Master of Kiyomizu

In the heart of Kyoto’s incredible Kiyomizu is the Hotel Seiryu, a property that’s located in a former elementary school that can firmly claim to be one of Japan’s best new hotels. To find out what makes the property so unique, James Wilkinson catches-up with Hotel Seiryu Kyoto General Manager, Takanori Muroi.

The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto is brilliant on so many levels, from the location to the design, rooms and food and beverage on offer. Please tell us about the project and how it came about.

In 1869, a total of 64 elementary schools were built in Kyoto for the respective local resident organizations that were called ‘bangumi elementary schools’.

This was before a national elementary school system was established in Japan. These elementary schools of Kyoto were unique in that they were funded and planned by the local residents of each community.

For this reason, each school had a different architectural structure and design reflecting the financial capacity, philosophies, and hopes for education of each community.

Our building, the former Kiyomizu Elementary School (27th Shimogyo Elementary School), built in 1933, has earned a great reputation for its design and its rebirth combining modern comfort as a high-quality heritage hotel under the direction of designer Ryu Kosaka.

Please tell us about the stylish rooms and suites on offer.

We have a total of 48 of the guests rooms, including one suite, which are in a classic style converted from a former school building or new modern type. The Panoramic Suite is our signature room with jaw-dropping city views.

Tell us about the fantastic food and beverage on offer.

Our hotel contains three food and beverage outlets. We have Benoit Kyoto, a partner restaurant, which is a French bistro restaurant overseen by Ducasse Paris, offering seasonal flavours and local ingredients showcased in traditional bistro fare with a modern twist.

There is also K36 The Bar and Rooftop, a partner restaurant, where you can enjoy the cityscape and an astonishing view of Kyoto from the rooftop. It overlooks sightseeing spots around the hotel that can only be seen here. The Bar inside offers rare whiskeys and wines and has an ample food menu, making it a suitable place for various occasions. You can enjoy the tranquil atmosphere in the bar that retains the remnants of the school building.

At the Library restaurant, our breakfast venue, we have a theme of ‘wellbeing’, a concept meaning that both the mind and body are in good condition, where we serve a ‘breakfast for learning’ unique to this restaurant inside a former school building, which incorporates health-conscious ingredients into the meal with which you start your day.

The former auditorium with its high ceiling, and the space surrounding guests with books, are reminiscent of the days when the establishment was still a school. It can be used not only as a restaurant, but also as a multipurpose space.

You have some fantastic activations, from music to performance. Please tell us about these.

Every Thursday, as an exclusive experience only for staying guests free of charge, we have a Maiko performance. The enigmatic charm of geisha, called geiko and maiko in the Kyoto dialect, is renowned worldwide. Get in touch with traditional Japanese culture and dive into a captivating world. This event includes a dance performance, photo session and a greeting. As well as being able to watch the graceful dances of maiko up close, which are rarely seen, there will be time to take photographs and talk with the maiko.

Every Friday, also as an exclusive experience only for staying guests free of charge, we have a live music event. This event is played on a variety of instruments and delivers the surprise of live background music for a support initiative for young local musicians.

What’s your x-factor at the Hotel Seiryu Kyoto?

The location. Our hotel surrounded by a preserved historical district and its convenient location lets guests enjoy the quaint early morning and night-time sights of empty backstreets in this usually bustling district, as well as enjoy easy access to many of Kyoto’ s other iconic sites. We highly recommend the guest can have a walk before breakfast in the early morning.

Despite its location in the middle of a tourist area, the hotel offers only 48 rooms on a spacious 7,000 square-meter site, an oasis of quiet luxury is completely away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Hotel Seiryu has been awarded one Michelin Key by the prestigious Michelin Guide. Tell us about that.

We are very honoured to have received one Michelin Key. We will continue to promote the charms of Kyoto and make the hotel a place where our guests can enjoy their stay. We hope you enjoy your stay at this unique hotel.

How important is the partnership with Leading Hotels of the World (LHW)?

We are confident that LHW can support us to establish our hotel’s luxury positioning globally and help drive profitable growth from international markets, offer our un-parallel access and unmatched expertise expanding our reach and growing our business.

What’s one of your favourite things to do in the local area?

Sightseeing by Rickshaw gives a more elevated sight line, lending a fresh perspective to everything you see. Faster than walking but slower than cycling, it allows you to enjoy touring Kyoto efficiently in comfort at an ideal speed.

lhw.com

GETTING TO KYOTO

You can get to Kyoto on the Japanese high-speed Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo (two hours) and Osaka (12 minutes). All Nippon Airways (ANA) flies to Tokyo and Osaka from across the globe, including New York, London, Sydney and more global gateways. The author recommends flying in ANA’s Business Class cabin, which features lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.

ana.co.jp