ROKU Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts

ROKU Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Four kilometers north of central Kyoto, past Kitaoji and within reach of Nijo Castle and the Imperial Palace, ROKU Kyoto sits in the wooded foothills below the Takagamine mountains, with the Tenjin river running along its edge. Opened in 2021, the LXR-branded Hilton resort holds just 114 rooms across four floors, closer in scale to a private lodge than a downtown hotel. The standout is its outdoor thermal pool, open to the sky, and for guests in the Poolside King Room with Terrace it's reachable directly from an 883-square-foot suite without crossing a lobby. Other categories include the Deluxe King Room with Terrace at 538 square feet and the Standard Double Suite at over 1,000 square feet, while the top-floor Premier Deluxe Rooms look out over the surrounding hills. A spa, sauna, massage room and an on-call doctor sit alongside a gym and fitness facilities, and staff speak English, Korean and Chinese. Bike rental and hiking trails lead straight off the grounds, which suits a traveler who wants Kyoto's temples within a taxi ride but no city noise once she's back. It suits less anyone who wants to walk out the door into Gion or Pontocho; this is a retreat first, a base for sightseeing second. A kids club and babysitting are on offer, though the setting reads more like a couples' or solo escape than a family week. Check-in is at 3pm, check-out at noon. The forest, the river and a pool you can slip into after dark are a combination Kyoto's other luxury addresses can't claim. ROKU Kyoto is a 114-room resort in the wooded hills above the city, built in 2021, with an outdoor thermal pool some rooms open directly onto. It suits travelers who want quiet and space over downtown nightlife, less so those who want to walk to Gion.