², blend Japanese and Western design, and the upper categories have a private onsen fed by the natural hot spring. Each room sleeps up to three guests.
Rooms have tatami floors, a sitting area with a sofa, a coffee machine, tea, a minibar, a wooden soaking tub, a separate walk-in shower, 100% cotton bed linen and free Wi-Fi.
Serenity Room
A quiet room with a tatami floor, sofa, wooden soaking tub and separate shower, facing the garden or the street. King bed or twin beds, for up to three guests.
Grand Serenity
A roomier Japanese-Western layout with tatami flooring, a sitting area and city or garden views. King bed or twin beds, a wooden soaking tub and separate shower, for up to three guests.
Wellbeing Sanctuary
Made for unhurried mornings: floor-to-ceiling windows with city views, personal yoga mats and exercise bands, a wooden soaking tub and separate shower. King bed or twin beds, for up to three guests.
Onsen Retreat
A second-floor room beside a Japanese courtyard garden, with its own natural hot-spring onsen, a tatami floor and a wooden soaking tub. King bed or twin beds, for up to three guests.
Grand Onsen Retreat
A larger Japanese-Western room with garden views and a private onsen fed by the hot spring, plus tatami, a sitting area and a wooden soaking tub. King bed or twin beds, for up to three guests.
Banyan Onsen Retreat
The hotel's largest category: a spacious tatami room with a sitting area and wide views, a private onsen, a wooden soaking tub and a separate shower. King bed, for up to three guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.