Ace Hotel Kyoto has opened its doors for an initial preview period, welcoming guests to the brand’s first outpost in Asia.
Designed in partnership with Kengo Kuma and longtime Ace partner Commune Design, the property features a vibrant lobby, garden courtyard, dedicated gallery, Stumptown coffee shop and flexible event spaces.
The 213-key hotel was built in homage to Kyoto’s creative spirit and as a tribute to the city’s past and future legends.
Ace Hotel Kyoto also features three distinct restaurants led by chef-partners Naomi Pomeroy, Marc Vetri and West Avila.
Each outlet features original art and custom works by Japanese artisans, from woven light fixtures to handmade Karakami frescos.
Mr Maurice’s Italian, by Vetri, is an Italian American osteria with a rooftop bar.
Piopiko, by Avila, is a vibrant cocktail bar and taco lounge overlooking the hotel’s lobby.
The final F&B venue, whose name is still yet to be announced, is an American restaurant by Pomeroy with an adjoining outdoor space. The menu will feature classic fare elevated through expert technique and an inventive spirit.
During the initial preview period, the hotel will offer sample menus from the two revealed restaurants, followed by an official grand opening celebration for the hotel and all three restaurants later this year.
“We have wanted to build a hotel in Japan since the beginning of Ace,” comments Brad Wilson, President of Ace Hotel Group. “Opening in Kyoto, a city long-revered for its rich creative culture, abundance of art and craft, and attention to beauty in the details, makes it all the more special.”
The hotel lives in a building that is part historic structure – home to the former Kyoto Central Telephone Company, designed by Tetsuro Yoshida – and part new-build.
The site comprises the Shin-Puh-Kan Redevelopment Project, helmed by development partners NTTUD. The structure also incorporates a large ground-floor marketplace that connects directly to the Kyoto subway line, all cohesively designed by Kengo Kuma Architects.
Centred around an east-meets-west aesthetic philosophy, the hotel’s design marries a shared love for craft, natural and regional materials with custom art by local and west coast artists and artisans.
Inspiration was taken from the history of collaborations between western architects and designers – such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Antonin Raymond, and Charlotte Perriand – and Japanese builders, artists and manufacturers.
Incorporating a balance between Japanese and American aesthetics, the public and private areas offer layered, iconoclastic spaces that speak to the convergence of ideas and traditions.
Ace Hotel Kyoto features original art and custom furnishings from artists and craftsmen based in Japan and the States, including a large-scale textile piece by the Kagoshima-based Shobu Gakuen community hanging above the check-in.
The gallery space and bar are lined with sculptural tiles from Sigaraki, whilst Noren curtains and banners created by celebrated nonagenarian artist Samiro Yunoki – who created the hotel’s logo and custom font – are displayed throughout the hotel.
Guestrooms are made up of eight different types: Standard King, Deluxe King, Double, Historic Double, Terrace Double, Garden Terrace, Tatami Suite and Ace Suite.
All rooms feature original artworks by Yunoki and a custom Pendelton blanket; and some rooms have a TEAC turntable and a Gibson guitar.
Kelly Sawdon, Partner and Chief Brand Officer of Ace Hotel Group says, “Working with so many talented collaborators – from architect Kengo Kuma and Commune Design, to our culinary partners and the dozens of artists and artisans from Japan and the US — is the foundation of Ace Hotel Kyoto, a celebration of community and one we can’t wait to share and build with friends new and old.”
