Park Hyatt Kyoto review: a luxurious family retreat in the heart of historic Japan

Our latest family adventure took us to the stunning Park Hyatt Kyoto, an oasis of luxury in the heart of one of Japan’s most iconic cultural destinations. With its perfect blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and contemporary luxury, Park Hyatt Kyoto offers an unforgettable experience for families seeking a serene and sophisticated getaway in one of Japan’s most historic cities. From our room upgrade to the culinary delights, here’s everything you need to know about your family stay at Park Hyatt Kyoto.

Booking Park Hyatt Kyoto

For our stay at Park Hyatt Kyoto, we redeemed Hyatt Points. It is a Category 8 Hyatt hotel requiring between 35,000 and 45,000 points per night depending on the season and peak and off-peak nights. You can check the price in points on Hyatt’s website while searching for a certain hotel under Points Calendar, and remember Points Calendar is not an availability it’s the price in points! To check availability, go to maxmypoint.com and search by the hotel name.

As always, we transferred our Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. Thus, for our 5 nights, we redeemed 40,000 points per night, giving us a total cost of 200,000 points for our stay. Given that the cash rate was approximately $1,730, per night for our dates (and $8,684.23 for the stay), this redemption offered excellent value!

Please note that you need one of the premium Chase cards (Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Preferred) to be able to transfer points to Hyatt.

We booked our stay at Park Hyatt Kyoto about 11 months in advance and sadly the Standard Suite was never available for our dates (not during the 11-month wait nor at the check-in), so we could not redeem our Suite Upgrade Award.

💡 Good to know

No resort fees apply when booking with points, which saves you even more on this already luxurious experience.

Now, a few weeks before our stay, we received an email from the hotel offering us the option to upgrade to bigger rooms (not the suites, though). However, we would have to pay for the upgrade in cash. The cost for the upgrade to a Premium Suite was around $1,500-1,900 per night and we had to politely decline the offer.

Check-in and arrival at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Upon arrival at Park Hyatt Kyoto, the staff greeted us with impeccable hospitality, a hallmark of Japanese culture. They quickly recognized our Globalist status, providing us with a warm welcome, and offering a welcome drink menu.

💡 Good to know

The hotel is located in the Higashiyama District, a prime location for exploring Kyoto’s famous temples and traditional tea houses. It’s a quick 10-minute taxi ride from Kyoto Station, and the hotel also offers transfers to key city attractions.

After, the staff offered us two upgrade options from the original standard room we had booked. We could either choose a 2 Twin Beds Garden View Room, which had two beds and did not require an additional rollaway bed, but did not have a private patio. The other option was a 1 King Bed Garden Terrace room with an extra rollaway bed and a private garden terrace (which they said was 2 categories higher than the standard room). We decided to choose the latter since the private patio sounded too tempting.

1 King Bed Garden Terrace at Park Hyatt Kyoto

The 1 King Bed, Garden Terrace room at Park Hyatt Kyoto offers 484 square feet (45 square meters) of refined elegance. This beautifully designed space combines traditional Japanese elements with modern luxury, featuring a comfortable king-sized bed, wooden accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto a private garden terrace, providing a serene outdoor escape.

The bathroom boasts a deep soaking tub, rain shower, and luxurious Le Labo bath amenities. Additional features include a Nespresso machine, a fully stocked minibar, a 55-inch flat-screen TV, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi.

How our family of four stayed in the one room at Park Hyatt Kyoto?

When booking a standard room at Park Hyatt Kyoto using points, we couldn’t find availability for 2 adults and 2 kids, so we made a reservation for 2 adults and 1 kid (9 years old) for a Standard 1 King Bed room. We knew we had to contact the hotel to let them know that an additional 3-year-old child would be joining us. After speaking with the hotel, they agreed to provide a rollaway bed for our room.

Although 2 twin beds would have been a better suit for us, we missed the opportunity to book it, and later it wasn’t available. Fast forward to check-in, we had an option of staying at the 2 Twin Beds Garden View Room indeed, but we opted for the room with a private terrace and a Japanese garden with 1 King Bed and a rollaway bed.

Once we were in the room, we realized that the day bed (couch) was a perfect space for our 3-year-old, so we just requested an extra bedding set. While having a rollaway bed made the room a bit tight, it wasn’t difficult to move around or anything!

In-room complimentary items at Park Hyatt Kyoto

I have a funny story about this list in the picture above. During our stay at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, I noticed a list of complimentary items you could request, and nail clippers caught my eye. So, I decided to randomly pick a few things, including what I thought was a moisturizing face mask. To my surprise (and amusement), it turned out to be a basic face cover instead!

Anyhow, the hotel kindly left everything on a tray in our room, which was a nice touch. But here’s where it gets interesting: for some reason, the same tray started arriving in our room every evening for the rest of our stay — we ended up receiving it three times! We couldn’t help but laugh at the mix-up.

Dining at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Dining at Park Hyatt Kyoto is an experience in itself, offering a range of options that cater to both adults and kids.

Breakfast at Park Hyatt Kyoto

We started each day with a sumptuous breakfast at Kyoto Bistro, where our Globalist status provided us with complimentary breakfast for the whole family (2 adults and 2 kids), which included a buffet + plus some items from the menu.

Please take note that Park Hyatt Kyoto offers two types of breakfast: Japanese and the regular option. It’s important to know that the Japanese breakfast is not complimentary with your Globalist status, and you would have to pay an additional daily fee for it. We have decided not to opt for the Japanese breakfast.

Dinner at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Our little one was craving pizza after 8 days in Japan, she could not have been happier to find it on the menu!

Kohaku – The Bar at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Kohaku is a cozy, elegant bar inside Park Hyatt Kyoto with limited seating, making it an intimate space perfect for unwinding. The views of Yasaka Pagoda are stunning, and the curated selection of Japanese whiskies and craft cocktails adds a local flavor to the experience. Due to its small size, reservations are highly recommended to secure a spot!

💡 Good to know

We loved the complimentary treats provided in the room! During our 5-night stay, we received them 3 times.

We also really appreciate the turndown service with the little chocolates and origami! Our older child even collected a box of those!

Amenities at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Park Hyatt Kyoto offers a thoughtful mix of modern amenities and traditional Japanese touches. We took advantage of the fitness center, which features stunning views of Kyoto’s eastern hills, creating a serene environment for workouts.

The spa, located nearby, offers traditional Japanese treatments in a tranquil setting overlooking the garden, though we didn’t have time to visit. Throughout the property, peaceful garden spaces invite quiet reflection. 

Luggage forwarding at Park Hyatt Kyoto

Japan offers highly efficient luggage forwarding services, allowing travelers to send their bags ahead to their next destination. We found this service incredibly convenient, as it let us travel light and fully enjoy our time in Japan without worrying about our luggage.

Using Park Hyatt Kyoto’s forwarding service, we sent our suitcases ahead to our next stop in Tokyo 24 hours in advance.

Note, that the cost varies depending on the prefecture, city, and the size and quantity of your luggage. For example, we paid 7,500 yen (about $34.50) to forward our three carry-on suitcases from Kyoto to Tokyo.

Exploring Kyoto with kids

One of the biggest advantages of staying at Park Hyatt Kyoto is its prime location, which makes it easy to explore Kyoto’s cultural landmarks.

• Kiyomizu-dera Temple: A UNESCO World Heritage site and just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, this iconic temple offers breathtaking views of the city and is a must-visit for families.
• Fushimi Inari Shrine: Known for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, this shrine is a fun and visually stunning experience for kids.
• Gion District: Just steps from the hotel, Gion is known for its traditional tea houses and geisha culture. The kids loved walking through the narrow streets and spotting traditional architecture.

Bottom line

Our stay at Park Hyatt Kyoto was truly unforgettable. From the elegant room to the impeccable service and location, this hotel offers the perfect blend of luxury and cultural immersion for families. Whether you’re redeeming Hyatt Points or seeking a serene retreat in one of Japan’s most historic cities, Park Hyatt Kyoto should be at the top of your list.

For families looking for a sophisticated stay that blends tradition with modern comfort, Park Hyatt Kyoto offers an unparalleled experience in the heart of Japan.

On Points With Kids Summary

We redeemed 200,000 Hyatt points for five nights at Park Hyatt Kyoto. The cash rate for our stay was $8,684.23, which equals 4.34 cents per point, an outstanding value!

You can apply for the following credit cards to earn Hyatt points that can be redeemed at Park Hyatt Kyoto:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card application (Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the World of Hyatt program)
• Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card application
• Chase Ink Preferred Credit Card application