Park Hyatt Kyoto, Review: An Overwhelming Sense of Calm

The entrance to Park Hyatt Kyoto is so discrete it would be easy to miss entirely. Located in the heart of the ancient city’s bustling Higashiyama quarter, across the street from the Kodai-ji temple, the hillside retreat blends in almost seamlessly with the surrounding buildings. Save for a small black sign, there is little indication that this low-rise property is, in fact, one of the most sought-after hotels in Kyoto. 

But that’s exactly the kind of understated elegance the brand is known for. Within moments of arriving, we’re ushered across a boulder-strewn Japanese-style garden into the sleek...